Lucien Ardash

The polymath who dragged the Lacuna Cooperative out of the lab and into the market, lost his company for it, and has not been seen in years.

Overview

Lucien Ardash came from old money and never pretended otherwise. A polymath and polyglot, he took over a Lacuna Cooperative that was brilliant, respected, and commercially irrelevant, and set about making it a peer of the other megacorps. Under him the Cooperative moved into trade and diversified well beyond pure science.

It worked. That was the problem. A research house that had defined itself by not chasing opportunity found itself run by the system's most capable opportunist, and the institution rejected him. He was ousted by the board he had made rich.

He disappeared shortly afterward and has not surfaced since. Whether he is hiding, held, or dead is unknown.

Appearance

Unremarkable except for his voice: an unmistakably thick Martian accent that anyone who has spoken with him remembers.

Personality

• Brilliant strategist; genuinely broad expertise
• Old-money confidence, without the usual softness
• Willing to remake an institution against its own preferences

Relationships

• The Lacuna Cooperative — built its market position; was removed for it

Status

Missing, for years. Location unknown, condition unknown, motives unknown. .