"R"

"R" is both a person and a movement.

The loose, motley organization of various groups, led by Kyle Swann, fighting the established order is known only by the symbol that marks its work: a large R. The R could stand for rebel, or revolution, or resistance, but it stands for Return ... a return to people controlling their destiny.

The movement comprises radical privatists and reality freaks. The most elusive group, and the one with the most potential for political and social disruption are the anarchistic hackers who prowl the VR Net, stealing information, probing the defenses, the ICE (Intrusion Countermeasure Electronics) of the main data networks and corporation. So far, the Hackers have been merely a nuisance, but if they can be rallied and motivated, they have the skills to make “R” a genuine threat. Some have died trying to invade CenBank's data caches; the survivors say they've never encountered anything like CenBank's ICE. Vicious, ephemeral, almost ... alive.

Other rebel groups, loosely aligned with the hackers, opt for more physical action, attacking physical plants and structures, especially Habitat Mars and the vulnerable power net orbiting the planet.

To succeed, “R” will have to learn what they're really up against, and organize effectively with a chain of command and leaders, to wake up the citizens of the NAU and start the struggle.

The future of the rebels, and their goals, are connected with the wonder and the danger of the approaching asteroid Rylo-7 and the first alien contact.