Deric Venn
| Full name | Deric Venn |
|---|---|
| Pronouns | He/him |
| Species | Human |
| Affiliation | Records Agency — hardware specialist |
| Role / occupation | Hardware specialist |
Hardware specialist at the Records Agency. Killed in the explosion on 8044-09-20 at 1:46pm. Zet specifically remembers him as one of the victims who were "instantly vaporized."
Position and Responsibilities
Job Title: Hardware specialist
Employer: Records Agency
Access level: Had server room access clearance
Scheduled task: Routine maintenance in server rooms (scheduled for half an hour after Zet first identified him)
Zet's Pursuit
Deric was Zet's first target for security badge cloning:
Why He Was Targeted:
- Recently given access to server rooms (or scheduled to receive it soon)
- Taking a break nearby when Zet identified him
- Scheduled to perform routine maintenance in 30 minutes
- Perfect timing for Zet's infiltration plan
The Chase:
- Zet identified Deric through Vira Kenst's computer access
- Located him in employee break room
- Deric left break room—not heading toward Zet
- Zet rerouted through open-plan offices trying to intercept
- Moved slowly to avoid detection
- Adjusted route multiple times following Deric's movements
- Failed to catch up—Deric was completely ahead by the time Zet halved the distance
- Zet abandoned pursuit and switched to Elena Kavik as target
Personal Details
Work Schedule: Taking break when first spotted; scheduled for server maintenance soon after
Movement Pattern: Walked through building hallways at normal pace; unpredictable direction
Access Credentials: Badge and implant signature authorized for server room entry
Death
Deric was killed instantly in the explosion at 1:46pm on 8044-09-20. The explosion occurred just outside the server rooms on the 78th floor—possibly near where he would have been performing his scheduled maintenance.
Zet's reaction:
"People that had been in these spaces seemed for the most part to have been instantly vaporized—Vira, Deric, Elena. They were gone, as completely as few people ever were. I was going to remember them—whether I wanted to or not."
His death is "seared" into Zet's memory as a permanent trauma.
Significance
Deric represents:
- Routine worker caught in catastrophic event
- Zet's alternative path—if Zet had successfully cloned his badge instead of Elena's, the same disaster would have occurred
- Innocent victim of government false-flag operation
- The randomness of tragedy—doing routine maintenance became fatal
The fact that Zet remembers him specifically—despite never successfully reaching him—demonstrates the profound psychological impact of the explosion. Zet tracks the fates of people it interacted with, even tangentially.