In the Year of the Cat (audio story)

In the of the Cat was a 2003 audio story in the Faction Paradox series.

Publisher's summary
PRIMER FOR THE SPIRAL POLITIC (POST-WAR EDITION)

4: THE MUNIFICENT ARMY OF PEKING

Era: human historical (later period).

Technology: Military (self-contained), non-time-active.

By the end of the fifth millennium AD, the homunculi created by the human species -- clones, cross-breeds, fighting-machines and artificial intelligences of all descriptions -- outnumbered humanity by more than thirteen to one: but even so, there were no creations like those of Peking. Heading a thousand-strong army of individually-crafted automata, the twelve commanders were self-aware embodiments of the oriental zodiac, forged to a strict astrological design and said to incorporate history itself in their operating program. After the fall of Peking, however, most were never accounted for...

Alt text
An automaton provides a lesson in astrology; a monster is revealed to be sleeping in the royal bedchambers; the city's prostitutes prove that they know a thing or two about the Higher Powers; the trial of Grandfather Paradox is reconvened; Eliza fights the country in order to save the world; and new alliances are made while the Faction suffers one more casualty of War.

Plot
to be added

Cast

 * Cousin Justine - Suzanne Proctor
 * Lord Sandwich - Michael Chance
 * The Sieur d'Eon - Jo Castleton
 * Cousin Eliza - Emma Kilbey
 * Mistress Culver - Jackie Skarvellis
 * King George III - Eric MacLennan
 * Queen Charlotte - Caroline Burns-Cook
 * The Earl of Bute - Mark Grieg
 * Annabel - Linda Bartram

Continuity

 * One of the Peking Homunculi — the Pig — disappeared. (TV: The Talons of Weng-Chiang)
 * Justine remarks that 50 years of War have transformed the Great Houses into "beasts". (PROSE: The Taking of Planet 5, The Ancestor Cell)