Z-Lin Clue

*Z-Lin Clue was from an AstroCorps family. Her lineage stretched right back to the* Destarion. *She had the Elevator in her blood. And the added sarcasm value of her orders coming from ‘Commander Clue’ really couldn’t be overstated.* - Eejit

Z-Lin Clue is Commander (technically a field-promoted Commander Third Grade) of the AstroCorps Modular starship *Astro Tramp 400*, variously acting XO and acting Captain of the same vessel. She traces her lineage back to the Elevator People, a race of human spacefarers whose inquisitive and adventurous spirit predates the destruction of Earth and the human expansion into Cursèd's Playground.

Initially selected for the role based on her record of good service aboard the AstroCorps warship *Lonesome Rider*, as well as a likely hereditary affinity for the *Destarion*, Clue was placed in a low-level command role but was soon elevated to a position of executive authority when The Accident drastically reduced the number of crew on board the *Tramp*. She then continued to lead the crew, passing down the orders of Captain Çrom Skelliglyph and often taking full executive action to safeguard the crew and mission. This determination culminated in her assuming command of the modular during the events of *Molran*.

## Childhood

*"My family, give or take the occasional rotten branch, has been spacefaring since before the First Feast."* - *Z-Lin Clue,* Damorak

Nothing is known about the early life of Z-Lin Clue, except that she attended and graduated the AstroCorps Academy at an early age and became an officer of considerable promise.

Aside from a few brief periods of "rock-hopping" (living for short stretches on planetary surfaces), Clue has spent her entire life in space.

## Family

- Unknown, paternal great-grandmother. All that is currently known about her was that she was spacefaring, most likely AstroCorps, and that according to Clue's father she used to call soft-space "Ol' Drabby" in reference to the featureless grey void that surrounds a vessel at relative speed. This historical footnote is borne out by Molranoids of a certain age also referring to soft-space in this manner.

- Unknown, father. *See above*.

- Etobias "Toby" Clue, grandfather. Died AstroCorps Commodore of the Line Etobias Clue some thirty-seven years prior to Z-Lin Clue's assignment to the *Tramp*.

## Incarceration

Prior to her semi-grey page assignment to the *Tramp*, Clue was incarcerated in the Moon Vault of Aquilar, facing the death penalty for treason against the Halfmoon throne.

Clue, under the employment of an undisclosed seditious faction dedicated to exposing Molran interference in human genetics and politics, infiltrated the throne's seat of power on Aquilar and sabotaged the Tears of the Moon, fabrication-analogous machinery allegedly responsible for the creation of His Divine Urmajesty Peter Hálfnið, Master of the Dome, Voice of Zhraak on the Mortal Plane. This act, as well as the destruction of the Halfmoon's incomplete successor, constituted perhaps the highest possible treason against the Halfmoon throne. As such, Clue's connections with AstroCorps and its possible involvement with the incident also came into question.

The act may have been orchestrated by factions including or even led by the Blaren Happy Gretchen and Babellum Voom, or the notorious Molran schemer Provenance-Circa-Eleventh-Century.

This sabotage, and the truth behind it, was covered up by the Molran Fleet, substituting a more palatable assassination attempt story for public consumption. Clue, recognising that Hálfnið was essentially an innocent victim, cooperated with this cover-up in order to save His Divine Urmajesty's life. In doing so, she ensured that the trial would be public and overseen by the Halfmoon court, untouchable by the Fleet.

Çrom Skelliglyph, along with his Chief Tactical Officer Drago Barducci, affected a rescue of Clue from the Moon Vault prior to their departure in the *Tramp*, their actions remaining officially unsanctioned by AstroCorps for reasons of deniability.

## Last known whereabouts

Z-Lin Clue boarded the *Destarion*, where she became the platform's human control interface and technical Captain. Her current status is unknown but she is assumed to have retained some measure of autonomy.

At the same time, the *Destarion* used the fabrication plant on the *Tramp* and her own orders-of-magnitude more complex computing capacity to print a perfect replica of Clue back on board the *Tramp*. Pending further developments and decisions, this version of Z-Lin Clue remains in command of the modular.