Michal Gallen

Quick Facts

• Role: Government escort from Tosu City; covert ally to the protagonist
• First appearance: Chapter 2
• Affiliation: United Commonwealth; implied ties to a resistance network
• Key relationships: Malencia "Cia" Vale; the United Commonwealth government
• Notable details: Passed The Testing himself; operates inside the system to undermine it

Who They Are

Michal Gallen enters as the polished face of state power—an official who arrives to collect candidates and enforce the law. Underneath the fitted purple jumpsuit and slicked-back hair, though, lies a quiet insurgent who uses small moments—a glance at a camera, a carefully chosen word—to coach Cia toward survival. His presence complicates the novel’s moral landscape: he is both the enforcer and the lifeline, a man who embodies how resistance can look like obedience from the outside.

Physically, his “shaggy brown hair” and lanky frame initially undercut his authority, but in uniform he sharpens into an emblem of order; his “deep green” eyes shift from stern to warm, signaling when the mask of the official slips to reveal the ally.

Personality & Traits

Michal’s defining tension is between his official role and personal conscience. He projects command to protect his cover, but his intelligence and empathy push him to bend the rules in subtle, deniable ways.

• Authoritative and formal: He lays down the law without flinching when Zandri Hicks questions her lack of choice, establishing himself as the state’s uncompromising voice.
• Observant and intelligent: A Testing graduate, he instantly catches Cia’s quick study of their surroundings on the skimmer and rewards her perception with a knowing smile.
• Subtly rebellious: Through cryptic hints and carefully staged moments, he empowers Cia without openly defying orders—his quiet sabotage aligns him with the theme of Morality in a Corrupt System.
• Guarded but encouraging: Even when he seems brisk or impatient, he slips in small acts of care—whispered encouragements and approving looks that affirm Cia’s instincts without exposing his role.

Character Journey

Michal is introduced as an instrument of state power, the man who arrives to collect and command. On the road to Tosu City, that image begins to fracture: he signals the surveillance camera and gauges whether Cia can read him, effectively beginning her training before any official test. As the stakes escalate, he walks a razor’s edge—following protocols, even drugging candidates before trials, while seeding hope that she is not alone. His final delivery of the “birthday gift” containing the Transit Communicator reframes his entire presence: not mere escort, but covert mentor, preserving the truth Cia will need once her memories are erased.

Key Relationships

• Cia Vale: From the start, Michal singles Cia out—not with overt favoritism, but by offering tests inside the test. He cultivates her independence and situational awareness, pushing her to trust her judgment even when the system demands obedience. His belief in her potential becomes a source of steadiness she returns to in moments of fear and doubt.

• The United Commonwealth: Outwardly, Michal epitomizes institutional loyalty: he cites laws, enforces deadlines, and obeys procedure. Inwardly, he becomes a case study in Deception and Manipulation by Authority—but inverted. He exploits the authority’s own tools (uniform, access, protocol) to shield and guide selected candidates, exposing how power can be subverted from within.

Defining Moments

Even small scenes with Michal carry layered meanings; each appearance tests whether Cia can decipher him—and whether he can help her without being seen.

• Announcing the Candidates (Chapter 2): He tells Zandri participation isn’t optional, establishing the stakes and the state’s reach. Why it matters: This sets his cover—credible enforcer—making later acts of help legible only to those perceptive enough to notice.
• The Skimmer Ride (Chapter 4): Michal glances at the camera, then at Cia, and smiles when she understands. Why it matters: It’s the first proof that the real test has already begun—and that Michal is grading a different exam: awareness under surveillance.
• The Final Farewell (Chapter 9): He follows protocol by drugging Cia but slips in a heartfelt message about her strength. Why it matters: The moment fuses duty and dissent, showing how he meshes genuine support with procedural compliance to avoid detection.
• The Birthday Gift (Chapter 22): He delivers the Transit Communicator that restores Cia’s erased memories. Why it matters: This risky handoff confirms his allegiance and transforms him from passing escort to pivotal conspirator shaping the series’ larger conflict.

Symbolism

Michal symbolizes principled dissent camouflaged as obedience. He challenges the myth of a monolithic state by embodying the possibility of ethical action within corrupt systems. Through him, the novel tests the boundaries of Trust and Betrayal: Cia must decide whether to trust someone who wears the regime’s uniform—and learn that discernment, not blanket suspicion or naïveté, is the skill that keeps her alive.

Essential Quotes

"You don't have a choice. The law states that every United Commonwealth citizen chosen must present his- or herself for The Testing by the appointed date or face punishment."
— Michal Gallen, Chapter 2

This line constructs Michal’s official persona: precise, legalistic, and immovable. By establishing his credibility as an enforcer, he gains the cover necessary to bend rules later without drawing suspicion.

He glances up at the camera, then back at me, and smiles.
He knows that I know.
— Cia's internal thought, Chapter 4

Here, communication happens in silence: a lesson in reading signals under surveillance. The mutual recognition reframes their dynamic from officer/subject to teacher/student, inaugurating the covert alliance that defines Michal’s role.

"You're smart, Cia. You're strong. There are people like me on your side who know you can make it. Please, prove I'm right."
— Michal Gallen, Chapter 9

Michal affirms Cia’s agency without promising rescue, placing responsibility—and trust—squarely on her. The plea “prove I’m right” underscores his investment in her survival and the quiet network he represents.

"Congratulations on passing The Testing. Not that I'm surprised. You're smart. You're strong. I knew you could make it."
— Michal Gallen, Chapter 22

The repetition of “smart” and “strong” bookends his mentorship, confirming that his early faith was strategic as well as emotional. It also hints that his long game—preserving Cia’s truth against systemic erasure—is just beginning.