Definition
Authority Civilian: a citizen living under Authority governance who benefits from its protection, infrastructure, and technology but does not serve in its military, intelligence, or core scientific divisions. Civilians make up the bulk of the population, spanning every social class—from laborers and farmers to bureaucrats, scholars, and domestic families.
Cultural Characteristics
- Technological Lifestyle: Personal drones, adaptive homes, and nutrient synthesis are commonplace.
- Subtle Conditioning: Neuro-environmental cues (light, scent, sound) nudge conformity and calm.
- Family Structure: Compact urban units and orbital habitats; social bonds monitored by stability indices.
Narrative Relevance
- Lyra & her mother exemplify Authority civilians—educated, compliant, and initially unaware of deeper control.
- They embody the human face of the regime: not malicious, but often complicit through fear or ignorance.
- Their ordered lives contrast Kor’s raw survival—engineered order versus natural freedom.
Social Role