of the universe, and invites Lindsay to join it. Lindsay accepts and is transformed into a bodiless form, to explore the infinite mysteries of the universe for eternity. Characters Abelard Malcolm Tyler Lindsay: Naturally born in a Mechanist society, Lindsay undergoes an experimental intensive Shaper diplomatic training that gives him an enhanced capability for manipulation and deception. His ambition and knack for self-preservation see him frequently play a pivotal role in the Schismatrix. Alexandrina: Lindsay's first wife. An aristocratic Mechanist much older than he was. Kitsune: Head of the Geisha Bank. Becomes an entire ecosystem that consists entirely of her skin and body parts. Margaret Juliano: Shaper scientist, she pioneers the 'Superbright' gene-line, with a natural intelligence far above even the shaper norm. The instability of the Superbrights brings suspicion on Juliano and Shaper gene-lines are limited to an IQ of 200. Nora Mavrides: Lindsay's second wife. She believes deeply in the Shaper cause and chooses to fight the Mechanists when they begin to attack her state even when the situation is hopeless. Philip Khouri Constantine: Former friend of Lindsay. Becomes obsessed with obtaining power and tries to bring power to the Shapers through radical means. Vera Constantine: Shaper daughter of Philip Constantine, cloned from genetic material of Vera Kelland. Vera Kelland: Aristocrat who also trained with Lindsay and Constantine. She commits suicide in an attempt to defy the aristocratic Republic that she and Lindsay came from. Races Humanity: Though the Earth remains a human civilization, those that colonised the rest of the Solar System have used technology and genetic engineering to such a degree that they arguably have 'evolved' into multiple new species. The Investors: Massive reptilian-esque aliens, interstellar traders who closely guard the secret of their starflight. Charge excessive fares for 'humanity' to travel to other star systems to visit and study the nineteen known alien species. The Gasbags: intelligent spacefaring gas entities. Locations Abelard Lindsays' travels in the book mirrors the expanding colonisation of the Solar System. Circumlunar Space Stations (Concatenates): a series of large Space Stations orbiting the Earth's Moon. The most "Earth like" of the interstellar settlements, with arable land and strong gravity (likely centrifugal), these were mankind's first permanent habitation outside of Earth. Ten exist in total, each named after the lunar area mined to construct them. Mare Serenitatis Circumlunar Corporate Republic a large space station named after the lunar feature Mare Serenitatis (the