Character Profiles

First seen in Life-Line: Origins

A Banderbeast

Bennett's Holosymbol

This is a Banderbeast. Tam, Brogan, and Captain Farthing often refer to the Banderbeast as an aggressive creature that is apt to charge. They usually use Banderbeast to describe anyone who is pushy or overconfident.

Here is a picture of Bennett, the apprentice mentalist, heading to Father's quarters to be questioned. His symbol is the B showing on the door. Most things on the Order's World are controlled by thought, such as a signal to enter.

Communication Pad and a Restaurant Receipt

This is a communication pad from the Corustloth System. Everyone has one. The Government, known as the Senate, has ensured that everyone has access to the information available. The amount of information is determined by the person's status. Tam has a communication pad that gives him access to Senate rules and laws, work-related information as a garbage retriever, and some illegally inputted information from his professor back on Zemetis. Each communication pad can be rolled into a tight roll and stored in a satchel.

Here is Tam's communication pad and his receipt for his bill (in the lower right) for the food he ate at the Trigress Café.

Computer Console

Curved Space

This is a computer console that pilots use on spacecraft as well as in workplaces.

Curved space is a method of traveling longer distances in less time. Spaceships can access a dimension that enables them to travel at speeds close to the speed of light. In the Kashtiloth System, spaceships need to exit curved space nine times to reassemble and continue. There is a space pylon that helps guide them back into curved space. Life-Line Mentalists become violently ill when they exit curved space. No one knows why.

The Gods

The Goddesses

The Gods are the deities of the Kashtiloth System. The Senate promotes their existence and follows their demands. The Gods are referenced as absolute rulers when it comes to following the rules and laws of past history. Since the Senate is a patriarchal system, the Gods have a role to play to keep the citizens in control. According to the religion, the Goddesses were banished.

The Goddesses are the deities of the Kashtiloth System. However, the Senate, ruled by the Magistrate, has banned their worship. They were a symbol of peace and everything good. The Sirens and those who believe in peace and love follow their teachings. Even though the Kashtiloth System is technologically advanced, religion became less important. However, life became complicated under the Magistrate's rule, and the religion of the Goddesses has made a secretive return to give hope to those under the thumb of the Magistrate.

Government Issue Level 3 survival suit

A government issue level 3 survival suit is designed for long-term survival in challenging space environments. A person wearing one has water storage in the pads on the back and legs. The padding also provides comfort when sleeping. The suit filters water waste and reuses it for drinking and cooling. Solid waste is collected and compacted in a small compartment on the leg.

Holomenu and Holobill

This is a holomenu. Tam used this in the Tigress-Eye Café, while he secretly waited to meet another sodbent (gay man). In his world, being gay means you get thrown into prison in a barren world at the other end of the Corustloth system. Men like Tam often take risks to meet up with each other. In Tam's case, he looks at the holomenu for something to eat and drink. The hologram to the right is the bill. It can be paid by using a communication pad.

Holomap

This is a holomap. It displays any known destination in the Cashtiloth System. Like today's pads, images can be resized by using fingers or verbal commands. It functions as a solid pad but can also be rolled up for easy storage for later use.

Holowindow (closed)

On the Order's world, there are holowindows. They feel hard to the touch and function as solid windows. When a mentalist wants to open the window, they touch it and think "Open." They can also close it.

Holowindow (open)

Here, the hollowindow is open.

Life-line police

The Life-Line Police are feared in the mentalist world. It has become their job to hunt down sodbent (gay men) because they can read minds. The leader of the Senate, Kruger II, the Magistrate, wants to imprison them so that he can experiment on them.

Living Cloth (Asleep)

A person asleep in living cloth

Living Cloth (awake)

A person awake in living cloth

This is living cloth. It was initially designed by the Magistrate's technology department. The fabric is made of organic materials, hence the name "living cloth." Initially, it was used to bind prisoners and keep them subdued. There would also be proper medical uses later. The fabric is attached to a computer console, and thousands of tiny needles are embedded in the fabric, allowing the controller of the living cloth to inject medication and other drugs into the prisoner's body. Tam encounters many gay prisoners on a transport ship, imprisoned to keep them docile while they are transported to prison.

Minarion Class Spaceship

The Minarion Class Spaceship is a transporter ship used in the Kashtiloth System. It is considered the workhorse of the fleet. It is used to transport supplies, passengers, and, in severe cases, prisoners being sent to the prison world, Corustloth.

Modified Minarion Class Spaceship (The StarFinder / The Faramund)

This is the Starfinder. Captain Farthing is the captain of this Pirate ship. It has been modified with the Sirens, who retain the technology of the Ancients. The pirates are a rogue band of fighters who travel the system to plunder the Senate's ships. In some cases, Captain Farthing will try to rescue Sodbent (Gay men) who have been arrested and are being transported to Corustloth. As you can see in the second picture, Starfinder is equipped with a secret weapon: The Clipper, which can crush the hold of another ship. It is later renamed The Faramund.

Nimbus

This is Nimbus, one of the most advanced spacecraft in the Messier 100 Galaxy. Designed by the Order, she is a sentient craft whose personality was created by a gay engineer. She has transmutation abilities and can change her shape to meet the crew's needs. She is given to Bennett for his use. In the picture on the left, she is in a neutral position for folded space. The image on the right shows her prepped for landing and recovery operations.

Professors of the learned

The Professors of the Learnèd are the academics of the Kashtiloth System. They were powerful advocates for the people of the system. Due to their intelligence, the Magistrate virtually destroyed their universities and imprisoned them. Those not arrested were forced to take jobs that were far below their capabilities.

SAILGLIDER

A sailglider is a transport blimp on the planet Alorion. It travels from the farm lands to Ali-Aloiron, the port city. It delivers food to the city for distribution throughout the Kashtiloth System. The sailglider also takes supplies back to the farm lands.

Senate Police

Sirens

SNAPPER WHIP

SPACE PORT POLICE

Since he is the absolute ruler, the Magistrate feels he can punish anyone he wants. He is a sadist who takes pleasure in watching people squirm when threatened with the Snapper Whip.

The Spaceport Police keep guard on the Alorion Space Port, which is 200 stories tall and extends far into the higher atmosphere. They ensure that everyone behaves and arrest anyone they consider dangerous. This includes gay men, whom they call degens.

STOWAWAY

Sometimes people stowaway in cargo holds of the Minarion class transport ships. If caught, they are either ejected through an airlock or arrested and tried on the prison world, Corustloth. Tam, the main character in the story, stows away on a transporter going to the prison world.

THE FALLS OF THE BLUE MOONS

The Falls of the Blue Moon are on Alorion. It is used in expressions when someone is surprised. "By the Falls of the Blue Moons! That was unexpected!"

The Order's World

The Order's World is on the opposite side of the Messier Galaxy from the Kashlothian System, where Tam lives. The Order's world is terraformed and, therefore, a wonderful place to live.

The Order

The Order is an organization whose purpose is to find humanity's origins. They live on the opposite side of the Messier 100 Galaxy from Tam's world. They are all master mind readers.

The port of Ali-Alorion

THE TIGRESS EYE CAFE

The Port of Ali-Alorion is a peaceful port on the edge of the Mengal Sea. There are often boats and fisherpeople in the bay, and market stalls are set up along many of the streets. The red-light district is just up the hill from the port.

The Tigress Eye Cafe is a restaurant where many people seek out sexual trysts or enjoy the sky. It is here that Tam and Brogan met, and they returned there on an anniversary.

WHIP IRONS

The Magistrate, who controls the Korustloth System, has a technology department that develops various tools. Unfortunately, this tech is often for detaining people - especially sodbent (their term for any gay person). When the Irons are placed on the person's wrists, they are not yet functioning. When they are set on low, the subject becomes less angry or defiant. At medium, the prisoner feels confused and sometimes fearful. The medium setting is where most prisoners are questioned. If the irons are set to a high setting, the subject becomes unconscious as if they are asleep. High setting is often used to transport the prisoner without any resistance. If the subject is left too long in the irons - about two days - the prisoner will suffer permanent brain damage.

The Whip Irons have been placed on the prisoner's wrists, but they are off. He's clearly angry.

Here, the Whip Irons are on low. The man's demeanor changes and is no longer as angry.

Here, the Whip Irons are on medium. The prisoner's demeanor changes to slightly confused.

The Whip Irons are on high, making the prisoner unconscious as if in a deep sleep.

First Seen in Life-Line: Diversions

The Asteroid Belt

This is an artificial asteroid belt located in the Andromeda Galaxy. It is so closely packed that no known method of entry is possible, other than a small hole known as the Chasm. To make entering the Chasm more challenging, random asteroids bounce off the tunnel walls, making it almost impossible to enter. The asteroids are held in place by some unknown force. It was possibly created by the Ancients from the Milky Way and was intended to keep anyone from accessing the large transport ship, known as "The Derelict," resting inside. The three regimes in the Andromeda Galaxy are fighting over its possession, as it is said that the ship contains technology to win the war. Many ships have tried to enter and have been destroyed. The three regimes continue to fight over the asteroid belt and the ability to access "The Derelict" for its treasures. So far, no one has been lucky enough to enter the asteroid belt and access the mysterious transport ship.

The Derelict

This is "The Derelict," an ancient transporter ship that has been placed inside an artificial asteroid belt that entirely encloses it. It was put there to protect the ship's information. The Nimbus crew desperately needs access to "The Derelict" to continue their voyage.

SpaceCraft in Andromeda

The three regimes in the Andromeda Galaxy are in constant war over The Derelict. It is said that The Derelict contains the key to dominating the entire Galaxy and defeating the other regimes. Despite being different regimes, their spacecraft follow specific standards.

Fighter: Short-range, one pilot, and has railguns and missiles. Cannot travel through curved space.

Battle Cruiser: Long-range, massive fire capability with lasers, pellets, and missiles. Can use curved space.

Transport Ship: Mid-range, transports people, including soldiers, pilots, and support staff. The Transport ship has little firepower and depends on fighter escorts when necessary. It can use curved space; however, the limited fighters stored inside cannot travel in curved space and must be launched upon arrival.

Exarch Fighter

The Exarch is a short-range fighter spacecraft from Chimera.

Praetor Fighter

The Praetor is a short-range fighter spacecraft from New Ceres.

Valhalla Mark V

The Valhalla Mark V is a short-range fighter spacecraft from Suda Trome.

Archmage Battle Cruiser

The Archmage is a battle cruiser of the Chimeran Armada.

Capable of launching up to 70 medium-range missiles
Has lasers and 10 Gatling pellet guns.
Can launch up to 80 Exarch fighters - 20 at a time. The remaining sit on tracks behind the launched vehicle

Aurora Battle Cruiser

The Aurora is a Battle Cruiser from Suda Trome.

Capable of launching up to 50 medium-range missiles
Has lasers and 10 Gatling pellet guns
Can launch up to 50 Valhalla Mark V - 10 at a time. The remaining sit on tracks behind the launched vehicle.

The Hammer Battle Cruiser

The Hammer is a Battle Cruiser from New Ceres.

Capable of launching up to 40 medium-range missiles
Lasers, 10 Gattling pellet guns.
Can launch up to 60 Praetor fighters - 15 at a time. The remaining sit on tracks behind the launched vehicle

Aries Transport Ship

The Corsair Transport Ship

The Vesper Transport Ship

The Aries Transport ship from New Ceres.

The Corsair Transport ship from Suda Trome.

The Vesper Transport ship from Chimera.l

Life and Technology in the Life-Line Series