[The McDowell Saga 02] • Cynthia · Empress of the Stars

Cynthia is Caryn McDowell's sister. First after her death she becomes a brainship. Then mysterious aliens help her assume a 'droid' body in the human image from her genome remains. In the process she enters the famed Admiralty Academy and becomes a Scoutship Captain like her older sister. She becomes a spy as the Empress of the Stars in the evil Pirate empire which ends badly as a psychiatrist nearly kills her. When healed she re-enters the Admiralty University to become a senior officer and is rewarded for her contribution to humanity's survival. Her red hair and statuesque figure are the envy of her female classmates and an object of desire for the men in her life. Even though in her alien-constructed body she can not have children, she has a clone identical daughter. Cynthia is subjected to a tremendous EMP attack which creates changes in her nervous system and brain giving her amazing abilities and this begins the family's exposure to alien manipulation to create the ultimate weapon which is throughout the rest of the series the tool for salvation of a distant galaxy and ultimately all of mankind. Though twice subjected to near death and the death of her beloved first husband she maintains a positive outlook to life as Caryn's sister, an Admiral in the human space forces and ultimately a loving mother to her identical clone daughter. She is the ultimate technical expert on all things dealing with star ships.