As not to become an unintended spoiler for the novel, I've confined my characters to those who begin the story with Rick.
Richard “Rick” Pinn is the novel's main character - a Me'Aukin
found and raised by humans on the former colonial world of Corven.
Graduating with a doctorate in archaeology, Rick has been offered
the choice position of colonial curator on Me'Auk by Interstar
Corporation. Driven by a need to understand why his race abandoned
him in cryogenic stasis as an embryo, Rick eagerly accepts the
politically-motivated assignment. He immediately discovers that his
heritage has been waiting for him with deadly intent, sending Rick
down a far different path of making history rather than digging it
up.
Like all Me’Aukins, Rick is easily noticeable by
his short stature, long fingers, and olive skin. His slightly
larger dark eyes add to the incorrect impression that he is barely
out of middle school. There is nothing childish about him –
including a deep seated anguish of not fitting in with his adopted
race.
Rick, along with Jamie Brinwall, was
discovered twenty seven years ago on the planet of Me’Auk in the
ruins of Clan Maedan. He had been there for an estimated three
hundred years. The two of them were initially raised in the
Institute For Me’Aukin Studies until released in their late teens
due to public protests. Having been offered several scholarships,
Rick chose to pursue archeology as a natural course toward
rediscovering his heritage. He took the last name of his mentor and
Dean at Lake Austin University.
Jamie Brinnwall is Rick’s female Me’Aukin counterpart – found with
him in cryogenic stasis. Long black hair and a delicate jaw line
add to her Me’Aukin features to portray what appears to be a
fragile-looking young girl. Nothing could be further from the
truth. Headstrong, and determined to find her race again, Jamie
despises humanity in general and is fiercely proud of her heritage.
This is more of a defense against the disillusion over watching the
family she was adopted into become shattered by the murder of her
foster mother Katherine Brinwall at the hands of Me’Aukin mines.
Now Jamie wants to run away, and even attempted to steal a
freighter at one point in a desperate bid to find the clans. Jamie
is acutely aware of being the only eligible Me’Aukin female when
she is around Rick. An unexplained strong antipathy between her and
Rick guarantees that any relationship would be futile at best.
Jamie shares a similar background as Rick, except that she
was adopted by Jay and Katherine Brinwall once released from the
Institute. Her foster parents are wealthy politicians intent on
opening Me’Auk up for colonization. After her foster mother’s
tragic death, Jamie is estranged from her foster father due to his
inwardly blaming her for Katherine’s death due to Jamie’s race.
Protests to bring Rick and Jamie out from under the guardianship of
the Institute For Me'Aukin Studies was organized by a determined
fellow university student named Andrea Gibbs. Like Rick, she
studied archaeology although engineering remains Andrea's primary
interest. Hired by Interstar Corporation to unlock the mysteries of
Stone, the nano-tech material used by Me'Aukins, Andrea has done
extensive field research on Me'Auk.
Andrea is a
head taller than Rick, and keeps her hair clipped short as to deal
with the humid climes she often works in. She feels a lack of
purpose in her life as a corporate employee, remembering the days
when her actions counted for more than a simple paycheck. Her
driving interest remains with the Stone, and a desire to protect
the remaining ruins from harm. Andrea remains haunted by the death
of Katherine Brinwall whose murder she witnessed. She welcomes
Rick’s arrival, looking to rekindle some of the better memories
they shared in college. Andrea was engaged to Major Steven Keller,
however their relationship ended with a destructive barrage ordered
on the most intact of the abandoned Me’Aukin cities.
Looking like a misplaced Viking, Steve represents the military arm of Interstar Corporation through its Exploratory Corps. Major Steven Keller has only one concern – the safety of both the preliminary colonists and the many more to come to Me’Auk. His adversary is the Me’Aukin mines, autonomous weapons that infest the many ruins across the planet. Major Keller feels that Me’Auk is far from safe despite limited mine activity, and opposes Interstar’s timetable for Opening Day. He regrets having to destroy portions of the abandoned cities, but puts human lives above historical treasures. He still loves Andrea Gibbs, and chalks their failed relationship up as another casualty in a war he’s yet to win.