Conrada Dorrien (Special Operative)
Symbiont - Pooka (Tenebrosus pooka, pooka)
About: Prickly, impulsive, weary of other people. But also characterized by a desire to be accepted. Born seeing symbionts, and has held that secret her whole life, shaping an emotional distance she keeps between herself and other people. Skilled at drawing, electronics, and math. Good at dealing with practical problems, not good at controlling her own whims, starts the story driven by basic emotional survival, but slowly learning to see the bigger picture and focus on her targets - including the prices to be paid and sacrifices to be made. Prefers to go by her nickname ‘Conrad’.
Background: Born a serf tied to historically family-owned land (on her father's side) in the Cooperative City, operated by Systems Biotechnica, then later Murasaki. At manifestation, the land was purchased from the family by Aquila rendering her and her father technically freeman now, and allowing Aquila to make a contract with her for employment.
Description: Age 21 (at Season 1), 5’6”. Silver-streaked hair, slim, not particularly athletic initially. Sienna (light brown) eyes.
Father: Dr Armin Dorrien
Mother: Unknown
Morning Routine: Absolute mess of a sleeper, kicks the sheets everywhere. Wakes up to last night's project on the floor, probably steps on part of it that was left next to the bed. Swears and kicks it, breaking two days worth of work. Usually skips breakfast. Showers at night before bed.
Pooka
About: Conrad’s symbiont, as named by her after his species name. Despite his age and lives, has only limited interest in human affairs. Typically motivated by a drive to protect his host and opportunistic enjoyment of living. Despite claiming symbionts belong in the Hollow (the mysterious place all symbionts originate) appears to have limited interest in being there himself. It is unclear if how Pooka operates is how other symbionts with high-order functions and consciousness operate. It is apparent that symbionts vary in their ability to remember and influence how manifestation affects them.
Background: Pooka has lived at least a dozen lives, manifesting and sleeping again, and appears to have preferentially followed Conrada’s maternal bloodline through time, manifesting initially for anyone who invited and becoming steadily pickier after what he refers to as the ‘betrayal’ when there was a significant change in how symbionts and conduits held status within human society.
Description: Shapeshifter, but always black with glowing red pupilless eyes. Prefers forms that reflect his host, seeming to like Aquila (eagle) and Hyeana (hyena) for Conrada. His ‘truest’ form is Equus (horse).
Mourning Routine: Sleeps during the day, under a desk, with danger belly and all four paws in the air. Do you dare try the forbidden belly rubs?
MURASAKI RESEARCH GROUP
Known members: Dr. Armin Dorrien (Rattus sp., rat), Meiko Kobayashi (Hystix sp., porcupine), Harris Cho (Bubo sp., horned owl), Jason Tachibana (Erinaceus concolor, hedgehog), Dr. Edward ‘Gilroy’ Gilroy (Corvus sp., crow)
AQUILA OPERATIONS
Everett Hawthorne (Junior Executive)
Symbiont - Pell (Chromatopelma venetus, tarantula)
About: Grumpy, pragmatic, just as cagey and distrustful as Conrada (but less noisy about it). Goes by a variety of nicknames depending on context, including the Prince, Wolf-Prince, Wolf-Pup and Rhett. Unknown which ones he actually likes. Highly skilled with a handgun, hand to hand combat (with a preference for knives) and hacking/infiltration. Proficient with most other weapons. Equivalent currently to a minor noble status socially, but positioned to potentially be very high ranking if the right titles came his way, it's a little messy.
Background: Born a freeman to Regina while she and Aquila were working with the Lupine Coorperative in the early days of Aquila’s operations. The business and personal relationship between his parents fell apart shortly after his birth for reasons unknown. Spent most of his youth with Aquila, began working for Captain Rattakul at age 14 and returned to Aquila at age 18.
Description: Age 23 (at Season 1), 5’4”. Dark brown, long curly hair that he keeps long on the top of his head and shaved on the sides. Dense, athletic build. Distinct blue eyes.
Father: Lyall Moreau
Mother: Regina Hawthorne (took his mother’s surname)
A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.
Morning Routine: Wakes early but is always groggy. Drinks a cup of green tea while reading in the quiet, usually while mentally cataloging which of his plants are due a water. Goes to the gym before eating breakfast and showers after.
Regina Hawthorne (CEO)
Symbiont - Name Unknown (Chromatopelma ochraceus, tarantula)
About: Chief Executive Officer and Co-Owner of Aquila Operations. Forceful personality, demands and expects to be obeyed without question. Obsessed with Aquila’s success. Known to have a drinking problem that is generally tolerated by others. Sometimes called the Queen, but nobility status is closer to a minor noble, but not from her own birthrights but due to status as essentially Owen's concubine.
Background: Unknown origin, but affiliated with Apex, prior to being recruited by Owen when starting Aquila and trusted with getting the business running.
Description: Age 45 (at Season 1), 5’1”. Curly dark brown hair, dark eyes. Skillset unknown.
Mourning Routine: The only employee that has breakfast delivered to her room instead of venturing into the commons to feed herself, usually a pastry with a fruit filling that are specially ordered for her, and black coffee.
Adrian Nkosi (Director of Operational Intelligence)
Symbiont - Espah (Vespa sp., hornet)
About: Trusted by Regina as essentially her right-hand running Aquila and typically oversees all field operations, including maintaining agent contact and providing tactical backup by coordinating with Aquila home-base. Has earned some co-ownership of Aquila but appears to be a smaller stake than Regina and Owen. Uses a wheelchair, can walk with support of crutches but generally finds the weight of his symbiont’s nest on his chest difficult to balance and move with. No field skills. Envenomation by Espah allows him to open his bond onto new targets, overlapping with their minds and experiences. Communication between agents occurs by him hearing their thoughts (or words) and sharing it with his symbiont's bodies, who vibrate their wings to create sound waves, effectively acting as radio ear-pieces.
Background: Stolen(?) from the company he was raised in that specialized in breeding eusocial human-symbiont pairings for computing operations.
Description: Age 47 (at Season 1), 5’11”. Gaunt, dark-skinned, poorly maintained short locs. Very shabby dresser.
Morning Routine: Light sleeper, makes his way to the commons and usually the one to put the coffee pot on. Drinks a black coffee and takes whatever leftovers are in the fridge to eat cold while he disappears into Control to get work started.
Aster/Shion Kusakari (Director of Operations)
Symbiont - Unknown name (Hymenopus sp., orchid mantis)
About: Sharp dresser who enjoys many of the finer things in life. Has become a little jaded in their older age, and views having values as admirable, but a game for the young. It's a mindset that's formed from a place of empathetic exhaustion more than anything else, and has spent most of their life adjacent to military applications even before Aquila. Neither Aster nor Shion was their name at birth. Goes by he/they when presenting masculine, preferring the name Aster. Goes by she/they when presenting feminine, preferring the name Shion. Closest identification is non-binary (but purely because it’s easier than trying to explain more than anything else - if you asked you'd get an answer something like "They're both me, and they're both not me. Just say what you see."). Skilled with sniper rifles and rifles, but proficient with most weapons. Not suited for close combat. Highly skilled in confidence and deception.
Background: Freeman, recruited by Aquila from an unknown paramilitary corporation.
Description: Age 41 (at Season 1), 6’3”. Typically shaved bald and wears wigs, but naturally has black hair. Dark eyes. Immaculately dressed in their free time, otherwise wears whatever the job calls for.
Morning Routine: Stumbles down to the commons in a dressing gown and fuzzy pink slippers, people watches while waking up and drinking way too much coffee. Guaranteed to be making fun of Conrad if she's there.
Blake & Vanessa ‘Nessa’ Townsend (Agent & Agent)
Symbionts - Unknown names (Bison bison, bison & Felis catus, siamese cat)
Rishi Gupta (Manager, Operations)
Symbiont - Unknown name (Actias sp., luna moth)
Other known members: ‘Junk’ (Gypaetus barbatus, bearded vulture), Mia (symbiont unknown), Ashe (symbiont unknown)
THE LUPINE COOPERATIVE
Captain Lyall Moreau
Symbiont - Unknown name (Lupus lycanthropus, wolf/werewolf when merged with host)
About: Rhett's father, known to have a second son named Wyatt. Equally grumpy and enigmatic leader of the Lupine Cooperative. Main business is made scavenging ruins beyond the domes for recyclable scrap and antiques. Has been known to take on ad hoc other work as pay and opportunities arise.
Background: Unknown
Description: Age 51 (as of Season 2), 6'1". Distinct blue eyes. Wild mane of once black hair that is greying heavily now, with a steep widow's peak.
Morning Routine: Barely finishes an instant coffee before someone is knocking on his trailer. Has a bad back first thing in the morning until he warms up that makes him extra grumpy.
Other known members: Bosun Wesley Parsons (Cervus elaphus, red deer), Quartermaster Cardoso (symbiont unknown), Carol (symbiont unknown), Adelyn 'Addie' (Crotalus sp., rattlesnake)
THE GARUDA CREW
Captain Preecha Rattakul
Symbiont - Cendrawasih (Garuda auratus, Garuda)
About: Captain of the Garuda Crew, most of her senior leadership are her children and grandchildren. Specializes in smuggling and black market goods, often traded off official records by management between city-domes.
Background: Unknown
Description: Age 76 (as of Season 2), 5'5". Uses a cane. Long metallic black hair that has greyed to the color of iron, she keeps it tied into a bun at the back of her neck. Narrow dark eyes.
Morning Routine: Fuck off. I'm too old for that.
Other known members: Patrick Loshak (No symbiont)
OTHER AFFILIATIONS
Hisumi Kondou
Symbiont - Name unknown (Varanus sp., monitor lizard)
Non-Executive Chairwoman of the Konryuukai business group. Rhett's current potential fiancée (Season 2). Basically a distant minor princess to a moderately sized crown.
Owen Derijck
Symbiont - Name unknown (Aquila sp., eagle)
Unknown title and position, affiliated with Apex and distant final co-owner of Aquila Operations. Assumed to be busy with the operations of Aquila's front, company of unknown name. Leaves most of Aquila's operational day-to-day to Regina. The equivalent socially to the seventh or eighth in line to a major crown. The most high ranking person on this list (with one secret exception ;P).
