THE ORCHESTRA

The true mastermind behind the Interstellar Combat Sentinels and the hardships so many have experienced in recent years. Ciara’s power grows exponentially with each conquest, with only ruins left in her wake. She is able to expand her organization’s influence by adding powers to their repertoire from the knowledge found in the shattered remains and data of these destroyed worlds. Ciara’s adaptability with Vector energy is unmatched, and her body has been modified with the technology and knowledge from countless civilizations. Despite these modifications to her frame, her core skillset and strength seem to be honed with decisive discipline.

Ciara crafted her armor herself, combining her own personal Vector flair with the memories from her home. A small emblem on the chest can be seen, though no one alive knows what it represents other than Ciara herself. Her history is simply an enigma, even to her closest allies. When arriving into this world, she put her past behind her, using all of the skills she learned during time spent in her own world to seek power above all else. Her home is now long gone, along with any personal ties that would drag her down. Time has simply stopped for her, and she has utilized this fact in an attempt to conquer and destroy ad nauseam for eternity. Only destruction makes Ciara feel alive; anything and anyone are just means to an end for her. The distant memories of friends that scavenged Parthenia might as well be forgotten, even the ones of the girl who loved and appreciated Ciara the most. A true, simulated meritocracy built upon infinite growth… Ciara saw it through to the end, and now intends on seeing how far that growth takes her. Her apathy towards life itself has turned her into a monster, though she sees that as a compliment. Does she have any humanity left deep down? She would argue that there was no humanity to begin with.

The Orchestra, by design, was doomed to fail. Ciara’s and Jimson’s conquest of Clea Runé was the event that set Zanu’s search for order in motion, though Zanu had no idea that the person who would eventually join her cause was the very same that brought her whole world crashing down, who recognized Clea Runé’s crest that Zanu always adorns. The news of Zanu’s exploits in her quest for order reached the ICS, sparking an idea inside Ciara. Ciara knew that Zanu’s proposition of order would lead her to many potential Sentinels that would ultimately undermine The Orchestra’s goals and build up her ranks for future conquests, in addition to any technology and influence gathered underneath them. Runean influence was known by all space-faring civilizations across the galaxy, and their knowledge would be Ciara’s and Ciara’s alone. The chaos that caused Zanu to repress the memories and feelings of that fated time would lead her to this moment: the chance to finally avenge her fallen civilization.

Ciara, now an AI in an android body, should not be able to use Vector energy. In addition, her abilities and tech have also been modified by some unknown energy source. A glimmer in the portals that sometimes surround her, alongside the mysterious crystal inside her robotic chest, are responsible for it all. With the additions of organic components to simulate actual human muscle growth alongside sensors that simulate real pain, she proves that her strength is her own… and affirms the self. She has at last become the living weapon that she craved to be.

Before she gained her freedom, Ciara was also born into an artificial, digital world: Parthenia, a true meritocracy built upon infinite growth. After the main storyline, Heather and Jack experience this history. This is where she began.

• Scarlet Thorns: a small gang formed by Ciara when she was 13. From shakedowns to theft, debt collecting to assassination… her little group did everything they could to stay alive. Eventually, they became skilled enough with weapons to enter the Parthenian coliseum.

• Kwon Chung-ha: The sole survivor of the apocalypse that struck Parthenia. A city that was once a technological wonder is now a fragment of its former self, much like Chung-ha herself. Her power was unnaturally given to her due to experimentation with Vector abilities using a curious crystal, furthering her descent into madness. She doesn’t know that Ciara was responsible for the destruction of their world or that Ciara herself was destroyed; she still seeks her tirelessly. Chung-ha’s unnatural powers allowed her to barely scrape by, but at this point, she’s a dead woman walking.
  
  Once a noble daughter of a wealthy family, her father suffered the consequences for his superior, driving him to suicide. With no one left in her family, she could not support herself, and was forced into poverty. She resorted to theft and used her wits to help her survive, though it wasn’t enough. Cornered by others in the slums after pulling off a successful jewel heist, she had no one to help her… until Ciara and her Scarlet Thorns gang stepped in. With Ciara sensing potential in Chung-ha and Chung-ha feeling indebted to the people who rescued her, Ciara decided to add one more member to their team.
  
  After finding success with the group, Chung-ha grew closer to Ciara than ever before. The Scarlet Thorns, with Chung-ha’s cunning and Ciara’s strength and leadership, were able to dominate the local coliseum. After investing their winnings into a meal and even more powerful weapons, they set their sights on a new target: a secured military vehicle transporting top secret documents. What happened next would change the course of their lives forever. After such a long time since that fateful day, the remnants of Ciara’s cynicism and hatred now guide Chung-ha’s hand, giving her one last shot at revenge. Though the feelings weren’t quite requited, Ciara was Chung-ha’s everything. Now, Chung-ha’s desire to prove herself… is real.

During her time in The Orchestra, she developed a bond with Ciara, as both of them did not know or express most of their past. In actuality, Ciara understood hers completely, though Nora doesn’t know this. Ciara, grooming her to become a Sentinel, utilizes the attack on Earth as the final test for Nora to prove her worth. Ciara promises her the ability to make something of herself, taking her life into her own hands… and finding out the truth about her past. Taking advantage of her impressionable nature and desire for acceptance, Ciara uses Nora to eliminate Elaza and others that enable Heather and friends to defeat her Sentinels. Whether Ciara’s promises are genuine or not remains to be seen, but Zanu must put a stop to her plans… even if it means ending the life she once saved.