"Angila Fraim -- a Driver who is attracted to Llewellyn 709 and is jealous of Jana."
-- Description from Booklet 093
Angila Fraim is a recurring character in Die Terranauten, appearing in 12 of the saga's 99 booklets. Described as a female Driver with copper hair, Angila is one of the original group of prisoners who escapes the Dead Spaces in Berlin alongside Llewellyn 709 in Booklet 009, and she remains a steadfast member of the Terranaut ranks across nearly the entire saga -- from the earliest prison breakout through the intergalactic exile on the MIDAS, the wars on Rorqual, the Valhala 13 crisis, and the final expedition to the Pyramid of Knowledge. Her death at the hands of Arbitrators in Booklet 095 marks the end of one of the saga's longest-serving secondary characters and one of its most quietly enduring loyalties.
Biography
Escape from the Dead Spaces (Booklet 009)
Angila Fraim first appears as one of the imprisoned Drivers held in the Dead Spaces, a bunker complex converted into a prison in the ruins of Berlin, equipped with a PSI-Shield that strips Drivers of their abilities. When Llewellyn 709 -- the Riemenmann known as the Strap-man -- discovers a potential escape route and leads a breakout, the prisoners are attacked by Rosen and his "Dark Ones," inmates who have succumbed to the Dead Spaces' psychological effects. Scanner Cloud, Altamont O'Hale, and Serge-Serge Suvez sacrifice themselves to allow Angila, Llewellyn, Sirdina Giccomo, and Ishmail Tout to escape.
The four survivors are aided by Hanstein, a former Manag turned Noman, who leads them through secret tunnels to the edge of the ruined city. Mater Pernath, conflicted in her loyalty to the Council, allows them to escape and provides them with a magnetic glider, directing them to Stojska-Stellar, a spaceport in the Urals. There they board a freight container, hijack a Ringo spacecraft, and set course for ES-50, the energy satellite where David terGorden is being held prisoner.
Angila participates in the attack on ES-50. Ishmail Tout is killed during the assault, but Queen Mandorla helps David terGorden fake his death and escape with the surviving Drivers. From this moment, Angila Fraim's fate is bound to that of the Terranauts.
Banishment to Luna and the MIDAS (Booklets 010-015)
Along with Llewellyn 709, David terGorden (disguised as Ishmail Tout), and Sirdina Giccomo, Angila is banished to Luna and transported to the Moon Dungeons. There she participates in Scanner Cloud's revolt against the Gray Guards, helping the prisoners seize weapons and spacesuits during the uprising that leads to the capture of the MIDAS, an experimental interstellar spacecraft.
When the Kaiser Force Drive malfunctions during the MIDAS's maiden voyage, most of the crew are killed or transformed into "Glassy Ones." Angila survives and becomes part of the skeleton crew under Scanner Cloud's command. After the ship escapes a Black Hole near the green sun Moloch and crash-lands on the planet Hobo, Angila participates in the Drivers' lodge formations that shield Scanner Cloud during dangerous maneuvers. On Hobo, she helps drive away the Zoptic colonizers who threaten the native Ashras, participating in the combined psionic and technological deception that saves the Ashra homeland (Booklet 014).
Angila remains a member of the MIDAS crew as it departs Hobo and attempts to return to the Milky Way. She is listed among the Drivers present when the ship discovers the devastating news that the sun Spilter has gone nova and the planet Zoe -- their intended refuge -- has been destroyed (Booklet 015).
The Terranaut Wars and Rorqual (Booklets 025-029)
By Booklet 025, Angila is aboard the MIDAS alongside Llewellyn 709, Scanner Cloud, Sirdina Giccomo, and Altamont O'Hale as the Terranauts navigate the consequences of their exile. When David terGorden and Scanner Cloud discover they are trapped in a mini-universe created by Space II energy, Angila is among the Driver crew that endures this crisis.
On Rorqual, the strange planet in Space II that serves as the Terranauts' base, Angila accompanies David terGorden on an expedition in Booklet 029. She is described as being "close to Llewellyn 709," hinting at a personal attachment to the Riemenmann that would become more explicit in later booklets. During this period, Angila serves as a reliable Driver operative in the Terranauts' ongoing struggle to establish their position on Rorqual while fending off threats from the Banshees, the Green Flyers, and the forces of the Council of Corporations.
The Valhala 13 Crisis (Booklets 045-049)
The most traumatic chapter of Angila's story unfolds during the Valhala 13 arc. In Booklet 045, when Llewellyn 709 launches a risky solo mission to Stonehenge II, Angila is among the CYGNI crew who express concern about his plan but are overruled. Llewellyn is captured and replaced by Valhala 13, a Riemenmann double bred by the Gray Guards -- and Angila, along with the rest of the crew, is deceived.
When Valhala 13 arrives on Rorqual posing as Llewellyn and is unmasked by Lyda Mar, the impostor attacks the Terranauts and escapes aboard the CYGNI, taking Angila, Claude Farrell, and Sirdina Giccomo with him as hostages (Booklet 046). According to the timeline, this abduction occurs in December 2499. Angila and Sirdina are placed into deep-sleep stasis aboard the CYGNI while Valhala attempts to deliver Rorqual's location to the Council of Corporations.
In Booklet 047, as the Hate Plague virus spreads aboard the CYGNI, Angila remains in deep sleep alongside Sirdina Giccomo in the ship's stasis chambers. Queen Ishiya and her Gray Guards attempt to seize control of the ship and access the deep-sleep chambers where Valhala 13, Angila, and Sirdina are held. Claude Farrell and Ruben Carcones intervene, stopping the attempt.
By Booklet 049, Angila is aboard the GARIBALDI, suffering from the Hate Plague. The virus, which causes uncontrollable rage and madness, afflicts her along with Claude Farrell and Sirdina Giccomo. The crisis is only resolved when the Terranauts secure the antidote from Max von Valdec through a combination of negotiation, deception, and the intervention of the self-aware Ebberdyk Computers. The antidote reaches Rorqual, saving Angila and the other infected Terranauts.
The JAMES COOK Expedition and Hephaistos (Booklet 093)
Decades later, Angila serves as a member of the JAMES COOK expedition to Hephaistos, the artificial world known as the Galactic Archive. She is part of Llewellyn 709's delegation that travels to the Pyramid of Knowledge, the supposed central power structure of the Entities. During this expedition, the story reveals that Angila's feelings for Llewellyn have deepened over the years: she is described as being "attracted to Llewellyn 709 and jealous of Jana," the Lodge Master of the expedition.
When Frost, Max von Valdec's agent, escapes with Isis 31 in a hidden Kaiser Force space fighter, the JAMES COOK is torn apart. Angila survives the destruction of the ship, escaping in a Ringo with Silent Chorp and other surviving Terranauts. But Sirdina Giccomo, Altamont O'Hale, and Serge-Serge Suvez -- three of her oldest companions from the Dead Spaces escape -- are killed in the JAMES COOK's destruction.
Death at the Pyramid of Knowledge (Booklet 095)
Angila Fraim's story ends at the Pyramid of Knowledge in Star City. As the Terranauts struggle to contact the Entities and stop Max von Valdec's impending Kaiser Force attack, the Archive is destabilized by KF-emissions. Llewellyn 709 is put into a psionic coma. The Arbitrators -- creatures tasked with eliminating those who threaten the Archive -- attack the Terranaut group.
Angila Fraim is killed by the Arbitrators. Her death is one of several losses the Terranauts suffer in these final desperate hours, and it precedes the sacrifice of Scanner Cloud and Morgenstern, who give their lives to stop the Arbitrators through an act of love. Angila's death clears the way for David terGorden to find the Connex Crystal and lead the surviving Terranauts through the Sphere Tunnel to the Central World of the Entities.
After more than eighty booklets of service to the Terranaut cause -- from the Dead Spaces of Berlin to the Pyramid of Knowledge in Star City -- Angila Fraim falls in the saga's final confrontation, never having wavered from the rebellion she joined as a prisoner in Booklet 009.
Key Actions (Chronological)
- Escapes the Dead Spaces in Berlin alongside Llewellyn 709, Sirdina Giccomo, and Ishmail Tout after Scanner Cloud, Altamont O'Hale, and Serge-Serge Suvez sacrifice themselves to cover their retreat (009)
- Reaches Stojska-Stellar with the surviving Drivers; boards a freight container and hijacks a Ringo spacecraft (009)
- Participates in the attack on ES-50 to rescue David terGorden (009)
- Banished to Luna with Llewellyn, David, and Sirdina; transported to the Moon Dungeons (010)
- Helps with Scanner Cloud's revolt on Luna; participates in the capture of the MIDAS (010)
- Survives the catastrophic Kaiser Force Drive malfunction aboard the MIDAS (010)
- Participates in Driver lodge formations to help the MIDAS escape a Black Hole near Moloch (014)
- Helps drive away the Zoptic colonizers from Hobo through psionic and technological deception (014)
- Serves as a Driver and member of the MIDAS crew during the departure from Hobo and the discovery of Zoe's destruction (015)
- Present aboard the MIDAS during the Space II crisis near Spilter (025)
- Accompanies David terGorden on an expedition on Rorqual; described as close to Llewellyn 709 (029)
- Serves aboard the CYGNI during Llewellyn 709's solo mission to Stonehenge II (045)
- Abducted by Valhala 13 during his attack on Rorqual alongside Claude Farrell and Sirdina Giccomo; placed in deep-sleep stasis (046)
- Held in deep-sleep chambers aboard the CYGNI during the Hate Plague crisis (047)
- Suffers from the Hate Plague aboard the GARIBALDI; cured when the antidote reaches Rorqual (049)
- Serves as a member of the JAMES COOK expedition to Hephaistos; described as attracted to Llewellyn and jealous of Jana (093)
- Survives the destruction of the JAMES COOK; escapes in a Ringo with Silent Chorp and other Terranauts (093)
- Killed by Arbitrators at the Pyramid of Knowledge in Star City (095)
Relationships
Core Bonds
| Character | Relationship | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Llewellyn 709 | Personal attachment and longtime companion | Angila escapes the Dead Spaces alongside Llewellyn (009) and serves with him for decades. She is described as "close to Llewellyn" (029) and "attracted to Llewellyn 709 and jealous of Jana" (093). Her feelings for the Riemenmann are one of the saga's quietest, most enduring emotional threads. |
| Sirdina Giccomo | Fellow Driver and closest peer | Angila and Sirdina are nearly inseparable throughout the saga, escaping together from the Dead Spaces (009), being banished to Luna together (010), surviving aboard the MIDAS (010-015), being abducted together by Valhala 13 (046), and sharing deep-sleep stasis during the Hate Plague crisis (047). Sirdina dies when the JAMES COOK is destroyed (093), shortly before Angila's own death (095). |
| David terGorden | Leader and expedition commander | Angila serves under David during the Rorqual expeditions (029) and is part of the broader Terranaut force he leads. She participates in his rescue from ES-50 (009) and serves his cause to the end. |
Fellow Terranauts
| Character | Relationship | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Scanner Cloud | Psyter leader and revolt organizer | Cloud organizes the escapes and revolts that shape Angila's early career (009-015). His sacrifice alongside Morgenstern to stop the Arbitrators (095) occurs in the same battle where Angila is killed. |
| Claude Farrell | Fellow Terranaut and captive | Farrell and Angila are both abducted by Valhala 13 during the attack on Rorqual (046). They serve together on the JAMES COOK expedition (093). |
| Altamont O'Hale | Fellow Driver and original escapee | One of the original Dead Spaces escapees (009), O'Hale serves alongside Angila through the MIDAS exile, the Rorqual years, and the JAMES COOK expedition. He is killed in the JAMES COOK's destruction (093). |
| Serge-Serge Suvez | Fellow Driver and original escapee | Another of the original Dead Spaces group (009), Suvez serves with Angila through multiple campaigns. He too is killed in the JAMES COOK's destruction (093). |
| Ishmail Tout | Fellow escapee (deceased) | Escapes the Dead Spaces with Angila (009) but is killed during the attack on ES-50, making him the first of the original group to fall. |
| Morgenstern | Fellow MIDAS and JAMES COOK crew | Morgenstern and Angila serve together from the Luna revolt (010) through the JAMES COOK expedition. His sacrifice alongside Scanner Cloud (095) follows immediately after Angila's death. |
| Silent Chorp | Fellow Terranaut | Silent Chorp and Angila escape together in a Ringo when the JAMES COOK is destroyed (093). |
| Jana | Rival for Llewellyn's attention | Angila is described as jealous of Jana, the Lodge Master of the JAMES COOK expedition, who holds a position of influence and intimacy with Llewellyn 709 that Angila desires (093). |
Adversaries
| Character | Relationship | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Valhala 13 | Captor and impostor | The false Riemenmann abducts Angila from Rorqual alongside Claude Farrell and Sirdina Giccomo, placing her in deep-sleep stasis (046). |
| Max von Valdec | Overarching enemy | Valdec's Council is responsible for the imprisonment of Drivers in the Dead Spaces, the banishment to Luna, and ultimately the Kaiser Force attacks that destabilize the Pyramid of Knowledge where Angila dies. |
| Queen Ishiya | Gray Guard antagonist | Ishiya attempts to seize control of the deep-sleep chambers where Angila is held during the Hate Plague crisis (047). |
Appearances (12 booklets)
| # | Title | Role |
|---|---|---|
| 009 | The Hour of the Strapman | Supporting. Escapes the Dead Spaces with Llewellyn 709, Sirdina Giccomo, and Ishmail Tout; participates in the hijacking of a Ringo and the attack on ES-50. First appearance. |
| 010 | Revolt on Luna | Supporting. Banished to Luna with the other Drivers; participates in Scanner Cloud's revolt and the capture of the MIDAS. |
| 014 | In the Realm of the Winged | Supporting. Participates in Driver lodge formations aboard the MIDAS; helps drive the Zoptics from Hobo. |
| 015 | The Mages' Covenant | Minor. Listed as a Driver and member of the MIDAS crew during the departure from Hobo. |
| 025 | Excursion to Tomorrow | Minor. Present aboard the MIDAS during the Space II crisis. |
| 029 | Invasion of the Soulless | Supporting. Accompanies David terGorden on a Rorqual expedition; described as close to Llewellyn 709. |
| 045 | Llewellyn's Gambit | Minor. Aboard the CYGNI crew; expresses concern about Llewellyn 709's solo mission to Stonehenge II. |
| 046 | The Ice Devils | Supporting. Abducted by Valhala 13 during his attack on Rorqual; placed in deep-sleep stasis aboard the CYGNI. |
| 047 | The Hate Plague | Minor. Held in deep-sleep stasis aboard the CYGNI during the Hate Plague crisis. |
| 049 | The Computer's Ultimatum | Minor. Suffers from the Hate Plague aboard the GARIBALDI; cured when the antidote arrives. |
| 093 | The Galactic Archive | Supporting. Member of the JAMES COOK expedition to Hephaistos; described as attracted to Llewellyn 709 and jealous of Jana; survives the JAMES COOK's destruction. |
| 095 | Rendezvous in Star City | Supporting. Killed by Arbitrators at the Pyramid of Knowledge in Star City. Final appearance. |
Notes
Angila Fraim is one of the saga's most enduring secondary characters, present from the very first act of Terranaut rebellion in Booklet 009 to the final confrontation at the Pyramid of Knowledge in Booklet 095. Her arc spans nearly the full length of Die Terranauten, yet she never steps into a protagonist role -- she is, throughout, a loyal Driver operative whose value lies in her constancy rather than her individual heroics.
Her unrequited attachment to Llewellyn 709 is one of the saga's quietest emotional threads. Described as "close to Llewellyn" as early as Booklet 029 and explicitly "attracted to" him and "jealous of Jana" in Booklet 093, Angila's feelings for the Riemenmann persist across decades without resolution. The saga never grants her a scene of romantic fulfillment or even acknowledgment -- Llewellyn's nature as a Riemenmann, his psionic isolation, and the demands of the Terranaut war conspire to keep her devotion one-sided.
Her death at the Pyramid of Knowledge, killed by the same Arbitrators that Scanner Cloud and Morgenstern would sacrifice themselves to stop, places her among the final casualties of the Terranaut mission. Of the original group of Drivers who escaped the Dead Spaces in Booklet 009 -- Llewellyn, Angila, Sirdina, Ishmail, Scanner Cloud, Altamont, and Serge-Serge -- all except Llewellyn are dead by the saga's end.
The spelling of her companion's name varies between "Sardina Giccomo" and "Sirdina Giccomo" across different booklets. The two women are nearly always mentioned together and share parallel fates until Sirdina's death in Booklet 093.
See Also
- Llewellyn 709 -- The Riemenmann and object of Angila's devotion
- Sirdina Giccomo -- Angila's closest peer and fellow Driver
- David terGorden -- Leader of the Terranauts
- Scanner Cloud -- Psyter leader and organizer of the revolts that shaped Angila's early career
- Claude Farrell -- Fellow Terranaut, fellow captive of Valhala 13
- Valhala 13 -- The false Riemenmann who abducted Angila from Rorqual
- Dead Spaces -- The Berlin prison where Angila was first held
- MIDAS -- The ship that carried her through intergalactic exile
- CYGNI -- The Terranaut ship she served aboard during the Valhala 13 crisis
- JAMES COOK -- The ship of the final expedition to the Galactic Archive
- Rorqual -- The Terranaut base in Space II
- Pyramid of Knowledge -- The site of Angila's death
- Terranauts -- The organization she served from its earliest days
- Drivers -- The psionic humans whose persecution and liberation define the saga
Angila Fraim appears in 12 of 99 booklets of Die Terranauten. She is one of the original Dead Spaces escapees and among the saga's longest-serving Terranauts -- a Driver whose copper-haired presence threads quietly through eighty-six booklets of rebellion, exile, and war, ending only at the Pyramid of Knowledge where the saga's final battle begins.