Futuristic Into the Cosmic Deep Character Thread

Name: Matias Kingsbury
Pronouns: He/him
Age: 35
Race: Human
Ethnicity: Hispanic
Home: Europa Colony
Occupation: First Officer
Appearance: Matias is of average height and stands with an easy confidence attributed to his wiry but powerful frame. He keeps his black hair cropped short to easily fit within his mech-suit, and often sports a mustache and goatee. Matias' skin is covered in numerous scars from his time in enforcement and security. Matias is almost never seen without his uniform on, preferring to be prepared at all times rather than be comfortable.
Height: 5'7"
Weight: 178 lbs.
Skin Color: Light Brown
Hair Color: Black
Eye Color: Dark Brown

Personality: An enigma - Curt but polite, Matias is not fond of long-winded speeches or fools. He is a consummate professional: Matias never jokes and almost never smiles, remaining serious and focused at all times. He has no close friends, and no family, remaining aloof of personal relationships. Those who have worked under him or alongside him find that he is more than dependable, fair, and supportive.

Biography: Matias was born from a tryst between an Europan engineer and a crew member of a passing starship, and grew up with his father on Europa. Although his father's work as an engineer interested him as a youth, it wasn't until his father's murder at age 12 that Matias decided to train with his uncle for security work. Thanks to his uncle's diligence, Matias' initial knack for tactics and firearms became a true talent. He joined the Europan Police Force at age 18, and worked with his uncle there until his uncle was also murdered by a local gang. Despite orders to the contrary, Matias infiltrated the gang's territory and either killed or arrested the 15 or so members, an act which earned him the thanks of the Force but also forced his resignation. By age 24, Matias had begun taking private security jobs for crews and companies stationed within the Sol System, and was quickly promoted to head over his own team within two years. During his off hours, Matias studied the ships and trades of his clientele, and earned certifications in engineering and navigation. Six months ago, Matias received a mysterious letter from his long lost mother, which included a cryptic message: "Do not cry my child. The blackbird's song will lead you." Matias learned of Suleiman's interview, and got in contact with her shortly thereafter with the intent to join her crew.

Other: Matias has advanced training in weaponry and tactics thanks to his uncle and time in security. He also has basic training in medicine, and has certifications in engineering and navigation. He is surprisingly handy at numerous other skills required of a starship crew, despite never receiving proper training, and can often pick up skills just by observing things once thanks to his photographic memory.

***

Name: Haulrruxyy (Haul for short)
Pronouns: He/him
Age: 48 in Zumolka years
Race: Zumolka
Home: Sanmagela (Spaceyards in Earth's solar system)
Occupation: Engineer Assistant (Electrician / Welder)
Appearance: To a human, Zumolkas look like some kind of spider monkey from a distance, with a long prehensile tail, lanky but short body, and long arms and legs. Up close, however, the fur transforms into a cross between hair and feathers, pulling away from a wrinkly face with four eyes and a mouth full of sharp teeth. Haul's coloration, like all Zumolkas, varies slightly based on his mood, but usually settles in the bluish-gray scale, with white streaks becoming more visible when he is pleased and dark gray when he is upset.

Personality & History: Haul is eccentric to human standards but is notably less so when compared to the rest of his race, something which can be attributed to Haul's time spent among humans. He was raised among the spaceyards of Earth after his family moved there for work, and he has known little else but the ever-gleaming ocean of stars that spreads out on all sides. Thus, he isn't comfortable being planetside, and makes this known by his all-too-common temper tantrums. Despite his snarkiness, Haul means well and his specialty in welding & electrical work (and his ability to crawl into tight spaces) makes him an invaluable member of the crew.

Other: Haul will eat anything, something he shares with his race. Taste is not something Zumolkans worry about, and their bite force is said to equal that of a Earth polar bear, around 1200 PSI. Why something so small can snap bone in two is one of the many mysteries of the Zumolkans.

Name: Dr. Anagra Haliday
Pronouns: she/her
Age: 32
Race: Chalcidian
Home: Vinalia Urbana, Venus
Occupation: Chief Medical Officer
Appearance: A tall, somewhat slender chalcidian with a black carapace whose iridescence causes it to appear a dark green on her head and shoulders and the ends of her limbs. She has two large, silvery compound eyes, and long antennae hanging over her face like unkempt bangs. Her wings are transparent and glassy, with the veins only visible when the light manages to catch them at just the right angle.
Personality: Dr. Haliday is mature and reticent, though her quiet demeanor hides a somewhat impish streak.
Biography: Chalcidians do not often live among their own kind, and as is typical for her species the only person she knew during her development was her host, in the brief months between infection and inevitable end. The woman Dr. Haliday was "born" from had been a medical student, and Anagra picked up the discipline in her place after her host's death. She has also studied xenozoology to some extent, and her interest in researching and cataloguing any previously undiscovered species led to her applying for the Avian Expedition - an application summarily denied. The recruitment drive for the Blackbird's Cry was her second chance, and though it is a rescue mission she nevertheless retains enthusiasm for the discoveries to be made along the way.
Other: Dr. Haliday maintains a number of different collections, from starship models to trading cards, some of which she even draws herself.

---

NAME: Rhyssa Krogmann
PRONOUNS: She/Her
AGE: 6
RACE: Chalcidean
HOME: Vinalia Urbana, Venus
OCCUPATION: Medical Security
APPEARANCE: Rhyssa is a young Chalcidean, who still retains the appearance of her host: a red haired, hazel eyed human woman of about 20 or so. Rhyssa, though regarded by outsiders as an adult with an adult job and adult responsibilities, is equivalent to a teenager in the eyes of her own species; it is only when a Chalcidean has shed the face of their host and rebuilt their hive into a new form that they are truly considered an adult.
PERSONALITY: Chalcideans will often retain the appearance of their hosts' original bodies for years before eclosing, hiding among human populations to supplement the knowledge gained from the host's brain with new information and experiences. As such, Rhyssa is extremely curious somewhat impulsive, and, some might say, mischievous.
BIOGRAPHY: A Chalcidean who infected a woman living in Vinalia Rustica. Though Chalcideans typically avoid their own kind, Rhyssa seems to have imprinted somewhat on Dr. Haliday, having been discovered by the good physician when Rhyssa's host went to her seeking treatment - albeit too late to be saved. As such she applied right beside Dr. Haliday for the rescue mission - wherever the doctor goes, so shall she.
OTHER: All officers aboard the Blackbird be advised that the applicant has displayed a history of pranksterism and petty theft. Keep any crucial documents carefully secured, and pay no heed to her claims that she is "just messing."

Name: Hector Jordan

Pronouns: He/Him

Age: 34

Race: Human

Ethnicity: Black

Home: Earth

Occupation: Chief Engineer

Appearance: Tall, lanky with an athletic build. Neck length dreads. Dark skin. Casual clothing includes various jackets, button-up shirts, pants, sneakers, and Sunglasses. Engineering equipment for internal repairs is often his casual wear and a jumpsuit if need be. For external ship repair, he utilizes a material called darkstar-metal a dense metal fabric that draws energy from stars to form a metallic armor casing deployed in 7.77 seconds that allows him to continue his engineering work in space and filter out toxins to work in dangerous environments.

Personality: Relaxed and self-assured, he's a gambler by nature. He likes taking chances with risks and bets on himself, from casino games to streetfights, but only because he's confident he'll win in the end. Naturally talented in repairing ships he just goes where life takes him, like a drifter.

Biography: Long ago, he suffered an accident on a boat with his family. He fell off a fishing boat on a trip to Mars. He was rescued by a young Posonid who took him to safety. After befriending her for the rest of his vacation, he did not see her again but it changed the course of his life to be more carefree, as he didn't know where chance would take him next. He began to view himself as somewhat lucky, a view that was not deterred in the slightest by the course his life took. Things weren't always easy, but for the large part whenever things got rough there was always a bright side or a turnaround.

He often found himself drifting from place to place, always able to find a job due to a particular talent he had for machine and vehicle repair or engineering. Not that it was his intention, but his drifting from place to place built him sort of a reputation for his skills and eventually he was contacted by the AESS Condor to serve an engineering role for one of their ships. He accepted and was eventually assigned to the Blackbird's cry. This would be quite the undertaking, his biggest gamble yet. But perhaps, it would be worth it.

Other: Pretty good crackshot. Known for hitting targets at a distance with his nailgun. Known to tinker and invent his own improvements on the machines he works on. Not formally trained in fighting in any martial or military capacity, but decent in street fights, should it come to that.

DarkStar Metal Suit:

Name:
Naomi Hart
Pronouns:
She/Her
Age:
26
Race:
Human
Ethnicity:
White
Home:
Luna Colony

Occupation:
Solider/Field Medic

Appearance:
Naomi is a woman of average height (5'5") with an hourglass figure. She weighs about 273lbs, but contrary to popular belief has no major medical conditions and is in fairly good shape. Namoi's arms and legs are decently toned, at least outwardly, she's a lot stronger than she looks.

Personality:
Naomi is a reliable young woman who often keeps to herself. She's quiet, likes to focus on her work, or whatever else she's focused on like reading her books. Naomi likes to wander around the ship and help out when needed outside of her normal duties, be it helping with dinner or simply holding a light/handing over tools. She's the type of person who, for the most part, keeps her head on straight. The calm and collected type who tends to freak out later in private or bottle it all up for unforseen consequences later. Speaking of, Naomi is a very private person. She dislikes people prying into her life, especially people who haven't gained her trust yet. Which isn't a hard task to do, but it's not that easy either.

Biography:
Born in the Luna Colony to simple farmer parents, Naomi had a fairly simple life for the first years of it. From brith until she was about 6 years old, it seemed like her life would eventually end up in the same, repetitive pattern her parents did. Not that it was necessarily a bad thing...Naomi actually enjoyed it. Her mother would home school her and after that, her father would show her how everything worked. Things would change however, when her parents decided to take a trip to visit some family in the Venus colony. Her cousin was turning 10, and it seemed like a great way to reconnect with everyone they had missed. During the flight however, something went wrong. There was a power surge that knocked some of the ship systems out of order, and when they kicked back in a few minutes later, an Android turned and attacked whoever was closest. Then one by one, Android after Android, they started attacking, at least that's what Naomi thought was going on. Chaos erupted on the ship, screams echoed through the halls as everyone else tried to find a place to hide. The escape pods were gone all too quickly, and Naomi and her parents were some of the unlucky few left behind. Naomi, along with a few other children were hidden away in a small storage hold with what supplies the adults could gather.

For almost a week, they were in that hold, hearing nothing but screams and scattered gun fire. And eventually, silence. Until one day the ship came to a crashing halt, the human military boarding to try and salvage the situation. When they began their sweep of the ship, the soliders found not only the Androids, but the hackers responsible for the attack on with a few survivors. Among them Naomi's mother, who had unfortunately suffered a mental break witnessing the carnage. She was take off ship with the two other survivors (who to public knowledge both died later on). The children were found a few hours after the ship was cleared of hostiles. Cowering in a corner, there was one child on her feet, and staring down the soliders who toered over her, armed with a small piece of scrap metal. Naomi had decided that if death was their fate, she'd give the others a chance. Thankfully, she wasn't faced with chosing a fight or life. One of the soliders seemed impressed seeing this instead of...deeply concerned. This man, was Major Paul Hart. With her father dead, and her mother in no state to care for her any longer, once she had been processed by Child Protective Services, Naomi was adopted by the Major.

Her life changed from a simple life on the Luna Colony to the chaotic life of being raised in Military ships. Wherever her adoptive father was stationed, so was Naomi. She would virtually attend a school specifically made for the children of soliders, wander around the ships, and often hang out with the soldiers. Being raised by a bunch of hardened veterans seems like it would be a bad thing but...Naomi took to the life surprisingly well. Once she was a little older, Naomi would start to sneak her way into training, watching the soliders. It wasn't long before father learned of this, and allowed her join in on one condition. She try to pursue a life that wasn't in the military. Obviously, that went very well. As soon as she graduated, Naomi enlisted in the military. With her previous training, she flew through basic training, but developed an interest in a slightly different field along the way. Medical, specifically, and with the help of her father, actually began a nursing program. It was a lot to balance, but there was plenty of internships she could take on different ships.

At 20 years old, Naomi was stationed on a frigate that took part in a rescue mission deep in hostile territory. It was during this mission that Namoi would discover her love to Emergency Triage. If she was on earth, the woman definitely would have decided to work in an ER. But working with the rush of life or death, danger around every corner, Namoi loved it. The mission was a success, and after talking it through with her father, Naomi decided that this was the best way forward for her. Paul might have wanted her to have a semi normal life...but she's happy. That's what matters. He is not too happy though, that she joined the Avian Expedition, but once again...not much he can do about that.

Other:
Naomi's favourite animal are Sharks. Doesn't matter what kind of sharks, she loves them. There's a worn out, 3 foot long Great White plush on her bunk at all times. And she once started a fist fight to get it back from some asshat. It's a very well known story.

View attachment 985656
Name: Atuk'Kuta

Pronouns: He/Him

Age: 982

Race: Ensindijee

Ethnicity: Beetle-Mound

Home: Krostava

Occupation: Archaeologist/Lab Technician

Appearance: Despite his intimidating appearance, Atuk is an avid student of cultures long past and would rather keep his mind on the books than threaten anyone. The (relatively) young Ensindijee is dedicated to uncovering the long lost histories of galactic civilizations past. He has a pleasant, boisterous demeanor and is always ready to educate the younger races he encounters about civilizations past over long discussions and a good drink.

Personality: Most who know him from the younger races would describe him as behaving not too dissimilarly from an old man, but to an Ensindijee this is merely a mark of young adulthood. The truly old of their race are far stranger...far more reclusive in their wisdom for the most part. Something Atuk intends to change for the better. He is a jovial sort, if a bit eccentric and pompous at times.

Biography: From a young age, he sought out history. The history of his people, of others. Of those who existed even before his people did. He sought to document them, to discover a greater purpose to the workings of the cosmos. And what good were these discoveries if he did not share them with others? Why, it would be no good at all! But his people....they did not agree with his thoughts of being forthcoming to the younger races. They wanted him to horde knowledge instead of spreading it.

On some level, he agreed. Some things were simply to dangerous to be left out in the open. But to deny people the knowledge of the foundations the universe stood upon. Such discoveries could benefit everyone for the greater good of the civilized peoples of the galaxy. No, this was a stance he was would be undeterred in. And luckily for him, the greatest opportunity soon presented itself. He came into contact with Yonkoi scientists and began to work with them in uncovering the ruined temples of a previously unknown prehistoric subspecies of their kind. As his reputation and fame shot up, so did the number of people interested in his abilities among the Avian Expedition.




Other:

Name: Tristan [Redacted]
Pronouns: He/Him
Age: 26
Race: Alfen
Ethnicity: Precursor
Home: Terran IV
Occupation: Small craft pilot
Appearance:


Personality: A quiet and reserved man afraid to show too much emotion.
Biography: Tristan grew up on Terran IV during the height of the Alfen Empire. An empire that spanned multiple star systems throughout the Andromeda Galaxy. He took immense pride in his people and their mission to spread their culture through the Galaxy, turning a blind eye to the rumors that some harbored nothing but ill-will for the empire and her people. One by one, the worlds of the Alfen Empire began to fall, and so did its soldiers, the Scapegoat. Tristan fled the only home he ever knew, constantly looking over his shoulder for those who sought to bring him to justice for crimes he never committed. He seeks to begin life anew between the stars, away from those who'd put him to death.

Name: Khaazik Craule

Pronouns: He / Him

Age: 56 years old

Race: Craeden

Home: Sanmagela

Ethnicity: Sahall Pit

• The Sahall Pit is a massive, deep crater in the surface of Sanmagela. Long ago in Craedenese history, the pit was turned into a holy sight for those recovering from serious trauma to heal, unburdened and undisturbed from the troubles of the rest of the world. The entirety of the crater is covered in homes and other buildings, all of them built into its slope and leading down to the impact point where a large temple stands above the other structures, perfectly maintained by those of the Craeden Creed. Craeden from the Sahall Pit are almost always seen to have some scales with a rust red coloration in some sort of pattern across their hides.

Occupation: Soldier

Appearance:

• Khaazik is never seen without his helmet. He wears it, seemingly, at all hours of the day. Even in his sleep he will wear that old helmet of his. It's fitted to his head and horns after all. Sometimes he will even be so stubborn about having it on that he will go without food just so that others to not see him when he eats a meal. Perhaps he sees it as too much of a hassle to try and take it off and put it on again or there is something that he hides underneath that he doesn't like people seeing. Whatever the case, his face is a mystery to all. As for the rest of his gear, he will usually be seen without it when off-duty, wearing casual clothes and, yes, his helmet. Sometimes he will wander without a shirt, especially when he engages in fitness activities. His body is lean and tone, strong yet thin. A balanced musculature that is the result of a lot of effort and hard work.
• The Craeden's hide is scarred, charred and missing chunks here and there. This is probably because of his long career working for various militant groups across the cosmos. Despite all of the damage he has accrued over time, he still seems in complete working order. Perhaps the most noticeable feature of the Craeden is the color of his hide. His scales and skin are entirely rust red, where those from his home usually only possess patterns of such color. It is a rare occurrence for a Craeden of Sahall Pit to be born with complete rust colored scales. These Craeden are often sworn to the temple to suit its needs.

Personality:

• Khaazik can ultimately be considered an eccentric personality. An outlier. An oddity. However, despite all of these traits, he goes through life with a lighthearted, joking demeanor, sometimes even with a cold disposition. In this way he is seen as rather different from his people. Where the Craeden are kind, compassionate and loyal, Khaazik lacks the first two in the same abundance. He also seems to have an aversion to his own people, adopting a displeased demeanor when in close proximity to those of the Craeden Creed especially. Extremely unlike other Craeden, Khaazik lacks the usual chains to his peoples faith. He expressly disbelieves in the Creed's practices. One should not always do everything to help someone. Sometimes a person in need should stay in the dirt where they're found... or ground into it. He seems to have his reasons for his current beliefs.

Biography:

• A blessed child of the Creed, gifted with the rust hue of the most devout, Khaazik was raised among the faithful of the Sahall Pit temple. He grew around many other children, all learning to embrace the teachings of the Creed tighter than any other of their people. They are meant to be envoys of their faith and ultimately become missionaries to spread those teachings to the rest of the cosmos. When Khaazik came of age to travel beyond his home planets for distant worlds, he was ecstatic. The excitement made him wild with curiosity. Just what kind of world would he find himself on?
  
  Khaaziks' duties took him to a heavily populated human world. As a foreign missionary, he didn't find himself at the top of this world, but the very bottom. However, that didn't bother him much at the time. It's those that lacked hope that he should bring it to first. Khaazik spent days helping any in need down in the dark corners of the human world. He had with him enough money to provide for those in his care. He also found himself a small place to house those that need a place to recover and heal from injuries accrued on the streets. It meant never having any privacy, but Khaazik didn't really care so long as he was fulfilling his purpose.
  
  However, things began to change after taking one man in. It was a dark night when Khaazik ran into a battered, beaten and broken fellow left to die in an alley. He was a victim of a malicious attack, one that would leave the man dead if not tended to. As a subject of the Craeden Creed, Khaazik was obliged to help. To simply walk on by would violate his faith, so there was no hesitation as Khaazik gathered the man up, slinging an arm over his neck and hauling the fellow back to the simple home. It was never much, but it was dry and warm enough to be comfortable.
  
  Khaazik would spend much time helping this man heal from his wounds. The Craeden had to admit that he was curious about why the man was harmed this way and left to die, but he was more concerned with upholding the ways of the Creed. When the man regained consciousness, he introduced himself as one Regan Manchez. The two had begun to grow close as Khaazik helped Regan recover. There was a bond of trust formed that only grew stronger over time. With that trust between them, when Khaazik had to return home to report to his temple, he felt confident enough in Regan to leave him to take care of their home and continue his work while he was away.
  
  He couldn't have made a bigger mistake.
  
  When he returned from his home world, Khaazik was met with news about a serial killer who had disappeared for some time coming back into the light. Already multiple people have gone missing or been found dead. Khaazik, worried about the names he had seen among the discovered victims, people he has helped in the past, ran for his home. What he found was nothing short of a nightmare. Regan was busy with the body of a victim as Khaazik barged into their home. The place was a mess of evidence from previous killings. Mr. Manchez turned and greeted Khaazik with a cold smile.
  
  Regan subdued Khaazik before the Craeden could flee and alert authorities, no matter if that would incriminate him for having helped a murderer. As a reward for helping him, Regan did not immediately kill Khaazik for attempting to rat him out, but this would not come without a great deal of suffering. IT was hard to tell just how long it had been since the Craeden had seen the light of day from then on. The only constant that he could look forward to was the cuts and burns that he would be forced to endure. Though he was being kept alive, he would only wish for death. The torture was horrid, and shook him and his faith to its very core. In the end, the chains of the Craeden Creed quivered and shattered from around Khaazik. He knew only rage and hate. This is how he is rewarded for his kindness?
  
  Khaazik spent a few more days contained until he managed to make his escape. It was simple, likely because Regan didn't think that Khaazik would do much to try and earn his freedom. The murderer thought him broken and mindless.
  
  The Craeden stumbled into a hospital where he would finally recover after what could have been a month or two. Like it was in that cage, it was hard to tell how much time had passed in that facility. Although he was put back together slowly but surely, he couldn't bring himself to return to his home planet. He had lost faith in his people. In his Creed. He was done with ceaseless kindness and he instead adopted a new belief. The belief was that sometimes a person shouldn't be picked up from the dirt and grime. Sometimes you had to stomp them further into the muck. At least that's what he wish he did to Regan. His only sorrow was that the murderer still roamed free.
  
  From then on, Khaazik lived for himself. He trained in the use of weaponry, he trained himself to be cold and merciless. He trained to fight hard. With all this training under his belt, he engaged in a new career path. One as a mercenary. A soldier. He fought and killed, exploring a vast universe with eyes free from what he believed to be a haze cast over him by his former faith. He was wild and unbound by expectation. He was happy, no matter how bitterly it was obtained. He would take advantage of this new life.

Name: Kingstra Slezarak
Pronouns: They/ Them
Age: 37
Race: Vleeboe
Home: Vleebolai
Occupation: Janitor
Personality: Aloof, Kingstra is not one to initiate conversation. They prefer to listen and if they have to be the one to approach, Kingstra will make every effort to be as non offensive as possible. Not that they're usually offensive, but Kingstra has a bad habit of not filtering their words when they're losing focus. They have a hard time saying no unless it involves the possibility of seriously hurting someone. They have a lot of empathy and patience despite their rough past. However, they can be rather clingy when they feel comfortable with someone.
Biography: Kingstra has been through quite a few things, having eventually been pushed to the point of rebellion. The rebellion didn't go well and Kingstra barely escaped. Desperate to hold onto their fragile freedom, they sought out opportunities, any opportunity, to get away. They worked on multiple ships and have worked hard to stand out as a hard worker. They have done various odd jobs but when they heard about the Blackbirds' crew opening, they got every recommendation and bit of experience together to secure a spot.
Other: The rifle is optional.

Eichkern Baren Vanderdrecht

Pronouns: He/Him
Age: 28
Race: Deimosian
Ethnicity: Earthling Ancestry, Unspecified European Descent
Home: Neraeis

Occupation:
Current: Soldier, Survivalist, Repair Technician (weapons, armor, vehicles, etc.), Hunter
Former: Fighter Pilot, Special Operations, Knight

Appearance: Red sclera, and jet black skin and hair, like all Deimosians. Eichkern appears to have European ancestry, but it's impossible to discern from where specifically at this point. His skin (body and face) has what appears to be scar damage (another feature all Deimosians share), primarily the "crinkly" appearance of burn scars. These scars are noticeable, but do not obscure his facial features (nose, lips, eyelids, etc.), they only create that "crinkly" texture across the skin. Eichkern might (by some) be considered handsome, certainly among Deimosians, but even among some non-Deimosians who can look past the scar damage.

Personality: Cold, ruthless, and cruel... Is the exact opposite of Eichkern. Despite his appearance, most of his comrades know him for being a pleasant, even gentlemanly fellow. He can be mellow and sardonic, but behind all that is a man who's carved out his own moral code, one that often comes into conflict with the dominant religion among his people.

Biography:
Eichkern was born on the happy, peaceful, cheery world of Neraeis, where everything tries to kill you, including the inhabitants, and the tourists. His parents were both soldiers, not at all extrodinary on a planet where 100% of inhabitants were in the military. When they weren't in battle however, his father was a mine worker, and his mother was a cargo transportation specialist, which mostly involved air and spacecraft, but occasionally ground transport as well.

From a young age, Eichkern's eyes never rested on one place for too long, he always had the adventurous spirit of an adventurer, and as time went on he would hone his skills and interests to reflect that. By 16, he was conscripted into the military reserves for training and further education, and by 18 was anointed into the Neraesian Armed Forces. During an attack by a large scale mercenary company (funded by large, Earth based mining conglomerates), Eichkern distinguished himself quickly as a fighter pilot. The Deimosian Air and Space Forces helped clear the skies of invaders, and on more than a few occasions did Eichkern narrowly avoid death.

Despite this, their best efforts weren't enough to prevent all of the mercenary force from landing. When returning to the ground, Eichkern was quickly redeployed on the front lines as a Knight, donning the signature black armor of Deimosian Knights, a blackened sword, and a battle rifle. The incursion (one of many) only lasted a few months, and would not be the last one Eichkern would assist in repelling.

While on Neraeis, Eichkern also became a skilled hunter, a much demanded profession for a planet teeming with dangerous fauna. This is where he began to further improve his survivalist skills, learning how to traverse and survive one of the most hostile, semi-habitable landscapes in chartered space.

But by 20, he'd had his fill of fighting in the wars for Neraeis, or more specifically, he tired of the rigid dogma of the Deimosian faith. What they preached could not resonate with Eichkern. And so he left his home world, traveled all across civilized space, and explored every world he possibly could. It was on his journey that he encountered Reinhardt Richtofen, a German Earthling, and the founder of the Private Military Company "Rote Ritter Kompanie". The Red Knights Regiment.

Reinhardt had a strict moral code, trying to do what he found just, and to render assistance only to those fighting for a good cause. When the various factions and parties interested in reclaiming Neraeis came to him for aid, he flatly refused. Seeing the needless death and destruction the wars had taken, as well as the almost certain losses the Red Knights would incur, he recognized any attempt at attacking Neraeis to be both pointless, and immoral. He remained staunchly neutral, and the Red Knights are now one of the few military factions that can safely navigate Deimosian space. In fact, the Red Knights now often act as mediators and traders between Neraeis and other systems. Unrelated to this fact, Deimosians often regard the Red Knights as "Touched by Strength", due to their incredible performance in combat, as well as their cunning and foresight.

While in the Red Knights, Eichkern distinguished himself even further as both a skilled combatant, and a survivalist. On many occasions he'd gotten the Knights through to places they'd never been able to reach before, survive encounters with monstrous alien creatures, and hostile armed forces.

A year ago, Eichkern finally left the Red Knights to pursue new goals and ambitions, but he remains a full member of the Regiment. For the most part he has traveled, seen what the other planets have to offer, but now he finds himself yearning for something new, something unseen. And what better way to achieve that than by joining an expidition into the hidden depths of space?

Other: Armor, Blaster Pistol, Sword (Placeholder), Helmet (to be added later)

Name: Uqorsii Ketle
Pronouns: He/They
Age: 25
Race: Craeden
Home: Earth
Occupation: Chef

Appearance: A handsome young guy, as far as Craedens go. A bit on the shorter side, and decently fit. He’s definitely a good bit more soft-bellied than most others on the expedition, with his worst scar coming from falling out of a tree as a youngling. The scaley spines on his back react with his emotions: raising up when excited or surprised, laying flat when angry or frightened, etc.
[Ref may change slightly if I can get over my artist block lol].

Personality: Gentle, tidy. Knows how to use a gun but is much better with knives. Uqorsii is probably too soft for space, but he has a good head on him and can stay calm and rational under pressure. He values food, community, and faith.

Biography: His grandparents were the ones who journeyed to Earth. A comparatively small colony of Craeden immigrants reside in scattered villages across Central America, most notably Belize. The hot temperatures and thriving tropical ecosystem make it particularly hospitable to the cold-blooded alien species. Rising oceans significantly diminished the coastline on both ends but there is plenty of mountainous and cavernous land to cultivate. He got along well with others, especially the grannies that led village meals and prayer. Even so far from their origin, the Craeden stuck rigidly to their religious practices, forming a tight-knit community where nobody would starve or suffer on their own.

He found his love for cooking and food in the community kitchen there, spending every moment outside of coursework creating recipes and investigating flavors. Food is something that not only brings people together but heals and mends. On a trip to the city Uqorsii was able to try all kinds of food and, despite coming from a modest community and species, he became enamored with the idea of travel.

At maturity he made a difficult decision to leave his village – his people and his tribe and everything he knew – to explore further north where there were massive capitals and so many more people than he’d expected. It was hard at first, obviously fitting in as a Craeden on a human-majority planet had its challenges, not to mention the weather. However, he was able to make a decent living and foster some friendships through working as a line cook in a hotel. That’s how it started, anyway.

He’d always been curious about the other stars and planets – the worlds beyond the haze of the atmosphere where all the ships came and went. Obviously, he wondered where the home planet of his species was and how it would feel to be in a place surrounded by so many of his own kind. He’d never particularly considered hopping on a ship though. Not until he accepted a position first as a cook for the Avian expedition in general, suggested to him by a friend, and then aboard the RS Blackbirds Cry.

Other: Don’t waste food or he’ll develop a grudge and get super sulky.

Ulahn Qi Ehta

Pronouns: She/Her

Age: 368

Race: Gulu Brulshiya

Ethnicity: Kshet Ehta

Home: Ahnba Degota

Occupation: Horticulturist/Agriculturist/Botanist

Appearance: The Kshet Ehta bear a striking resemblance to bison, boasting smaller horns emerging from their heads adorned with thick, mammoth-like fur, providing insulation against the harsh mountain cold. Their evolutionary adaptation includes two sets of arms, facilitating their nimble ascent of rocky surfaces. Ulahn, with her deep brown fur and kind, black, beady eyes, exemplifies their appearance. Occasionally, she adorns herself with woven cloth, but among the Gulu, it's common to forego clothing altogether.

Personality: This kind and gentle scientist radiates warmth and compassion in every interaction. She possesses a genuine curiosity about the world around her, driven by a deep desire to understand and unravel its mysteries. Empathy is a hallmark of her personality, as she strives to consider the perspectives and feelings of those around her. She approaches her work with humility, recognizing that knowledge is a journey of discovery rather than a destination to be conquered. Ulahn's passion for science is tempered by a sense of responsibility to use her knowledge for the betterment of society and the world.

Biography: Ulahn entered the world atop the towering peaks of Ahnba Degota in Ehta's Edge, raised by her clan amid a relatively peaceful existence. Engaged in agriculture, she found fulfillment in nurturing crops and livestock. Although the abduction of Gulu children by outsiders had long plagued Ahnba Degota, it wasn't until the final years of the siege that Ehta's Edge faced a proper invasion. Their village, concealed among the clouds, had remained largely unseen for much of the conflict.

Ulahn, mother to two children, Siuna and Rakhen, suffered the heartbreak of losing them to abduction when they were mere infants. Driven by maternal instinct, she embarked on a long quest across the stars to reclaim her offspring. However, it took many years of searching before she finally located them, now grown adults. Tragically, Siuna had perished in a war in which she had no rightful place, while Rakhen languished in chains, subjected to relentless labor by his alien captors. Despite Ulahn's attempts to rescue him, Rakhen, consumed by rage and confusion, attempted to harm her, unable to recognize her as his mother. Eventually she was forced to leave him behind.

With the passage of a decade, new laws were enacted to protect Gulu Brulshiya children from abduction, under the auspices of the United Galactic Nations. However, these protections came too late for Ulahn and her children. Unable to bear the reminders of her shattered past, Ulahn chose to forge a new path among the stars. She found solace and purpose as a horticulturist on space stations, later pursuing advanced studies in botany under the tutelage of one of the galaxy's foremost experts. As she approaches the twilight of her years, Ulahn yearns to bid farewell to this fractured galaxy and embark on a voyage of discovery aboard the Blackbird's Cry.

Other: Despite enduring considerable hardship, Ulahn harbors no resentment towards any race in the galaxy.

guess who got more free tiiiime. Image Source: Dimitri Neron

Brother Kavum-Galahad
Age: 26
Pronouns: any
Race: Rindikan
Home: Hephas
Occupation: Security Chief

Appearance: Kavum's body is a mash of metallic, synthetic, and hardsteel plastic in the visage of a set of semi-futuristic knight's armor, a dark black and colored with accents of gold. The look is complete with a synthetic cape and a transforming sword/shield setup built into either arm. Their "armor" is marked with chipping from combat.

Personality: Kavum's, and the general Rindikans' pursuit of Earthen knowledge has left this particular Rindikan to adopt a rather chivalric personality; Kavum's taken a particular interest in the Earthling's age-old Arthurian legends, and has thus adopted the ideal of the "perfect knight". They've gone so far as to adopt the name of Camelot's "pure of heart" figure, Galahad, into their name. As a result of their Arthurian interests, their speech is rather old-fashioned; poetic and full of "thine", taking on an almost Shakesperian tone.

Kavum-Galahad is gallant, chivalric, and highly, highly optimistic in regards to what they and their compatriots can accomplish. They dedicate to the typical Rindikan ideals of peace, honor, and justice- but they have a tendency to assume that most individuals will honor these prospects as well, which can lead to them being fooled by more manipulative figures.

Those fighting alongside Kavum-Galahad can remain confident in their combat abilities and their devotion to protecting their fellow combatants- if nothing else, an ally to Kavum can be confident that they will never leave a friend behind.

They ascribe greatly to worship of the Blessed Anvil, considered more religious than many Rindikan in their reverence of the godlike machine. Hence, they are commonly referred to as "Brother" as one might call a monk.

They self-proclaimed themselves a scholar of human literature, absorbing much knowledge of its fiction and myth… but in actuality, not much of the actual culture of the humans themselves. They fall short in their interactions with Earthlings in this regard, and oftentimes they tend to assume that their stories are applicable to actual human history.

Biography: Their chivalric streaks seems to have started at a young age; from barely a day past their eighteenth birthday, Kavum was dedicating themselves to answering calls for justice from across the galaxy. The Rindakin do not typically strike preemptively, but like many, they cannot resist a cry for justice when asked. So, Kavum-Galahad traveled along many other Rindakin whenever they were called upon to aid just causes; venturing out into the galaxy beyond, returning to Hephas when the job was done, and then repeating.

On one of these expeditions, he aided a human woman named Alela Carlisle, an Lunar colony inhabitant with an academic expertise in archaeology and old Earth legend. She shared her stories with an incredibly interested Kavum-Galahad, and the two stayed friends even when on separate worlds. Whenever they could communicate, they did, and Kavum was glad to have such a good friend.

All was not well for Carlisle. Her sister, a member of the Avian Expedition, was missing alongside many others- without the experience to take part herself, she called upon her Rindikan friend to locate her sister. Like many of their kind, Kavum cannot resist the call for justice when summoned. The Rindikan's general warrior culture, overall regard for law and order, and Kavum's experience enforcing justice off-world made them a simple pick for a Security official once they applied to take part in the Blackbird's journey.

There is a self-serving aspect to Kavum-Galahad's inclusion- this is for their friend Alela, of course, but given the history of the Rindikan fighting bloody battles through a black hole, they cannot help but wonder if this missing fleet might have suffered the same fate that caused the Rindikan to develop their black-hole travel technology in the first place. They want to know if this enemy still exists, because if so, Hephas must be warned.

Other:

• They seem to stick to melee above firearms- excluding space battles, of course. They're not incapable of using firearms, but the skill difference is rather clear when they do.
• Kavum-Galahad adopted a bit of a Mandalorian mentality when helping people off-world, in the sense that they picked up just about every orphan they saw out of a sense of honor and compassion. If they couldn't find anyone to care for them, they took them back to the Rindakin homeworld to allow them a place among their people.
• Like a lot of Rindakin, Kavum-Galahad has gotten themself banned from quite a few colonies for prioritizing the Rindakin's moral code over the colony's laws.

Name: Amaya Rose
Pronouns: She/her
Age: 26
Race: Human
Ethnicity: Mixed
Home: Titan
Occupation: Pilot
Appearance: Amaya is lithe and well-toned, preferring to wear fitted leggings and tops under her standard gear. She tends to slouch and act relaxed even in tense situations. She has shoulder-length brown hair, which she often pulls back under a hat or ties up to keep out of her face. She wears gloves almost always. She tends to lounge when she's off-duty, snacking in the kitchen, but has an intensive work-out routine.
Height: 5'4"
Weight: 126 lbs.
Skin Color: White
Hair Color: Brown (Darker towards the roots)
Eye Color: Blue-White

Personality: At first glance, Amaya may seem too casual to be a good pilot - she hardly ever sits to attention, enjoys cracking small jokes and doesn't seem to take orders seriously. But this attitude is what has enabled her to navigate tense situations in the past without breaking a sweat (literally). Amaya detaches herself from situations, leaving her calm even in dangerous conditions. This does contribute to a lack of empathy for others, however.

Biography: Amaya has no idea who her parents are - her earliest memories are of living on the streets of Titan's colony with a group of other unlucky orphans. She quickly learned to steal in order to survive, a skill which she never quite let go as she grew into adulthood. Her name was listed among some of the most dangerous gangs on Titan, but it's her role in the Cyclops gang that gained her true fame. Leading a group of illegal street races, the Cyclops gang rose to notoriety due to Amaya's skill and nigh-on insane moves that granted her win after win, all at the age of 16. She caught the attention of the right people, and landed a lucrative job shipping "completely legitimate" shipments through "unfriendly" zones. Ten years later, perhaps out of boredom, or perhaps for some other reason, she has joined the crew of the Blackbird's Cry.