Rena's communications teacher.
Interminal
A device for accessing the Collective. A terminal that is internal to a citizen's body, intended for a single user.
Jandreau (Mr.)
Principal of Rena's school.
John Barrett
Leader of an Outlier recon team.
Kalmus (Dr.)
A university professor from Segment Eleven. One of the discussion leaders for the young adults at Rena's consensus meeting hall.
Kirti Vasu
Rena's friend who lives closer to the Center. Female. Sixteen years old.
Lowrate, Lower-Middlerate, Highrate
Slang terms for classes of citizens, based on where they are positioned within Esh's rating system.
Lukas Kagan
A young OCON operative assigned to spy on Rena. Male. Seventeen years old. Orphaned by Outlier radicals. Later adopted by OCON and raised as a ward of the city.
Lyn Mallory (Dr.)
Rena's counselor.
Marshall Waite
Rena's adoptive father. An efficiency consultant and a model lower-middlerate citizen.
Nadia Prall
A former Outlier who, at the age of four, wandered into the Outskirts of Segment Six. She had no implant, indicating that she had been born outside of Esh instead of removing herself from society as other Outliers. Her presence highlighted the need for a method by which Outliers could reenter society if they chose to do so. Ms. Prall later became a productive member of society and the poster child of the Reentry process.
OCON
OCON is an acronym for Outlier Control, a classified intelligence and para-military organization created by the Founders to protect the citizens of Esh from Outliers.
Operatives
Agents of OCON. They live within society as normal citizens, conducting a variety of political, economic, and military operations to maintain social order.
Outliers
Former citizens of Esh who have removed themselves from society and its rating system.
Rating
A three-digit number, displayed on the back of the right hand by way of a subdermal, flexible LED array. A citizen's rating is his/her percentage of value (from 000 to 100), relative to the rest of society. Also referred to as one's number.
Reentry
The process by which an Outlier may reenter society. It involves legally establishing one's identity and undergoing surgery to install an implant that connects them to the rating system.
Rena Waite
Adopted daughter of Marshall and Clarine Waite. Adopted sibling of Gareth and Suzanne Waite. Sixteen years old.
Ryce
The commander of the Outlier military. Referred to as Commander Ryce.
Suzanne Waite
Rena's adopted sister. Two years old.
Terrell
The director of OCON. Referred to as Director Terrell.
Transit
The public transportation system of Esh. It is comprised of an above-ground network of tubes, through which pods—filled with citizens—are propelled at very high speeds. There are twelve curving lines, arranged in concentric rings spiraling out from the Center. In addition are twelve straight lines radiating from the Center to the Outskirts. At each intersection are switching stations providing access to the transit system. Also referred to as transit stations. From there, citizens can pay for a cab ride, but most aren't willing to spend the credits.
'Verse
Short for converse. A holographic messaging system used to communicate remotely with other citizens. Also used as a verb.
Voting
The act of rating a product, service, personal or business interaction, or any other part of Esh's society. The average of all current votes determines the rating or number of that thing, as well as the laws of Esh. Votes expire after twenty-four hours, ensuring that all ratings stay current.
Yan (Mr.)
Rena's social studies teacher.

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Consensus: Part 1 - Citizen
Science FictionIn a society where morals are determined by a public opinion system, and social rating is the currency, truth can be a dangerous notion. Sixteen-year-old Rena has few memories of her childhood before adoption. The voice of the man who raised her. A...
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