Xochiq

The third child of the Marquess of Puebla and his wife, Maria Luz de Santa Rosa, Xochiq was initially intended for the priesthood and rose quickly at the Universidad Imperial de Mexico before being expelled in 1926 for blasphemy.

Dr. Xochiq was hired by Robicheaux Women's College in 1933 on the strength of her work in mechanical engineering and her experiments in robotics. Her presence in the Scientific Department caused continual controversy due to the unorthodox and frequently explosive nature of some of her experiments. Most notoriously, in 1934, she turned all the birds on campus silent, a process which has yet to be reversed and seems to have become an inherited trait in the local species.

In the winter of 1934, Dr. Xochiq began work on The Engine. After several months of explosions from the Science Building and extensive requests for iron and opals, the project was considered completed and Dr. Xochiq embarked with her Engine on the Robicheaux Expedition. She has not been seen since.