Unholy Star, Beyond Faith

--- the story so far ---

Author note: A quick summary for those picking up after a break while working on other writing projects. ... Thanks for reading!

Sen 

Sen (Senniella Atripliceae, aka Salty, i-III, technopath) has been invited and is determined to join the Ethnaa Aashar. Her father, Lynx (Lynx Lynx, i-III) however, is fundamentally against the idea that his daughter would, as one of the twelve, be bonded to a twelve year apprenticeship and be compelled to use up all of her gefreshes over the following twelve years (the Ethnaa Aashar must remain twelve physical years old for twelve years). Using her technopathic ability that allows her to access pax (universal information based currency) without a device, Sen turns of the force field of her platforms viewing deck but even this dangerous act doesn't change her father's decision to disallow her to join the Ethnaa Aashar. Sen therefore plans to take her father out of the equation and adopts the identity of a lost Druid, Wu Zetian to negotiate with a company director Pongo Pygmaeus, for an assassination to be carried out by using an override device that can change the gefresh status of a target.

The assassination is successfully carried out on her behalf by a duped Death Squad 8 but in addition to the death of her father, her infant brother Hovea is accidently killed. Her family might suspect that Sen has something to do with the tragedy, but nobody could prove any connection with the eleven year old and only her sister Wattle (the only one that knows her technopathic capabilities) is sure of it.

Sen's mother, Portia (Thespesia Populnea) has not recovered from the death of her partner and son and is said to be dying of a broken heart.

Alienated from her family, Sen gets her way and joins the Ethnaa Aashar, journeying to the living platform Quara Amara and Maktaba, the home of the Learned. She travels with another young apprentice called Bast (who is also the youngest Auger in history -- augers are augmented humans who live with integreated mechanical and sensorary etc enhancements) and her warden Xe'ed (a Mawla or Lord of the Amaran realm, i-III). We are also introduced to Sedek (Mawla, i-III, warden to Bast) and Bashshar, Captain of the al Danni (Fortress class cruiser).

At Maktaba, Sen meets her fellow Ethnaa Aashar and the Learned including Shoo-e (Shoo-wey-wing) and is told that a young, mysterious learned called Het (Hetasha) also has a special ability.

Sen is looking forward to accessing the Quara Amaran processor that will allow her to complete her secret, self-assigned mission. But not before a meeting with the Elder Learned, the feeble Zoro.

Death Squad 8

The Ascent (Dark class modified cruiser) is sent to terminate the life of Lynx Lynx who has appeared to have exceeded his gefresh allocation (in violation of the terminatio die where the penalty is death at the execution of the Church's Death Squad). The assigned team, consisting of Eiko (Churchman E1K0, Dean) and lovers Sam (Churchman S66M, Priest) and Honi (Churchman H0N3, Priest) confront a bewildered Lynx at the Atripliceae Family Platform.

The mistaken murder of the two Skyeans is streamed across the Galaxy and become a best selling execution at the embarrassment of the Church. Eiko accepts full responsibility and is tortured in punishment by the specialist Retributioner priests.

Sam, Honi and an unnamed Acolyte beamer (a type of genie whose line of genetic enhancements are designed to protect from space radiation) hunt down the Redeemer priest that sold the override device and find out that their client was Pongo Pygmaeus.

With Eiko back on deck after his restorative ninth gefresh, the team catch Pongo at the opera house and release him into the side of a cardinal's cruiser, the Ptolemy. But not before Sam orders the destruction of the historic New Freedom opera platform in order to save Eiko a torturous death following his final sermon where he declares an end to the terminatio die and is wounded by the Star Templar, protector churchmen of the Cardinal Kasper (deceased).

The Death Squad 8 crew are now rebels against the Church.

Tiger

Tiger (Panthera Tigre) is a member of the Aged (one who has become physically old having passed their eleventh gefresh entitlement) and grandfather of Sen, father of Portia. Living at the treetop colony 3295 for the Aged on the massive forest planet, Skye (Cian System and centre of the Skean Kingdom, one of the original galactic colonies). He is visited by his old friend Pachy (formerly Pachycereus Pringlei, now known as Zoro Eldest of the Twelve Learned) who discusses Sen's pending entry into the Ethnaa Aashar and passes on a gift to his old friend that includes forbidden technology (anything that in non-mechanical is forbidden on the planet surface) which lands Tiger in trouble with the Druidic Order (caretakers of the planet and its colonies). His punishment is to be sent to the forest ground where he is to fend for himself. Also received from his friend Pachy was a series of pills that promises to reverse his aging and a small cube device that will re-enable his currently decommissioned core tech (internal systems biologically integrated) (yet to be used). After being sent to the forest floor he finds a druidic burial fort and discovers the Druids are wrapping and disposing of the Aged while they still live. Finding a shrouded woman at death's door and fearing that she will become prey to nocturnal animals kills her as a mercy, swearing revenge on the Druids.

Zoro

Is up to something having been shown conspiring with a mysterious Auger  complete with LED dentals (ex-druid??). But it seems their plans are not going as expected with the death squad's actions proving to be a surprise.

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thanks! 

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Note: stand genetic enhancements (ipc) are inherited genetic modifications that are highly prestigious and very difficult to acquire. Each class of enhancement has three levels and the classes are intelligence, physique and charismatic. Eg i-III is an intelligence modification of level three. Level I = enhanced; II = superior enhanced; III = super human. Less than one percent of any population will have any genetic enhancement.