Or, a place to default back to when things get confusing.
ACIDALIA-PLANITIA CIPHER is the Imperatrix Ceasarina and the heir to the throne of Eleutheria. Unfortunately, the rest of the court—including her cold and distant mother—doesn't quite see her as legitimate, and she's going to have to fight tooth and nail if she wants to keep that crown. Luckily, though, she has more than a few tricks up her sleeve, including thousands of Revolutionaries who are desperate for a change.
ALESTRA CIPHER is the reigning Imperial Mother of Eleutheria, and the most violent, abusive Caligula the planet has known in decades. Hundreds of rumors about the lethal crimes she's committed, the tragedies she's responsible for, and the deaths she failed to stop swirl every time she steps out of the palace... but woe be to whoever gossips too close to one of her surveillance cameras, or one of the officers of her secret police.
ALESKYNN CIPHER is Alestra's favorite, and more legitimate, daughter (her name is a diminutive of Alestra in and of itself.) Despite the fact that she's rude, catty, young, and clueless, her supposedly superior blood makes her an "ideal" candidate for the throne in the court's eyes. But her supposed idiocy might be an act, and it's possible that she knows much more than she's letting on...
TB-2115, better known as T, is Acidalia's brother, Aleskynn's half-brother, and Alestra's forgotten son. He was "donated" to the military shortly after his birth, and has since risen to the rank of an immune. He now leads a dangerous double life, presenting himself as a dedicated patriot to his superiors while simultaneously recruiting for a rebellion that aims to end the Eleutherian monarchy for good.
AX-C240, better known as "Ace," is one of T's best friends in the world. They share similar ideals, and have pipe dreams of taking down the system together. Ace can be a bit hotheaded and sometimes silly, but he'll be okay, as long as he has T to rely on.
CARINA is a young scientist who befriended Principissa Aleskynn Cipher entirely by accident. Being a normal girl with a normal life, she's often the only straight man in the schemes of Aleskynn and her friends, and frequently brings some much-needed common sense into their hectic and privileged lives. Aleskynn has come to appreciate Carina, which should make her happy... but Aleskynn is a lot, and considering the civil unrest and dangerous political climate, Carina isn't so sure she really wants to be the princess's favorite anymore.
ATHENA is Carina's lab partner. She's generally considered a slacker and something of a moron, but she's intelligent in her own way; she just doesn't like being told what to do. She's headstrong, street-smart, and so brave that her courage sometimes crosses the line into stupidity, but she generally makes it out okay as long as she has the much more level-headed Carina to guide her.
CASSANDRA is a mystery. Where did she come from? Who does she work for? Why does she dress like a teenage girl even though she's clearly in her fifties? Who knows?