▁another ▁gradu ate ▁of ▁the ▁SP AR TA ▁program . ▁Initial ly ▁a ▁suspect ▁in ▁the ▁mur ders ▁on ▁Mars , ▁he ▁ends ▁up ▁a iding ▁Spart a ' s ▁investigation . ▁A ▁dev out ▁Sh i ite ▁Muslim , ▁he ▁enjo ys ▁deb ating ▁religion , ▁and ▁car ries ▁around ▁a ▁modified ▁ast rol abe ▁so ▁that ▁he ▁can ▁always ▁pray ▁in ▁the ▁direction ▁of ▁Me cca , ▁even ▁when ▁he ' s ▁in ▁space . ▁The ▁Commander ▁– ▁Spart a ' s ▁b oss ▁at ▁the ▁Space ▁Board . ▁Descri bed ▁as ▁having ▁an ▁unus ually ▁dark ▁face ▁and ▁hands , ▁the ▁result ▁of ▁sp ending ▁too ▁much ▁time ▁in ▁deep ▁space ▁with ▁in ade qu ate ▁protection ▁against ▁U V ▁radiation . ▁Dr . ▁J . ▁Q . ▁R . ▁For ster ▁– ▁A ▁scient ist ▁who ▁discovered ▁the ▁Culture ▁X ▁artifact ▁on ▁the ▁surface ▁of ▁Ven us ▁and ▁nearly ▁figured ▁out ▁how ▁to ▁translate ▁it . ▁The ▁Free ▁Spirit ▁– ▁A ▁e ugen ic ist ▁cult , ▁and ▁the ▁series ' ▁main ▁ant agon ists . ▁They ▁believe ▁that ▁Culture ▁X ▁is ▁coming ▁to ▁acceler ate ▁the ▁evolution ▁of ▁the ▁human ▁race , ▁and ▁intend ▁for ▁that ▁evolution ▁to ▁be ▁enjoyed ▁sole ly ▁by ▁themselves . ▁To ▁this ▁end , ▁they ▁seek ▁to ▁prepare ▁a ▁small ▁society ▁of ▁gift ed ▁individuals , ▁while ▁simultaneously ▁ste aling ▁or ▁destroy ing ▁all ▁of ▁Culture ▁X ' s ▁artifact s , ▁and ▁elimin ating ▁any ▁out s ider ▁who ▁might ▁figure ▁out