Caitlyn Prothero

Early Life

Caitlyn Prothero grew up in a small independent settlement alongside her mother, Samtha Prothero, her father, Eliya Prothero, and her brother, Reilo Prothero. Her childhood predated her allegiance to the Authority of Man, with her earliest understanding of community coming from the ordinary people around her rather than Authority ideology.

Her life changed following the arrival of the Authority of Man, who sought to establish dominion over the settlement. The occupation quickly deteriorated into violence.

During the ensuing conflict, Caitlyn witnessed her brother, Reilo, being killed by a tainted individual. Her father, Eliya, attempted to intervene and was subsequently killed by an Authority soldier.

Caitlyn ran towards her father after he was shot, but was grabbed and pulled to safety by another Authority soldier. Amid the smoke, dust and confusion surrounding the settlement, Caitlyn could hear her mother desperately calling her name.

It would be the last time Caitlyn saw any member of her family.

Following the loss of her settlement, Caitlyn was raised within an Authority outpost. Despite the circumstances through which she entered Authority-controlled society, she developed a strong desire to improve the lives of the ordinary people living within it.

As she grew older, Caitlyn became an increasingly prominent representative of her community and was eventually appointed as the voice of her people, acting as an intermediary between the residents of her outpost and the sector’s overseer. Her position allowed her to raise civilian concerns directly with Authority leadership and established her reputation as someone willing to advocate for those beneath the organisation’s upper hierarchy.

Her appointment also proved beneficial to the Authority itself. Caitlyn’s prominence provided the organisation with a valuable public-relations example: an ordinary civilian successfully working within the Authority’s system and being rewarded for doing so.

Rather than rejecting this opportunity, Caitlyn recognised that advancement provided her with greater capacity to enact meaningful change. She continued working through the Authority’s hierarchy and eventually attained the position of sector overseer.

Throughout her rise, Caitlyn remained focused on civilian welfare. Her increasing authority eventually allowed her to compile a substantial case against the serving Director of Population Control and Civil Administration, documenting long-standing abuses of power committed under his leadership.

The Authority accepted Caitlyn’s case, recognising the political value in publicly demonstrating that abuses within its own hierarchy could be punished. The existing director was removed and placed on trial, despite Caitlyn’s objections to the manner in which his punishment was handled.

Caitlyn was subsequently appointed as his replacement.

Her promotion made her Director of Population Control and Civil Administration and the sixth member of the Authority’s governing Twelve.

Despite reaching one of the most powerful positions within the Authority of Man, Caitlyn’s fundamental motivation remained largely unchanged from the one that had driven her earliest involvement in its administration: the protection and representation of ordinary people living under Authority rule.