One Heartbeat

Places

• Galasu – Capital city of Tveshë. Located in Central Shija Province.
• Iturja – Region of Tveshë in the southwest. Plains region. Most of the grain comes from here.
• Karoumo – Port city on the west coast. Located in Southwest Shija Province. Nitannyi’s father comes from this town.
• Kisera Steret – In Galasu. A street lined with the national headquarters of many government agencies and political groups.
• Kobsarka – Suburb of Menarka and home to the primary business and press district of the Narahja province. Located in South Narahja Province. This is Nitannyi’s hometown.
• Menarka – Most important ship-based trading port in Tveshë. Located in South Narahja Province.
• Metaikesu – A suburb of Galasu.
• Narahja – A region of Tveshë riddled with canyons, gorges, and other unpleasant terrain. Much of it is unnavigable and unsettled by humans because it is so difficult. People living in the regions divide Narahja into “the shallows” (readily accessible by boat, train, and flight), the “middle depths” (easy to get to as long as your transportation isn’t wheeled), and “the deep” (uncharted and mostly unsettled, very dangerous).
• Nasja – Once Narahja terminates into the ocean, there are lots of islands (many of them with rocky cliffs). This region is called Nasja. Low-elevation islands are generally saltwater marshes. A plant called keketuka is exported from this region, serving as a substitute for kau grain.
• River Market District – A section of Galasu. Nitannyi lives here.
• Senatorial Square – The center of national government in Galasu. This is the last stop on the inner city skyrail that is above ground.
• Shija – Northern region of Tveshë above the mountain range. Galasu, the capital, is here, along with a lot of the state infrastructure.

People

Quick note: there are several people named Karatau in this story. Karatau is the most common male Tveshi name, like, ever. The name Karatau can be shortened to Kara, Ari, Ati, or Ratu, but all of their names will appear as “Karatau” here.

• Akaiannyi – Current ruler (Deimo) of Tveshë.
• Aneti Galasu-Sehutannyi Kuresa – One of the women working for the Progressive Movement.
• Karatau Vepessa-Mainë Meiyenesi – A nuamë who seems to know an awful lot about Salus, considering that they had never met before Chapter 21 …
• Kati Karoumokha-Nurannyi Kkobisi – Salus’s roommate. Nurannyi is from a suburb of Karoumo, Karoumokha (literally “Little Karoumo”). She works as a costume designer for one of the theaters.
• Likua tal Bisum – Another of Nitannyi’s childhood friends, Likua works as an independent hacker and computer specialist.
• Nuamë nuaf iča – Literally means “nuamë the one.” This is the term the Tveshi have given to the individual who acts as the hub for the nuamë collective.
• Salus Kobsarka-Nitannyi Niksubvya – Our heroine, Nitannyi has moved to Galasu to work for the Progressive Movement.
• Sukalvar “Suka” tal Bisum – Nitannyi’s childhood friend, Suka is 100% Narahji. She is very supportive and knows how to put most individuals at ease.
• Tenes Sari – Adviser to the Deimo, or Queen, of Tveshë. Enjoys theater. Notorious womanizer.
• Tesik Metaikesu-Karatau Shuvesa – Akah Kara, one of the Progressive Movement’s founders.

Organizations

• Progressive Movement – Founded in 1833, the Progressive Movement focuses on integrating Tveshi culture and society with the technological realities of the age. It advocates for aggressive law reform to encourage the growth and development of technology, along with fewer restrictions on space travel.
• Daybreak Movement – Founded in 1826 by people unwilling to force the aliens to get off of the planet. The organization believes that humanity—at least, the humanity on Ameisa—doesn’t have the wisdom to operate advanced technology without corrupting itself. According to their point of view, the Occupationists were sent as a gift from Enahari to instruct the people.
• Tveshi Cultural Coalition – Founded in 1826, the Tveshi Cultural Coalition was key in mobilizing public support for Occupationists’ overthrow. Similar movements in other countries also participated in the overthrow. Fundamentally, the TCC stands for a revivalism of traditional values and ideas. Members of the TCC are often reluctant relax technology laws, and they are strongly influenced by the Karatha in most voters’ political decision-making. Despite several assassinations linked to the TCC and its ideology, it remains a popular political position.