Appendix/Cast List

A list of words, terms, and characters to help move readers through the story. You do not have to read this to understand the story. It is best used as something to refer to upon encountering a new or confusing word.

Very slight spoilers in the last two sections.

Timekeeping words:

-Mark: sixty seconds

-Bell: sixty minutes, equivalent to one hour

-Ship-day: twenty eight hours

-Span: eight ship-days

-Measure: four spans

-Year: ten measures

-Reign Year: official term for years in the Monarchy, more commonly used to denote the yearly holiday/festival that happens to celebrate the crowning of the current Queen

-Watch (usually given with a position; e.g. first watch, third watch, etc.): a period of seven hours, denoting one fourth of a ship-day

Positions/Titles:

-Queen Matriarch: Supreme ruler of the Monarchy

-Crown Daughter: Respected title given to each of the Queen's daughters

-Royal Hand: A Zakkili given control and authority over of a Star Citadel. Very formally called a "Hand of the Queen".

-Admiral: Title given to the officer in charge of ship commands of a Star Citadel. Works under the Royal Hand.

-Troop Commander: Title given to the highest ranking officer in charge of soldiers in a Star Citadel. Works under the Royal Hand.

-Master Engineer: Title given to the highest ranking engineer aboard a Star Citadel. Works under the Royal Hand.

-Armswoman: The starting and most common rank for soldiers on a Star Citadel.

General Terms:

-Zakkili: The main species and the ruling people of the Monarchy.

-Star Citadel: Massive Zakkili space vessels that are half-city, half-warship.

-Crown-kin: Zakkili with direct traceable blood-ties to the royal line.

-Crownthread/mindthread: Tendril-like psychic sensory organs that grow from a Zakkili's temples and nape. Those without royal blood-ties refer to theirs as "mindthreads".

-Crown Veil: A hairstyle that is common among Crown-kin. Involves pinning up both hair and crownthreads.

-Subspace: A dimension "underneath" realspace, where distance behaves far differently.

-Dive/Emergence: The act of a vessel entering/exiting subspace.

-Maker's Covenant: The religion of the Zakkili and their Monarchy.

Cast (Minor Spoilers here):

-Nalyra:

Our first protagonist. A Crown Daughter and Royal Hand. Haughty, proud, merciless. The fifth daughter of the Queen.

-Tor'laen:

Our second protagonist. A Ydani Outrunner Captain. Experienced, dry, calm.

-Vessa:

The Admiral of the Saint's Aegis. Efficient, punctual, intelligent. Nalyra's friend and subordinate.

-Mikka:

The Troop Commander of the Saint's Aegis. Impish, flirtatious, skilled. Nalyra's friend and subordinate.

-Nivi:

The Master Engineer of the Saint's Aegis. Young, eager, brilliant with technology. Nalyra's subordinate.

-Soreth:

A High Priestess aboard the Saint's Aegis. Pious, strict, traditional.

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Royal Family Reference (Don't feel like you must memorize this):

-Azora:

The Queen Matriarch of the Monarchy. Nalyra's mother.

-Leora:

The High Steward of the Monarchy, serving under Azora. The first daughter of the Queen.

-Falara:

An Archpriestess of the Maker's Covenant. The second daughter of the Queen.

-Taira:

The Planetary Governor of the planet Orphila. The third daughter of the Queen.

-Zikara:

A Crown Daughter and Royal Hand. Nalyra's twin sister. The sixth daughter of the Queen.

-Viora:

The Crown Chancellor of the Monarchy, serving under Azora. The eighth daughter of the Queen.

-Avyra:

A Crown Daughter and Royal Hand. The ninth daughter of the Queen.

Psychic Terms (Minor Spoilers here):

-Skimming:

The psychic act of catching surface level thoughts and feelings. Can happen reflexively.

-Pressing:

The psychic act of pushing a feeling, your will, or a command into another's mind.

-Delving:

The psychic act of reaching deep into a mind to discover hidden thoughts, memories, or experiences.

-Taking:

The psychic act of controlling another person's body and or mind, and forcing them to perform a certain action(s).

-Burning:

The psychic act of erasing, changing, or implanting memories, thoughts, or feelings in another.

-Stilling:

The psychic act of forcing another's body to stop responding to their thoughts.

-Casting:

The psychic act of projecting physical force.

-Bleed:

The phenomenon where very strong thoughts or feelings will be unconsciously projected from a person.