about the hardest man introduced and the primary guiding force in Herzer's development as a Blood Lord. Megan Travante is the daughter of Joel Travante, who runs the real spy and counter-espionage operations of the UFS. Megan was in Ropasa (present-day Europe) at the time of The Fall and survived fairly well, eventually finding work as a maid. While washing clothes in a stream, she was kidnapped by Paul Bowman for his harem. Megan eventually killed Paul, seized his key, and escaped with most of the women from the harem. When she met Herzer Herrick, they were both thunderstruck—love at first sight. By the beginning of East of the Sun, West of the Moon, Megan and Herrick are engaged to be married. Megan's story involves many psycho-sexual aspects that mirror Herzer's. She falls in love with Paul Bowman during her time in captivity, even as she hates him. This is a case of Stockholm syndrome and links to themes in several of Ringo's books that many women supposedly want to be dominated sexually. Megan's recovery from rape trauma delays the consummation of her relationship with Herzer for a very long time. Megan essentially supplanted Rachel Ghorbani as a viewpoint character in East of the Sun, West of the Moon. Council Members (Key-Holders) There are 13 Keys in total, each separate key must be owned by only one person under no direct influence of another person, all orders to Mother (the Net's controlling A.I.) are based on majority votes of the Key-Holders. Certain rules and regulations had been enacted by earlier Councils of Key-Holders, meaning to win the war, restore the utopian society before the war, and remove the many overlapping protocols in place reducing world technology to a medieval level, all 13 Keys need to be used by one side. New Destiny Key-Holders Initial Key-Holders Paul Bowman, Leader of New Destiny; a charismatic Fascist (assassinated, Key taken by Megan Travante) Chansa Mulengela Celine Reinshafen - genetic engineer/mad scientist Tetzacola Duenas (killed in initial council attack, Key taken by Sheida; presumably given to Tanisha) Said Dracovich (killed in initial council attack, Key taken by Ungphakorn) Minjie Jiaqi (assassinated and Key taken by Patala) Demon, lone actor Subsequent Key-Holders Ragspurr (presumably given Cantor's Key) Reyes Cho (killed by Herzer, Key currently still on body in orbit of Planet Earth) Patala (assassinated by Celine on Paul's orders, Key given to Lupe) Lupe Ugatu