Manual:Asylum/AWSC Notable People
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COALITION MARINE CORPS, 74th MEU (SOC)
Command Staff
- Col. Erich Helmann
Commander of 74th MEU Forces at Tau1 Gruis II. A no-BS, practical leader with a command of history and strategy and the ability to put them to use. Helmann has been well-respected in all his previous posts, and the 74th MEU's Tau1 Gruis segment is no different. Colonel Erich Helmann hails from North Dakota on Earth.
- Lt.Col. Jean Devereaux
A tough as nails black French-African. Lieutenant Colonel Devereaux used to be the head of the 74th MEU's logistics component, but found himself in the curious position of being left behind with the Command and Ground components when the bulk of the 74th MEU returned to the Core. He serves as Helmann's second in command, however the two often disagree on a wide variety of matters.
- Maj. Catherine MacAllan
Major MacAllan found herself in much the same position as Devereaux in that she used to command the Aerospace component of the 74th MEU, but was left behind when it returned to the Core. She is now in command of the aerial forces of the 74th MEU's DMM-621 unit left behind on Tau1 Gruis II after the departure. She views the turn of events as an effective demotion, but outwardly shows no bitterness over it. Catherine MacAllan is the third in the chain of command for the 74th MEU forces on Tau1 Gruis II. She originates from the British sector of the Mars Federal Colony.
DMM-621
DMM-621 is the 74th MEU's Medium Marine Dropship unit, operating D-3 Condors in support of Marine operations. It was detached from the 74th MEU in 2432 before they returned to the Core, and remains an important part of the CMC contingent at Tau1 Gruis II to this day.
- 1Lt. Leandra Duros
Dropship pilot, rated expert on both the D-3 Condor medium dropship and the D-12 SkyKnight trans-atmospheric heavy dropship. Bold and incredibly lucky, First Lieutenant Leandra Duros has proven herself time and time again to be an excellent pilot, and a fair hand at combat. In a pinch, she can make the electronic repairs necessary to get her ship back home, but she'd rather have a trained technician do the job. Born and raised on Hope Colony, she joined the Marines when her classmates were busy picking out wedding dresses and choosing names for their future children. Although she eventually married, Leandra never found the time for children. Assigned to the 74th MEU's DMM-621 dropship unit, she currently lives in Delphi, a suburb of Grus City, with her husband. Duros is often referred to by her callsign "Divebomb," given for her strict adherence to the tactic of extremely high rates of ascent and descent when flying into or out of a hot landing zone.
- SSgt. A.J. Sepmeyer
Staff Sergeant A.J. Sepmeyer, Class III rated dropship loader. He is a young Marine assigned to Leandra Duros after the departure of the 74th MEU left her without her original Marine loader. AJ was forced to change jobs as the forces left behind reorganized, and he had to learn the basics of his new job on the fly, something he has, to his credit, done successfully.
"Normally Duros would have complained about having a greenhorn like AJ assigned to her. You had to go a long way to find a Condor pilot as good as she was, and she was well aware of that fact. Something was different about this kid though. He may learn as he goes, but he had spirit, a great attitude, and a real knack for his job. Not to mention Duros just liked him. She and her husband had yet to find the time for children, but AJ fit in somewhere between a little brother and a grown up son for her, and now that she had gotten used to having him around, she doubted she'd ever want anyone else in the back of her ship. She was also more than aware that a good synergy between the pilot and loader on a dropship usually mattered more than just experience when the bullets started flying, and that's exactly what she and AJ had developed over the last few months."
Delta Squad, Ghost Platoon
Like the rest of the 74th MEU's original ground component, Ghost Platoon was left behind on Tau1 Gruis II to act as a defensive Marine garrison augmenting Colonial Guard forces. Ghost Platoon have the distinction of being the recon platoon for the 74th MEU's ground component, and has the most experienced and able Marines of the 74th MEU within its ranks. Of the five squads who can call themselves Ghosts, Delta is the most experienced, and has the distinction of being directly responsible for the CMC defeating the Colonial Guard in the tri-annual wargame of 2436 between Marine and Guard forces stationed on Tau1 Gruis II. Due to transfers and retirements over the years, Delta Squad is currently only at half strength.
- MSgt. Ethan Stackman
The leader of Delta Squad. Master Sergeant Ethan Stackman is an older Marine with a long, and storied history. Stackman is originally from the Western Dominion on Janus in the Tau Ceti system. He joined the UPMF (Unified Powers Marine Forces) at 18, fresh out of mandatory school and served for a trio of three-year tours defending UP interests across space before separating from the UPMF to marry and pursue othern interests. As the Western Dominion moved further and further into the Tri-Axis' court, Stackman and his wife eventually emigrated to the USA on Earth where they lived until the start of the Interstellar War. Stackman's wife ended up being killed by Tri-Axis forces when her spaceliner was destroyed at the opening of the war, ironically enough by a destroyer from the Western Dominion. A furious Stackman signed up with the Coalition Marine Corps the next day, was promoted straight to Gunnery Sergeant based on his experience, and has been in the Corps ever since.
- Sgt. Gerard McGowan
The only Earth-born member of the squad, Lance Corporal Gerard McGowan hails from Scotland, and is proud of it. While not as strong as Omar Keller, he is unquestionably the toughest of the squad both mentally and physically. His numerous accolades despite still only being a regular Sergeant speak volumes for his fighting ability. He and Ethan Stackman are the only ones to serve in Delta Squad since the the ISW; the rest were transferred in post-war.
- LCpl. Charles Navarro
Normally when the squad splits in two, the leader of the secondary squad would go to the next man down in rank. MSgt. Stackman never quite saw it that way, however, and always keeps McGowan nearby due to the deep trust between them forged in the war. As the next man in line, Charles Navarro always ends up leading the secondary squad, and usually does a fantastic job of it. Navarro is often a cynical realist whose main hobby is criticizing the Colonial Administration's bureaucracy. However when the lead and lasers start flying, he zips right up and morphs into a model Marine with outstanding tactical sense.
- PFC Omar Keller
Private First Class Omar Keller is a very soft-spoken man who likes to keep to himself, despite his large and imposing size. No one outside his commanding officers know his exact history, but everything has been speculated from he is a former convict to a reformed Singularitan, to a survivor of the nuclear holocaust on Aurora. Keller was transferred to Delta Squad shortly before the second triannual wargame, and thus is the newest member of the squad.
- PFC Chris Saldana
Private First Class Chris Saldana is a smartassed kid from New Spain who normally wouldn't even have a hope of making Delta Squad. However, Delta is in dire straits as far as staffing, and Saldana is one of the best shots in the whole 74th, especially with a mounted weapon. Put him on an ATRAV turret and he can put a string of bullets into the air and sign his name with him. Whenever the squad splits, he ends up being paired with LCpl. Navarro, and the two have become fast friends.
SS HAMMERHEAD CREW
Captain
- Jason Stark
Retired captain of a Coalition superdestroyer, the USS Chesapeake. Served under the AWSC in the Interstellar War, and fought in the Battle of Mu Arae in 2428, the largest fleet engagement of the war, and the engagement which marked the end of Tri-Axis space power through the destruction of the entire remaining Tri-Axis Combined Fleet. Stark's destroyer was so badly damaged by the battle's end that he lost almost half his crew and had to be towed to a drydock. His notable actions for the battle include kills on a guided missile cruiser, a destroyer, six frigates, eleven fast attack craft, and an assist of the battleship USS Razorback and assault carrier FNS Ardennes in the destruction of the TAP Ares, one of three of the Tri-Axis' massive baseships destroyed at Mu Arae. Stark was among fourteen captains awarded the Navy Cross for extraordinary gallantry in the Battle of Mu Arae, and one of one hundred seventy-two awarded the Navy Cross in the entire ISW.
Stark has been a privateer since 2430. He purchased a decommissioned Federation FIPA frigate, the SS Hammerhead, took out a loan to overhaul it, hired his own crew largely consisting of former USS Chesapeake personnel, and now plies the spacelanes doing everything from corporate fleet defense to cargo hauling. His experience in the Coalition Spacefleet is a major factor in landing high-paying jobs, and he is currently estimated to have a net worth of nearly $45 million in Coalition dollars ($8 million if funds still owed on the Hammerhead are subtracted). A little-known bit of trivia is Stark was once married to Jacqueline Winters, a junior executive at United Terraformers and the Liaison to Sol for the Pavo Tech Union. They have an adult daughter, Lisa Stark, though he has not seen her since before the war.
First Officer
- Fiona Zimmer
A promising Marineschule Mürwik graduate who did not advance anywhere near her potential in the war due to her having a much more peacetime oriented personality and skillset. Post-war, she left of the Federation Stellar Navy, and her outstanding organizational skills landed her a highly competitive position as the second officer aboard a Leviathan ultrafreighter. However, after only a year of service, she was laid off without benefits along with most of the rest of the senior staff when the ship was purchased outright from Eberhard-Brückland by United Terraformers during a corporate downsizing. A chance meeting with Jason Stark resulted in their quickly becoming friends despite a disparity in age, due to her reminding him of his daughter. That, combined with her outstanding credentials, resulted in Stark signing her as the Hammerhead's XO in 2434.
Chief of the Boat
- James Watson
James Watson served aboard the USS Chesapeake from 2414 until he retired in 2430. From 2422 to 2430, he served as Chief of the Boat, and was widely regarded as one of the best destroyer chiefs in the entire Coalition Spacefleet. A highly effective leader with a likeable (if sometimes harsh) personality, he inspired the respect and admiration of those above and below him on the Chesapeake, and continues to do so aboard the Hammerhead. As one of Jason Stark's best friends, Watson was the first choice for Chief aboard the SS Hammerhead upon Watson's retirement from the Spacefleet, and he has served aboard the Hammerhead since late 2430.
Ship's Doctor
- Peter Coburn
An outstanding physician and product of 25th century Britain's outstanding Royal Medical Corps who served as the ship's doctor aboard the guided missile cruiser HMS Exeter from 2418 until 2429. He formed his own private practice outside London with two other doctors and worked there unhappily for two years before meeting with Jason Stark for the first time. After shrewd negotiations in his own favor, Coburn signed on with the SS Hammerhead to serve as ship's doctor in 2431. He has been with the Hammerhead ever since. A quiet, withdrawn, yet highly effective and intelligent person, Coburn has always been a bit of an enigma even to his shipmates. He's easily forgiven this, however, as he provides absolutely top notch medical care to the Hammerhead's crew.
Chief Engineer
- Pawel Czerwinski
A graduate of the Gdansk University of Technology who has always possessed a seemingly innate understanding of everything mechanical. Quick to anger and fast-witted, Pawel does not take any flak from either underlings or superiors, and is quick to shut down any opponent in a verbal sparring match, his captain being the only one he affords unswerving respect at any given time. Pawel can be your best friend, but if you say something stupid, you can be sure he'll call you on it, and if you do something stupid, you'll find yourself exiting his engine room in a hurry. Pawel has no military experience, and maintains that he needs none. So far, he has proven as good as his word, and has served as the chief engineer of the SS Hammerhead since 2433.
Communications
- Adriana Park
A Kerellan Planetwide Institute graduate with three degrees, Adriana Park is the only extrasolar officer aboard the SS Hammerhead. Despite Stark's unspoken preference toward officers from Sol, Park's sheer ability impressed him even more than the oddity that someone so highly skilled was advertising herself on a jobs network well below her level. Turns out she was not interested in and even turned down much higher paying jobs for the opportunity to work on a privateer vessel and experience some adventure. Stark offered her a position in 2430, and she's been aboard the Hammerhead ever since.
Weapons
- Brianna Neylon
Neylon was one of the main gunnery officers aboard the USS Chesapeake in the Battle of Mu Arae. Having just transferred to the position, she proved herself when she took over from a wounded superior and proceeded to directly contribute to the Chesapeake's success against the many combatants it faced in the engagement. After working on her for several months, Stark finally managed to convince her not to reup with Spacefleet after the expiration of her third tour of duty, despite her love for her job. Neylon signed on as the Hammerhead's weapons officer in 2431.
Contractors
- Kris Hoberman
Depending on which day you catch him on, he's either a high-spirited adventurer, or a burned out vet. Sometimes both. A highly-rated ace pilot who is qualified on no less than seven platforms, with about 3000 air hours and more than 2200 space hours, as well as a graduate of the C/USAF's optional, grueling SERE Tier 5 program, Hoberman exemplifies the warrior's warrior. He is also a bit of a celebrity owing to his actions on Eridanus during the Interstellar War. He was one of several C/USAF (Coalition/United States Aerospace Force) and C/RAF (Coalition/Royal Air Force) pilots who were rammed through the blockade around Eridanus with a Marine Expeditionary Unit and scores of supplies to bolster the Independent States of Eridanus' warfighting capability in December 2425. Hoberman attained ace status in the ISAF (Independent States Aerospace Force) with over 50 confirmed air to air kills by the war's end and another 10 to 20 unconfirmed, making him the fourth ranked Allied aviator in the Eridanus theatre.
He reached broad interstellar fame when he was shot down in the air battle over the main Eridanusian planetary defense superweapon, yet managed to not only reach the ground safely, but also arm himself and directly assist the commandos present and ultimate contribute to both a ground and air victory, resulting in the destruction of the weapon and the beginning of the end for the Eridanusian Planetary Republic. Hoberman shunned the fame received for this and claims he was only capable of it due to a combination of extreme luck and the extreme training given to Coalition pilots headed to support the ISE. Whether the newspaper account of his actions or his much more downbeat description is true is unknown. Much to his chagrin, the original dramatic and likely sensationalized account is the one publicly accepted.
After the war in Eridanus finally wrapped up in 2428, Hoberman returned to service with the C/USAF and flew the F-24H Falcon space superiority fighter in a fleet defense role for another year and a half before retiring honorably from the service in 2430. Finding himself a poor match for civilian life, he jumped at the opportunity to be recruited along with several other top pilots from all over the Allied services to the Spectres, a frighteningly effective, but ultimately short-lived mercenary squadron. In 2432, the Spectres were flying for the Auroran Independence Forces, who were in open rebellion against the Auroran Empire, the government of the last major Tri-Axis world to be defeated. In response to limited Auroran nuclear strikes against Federation interests, the Federation Stellar Navy overwhelming responded by making a blitzkrieg attack against Aurora, bypassing most of their defense fleet and proceeding to engage in the only carpet nuke attack in history. The Tri-Axis and the entire planet of Aurora were burned to a cinder in eight hours by fusion warheads. Most of the Spectres were killed in the nuke strike, and of the survivors, all but Spectre 1, Spectre 7 (Hoberman), and Spectre 8, who had all been through SERE Tier 5, died trying to survive the post-nuclear nightmare. To this day, Hoberman despises the Federation because of their actions at Aurora.
Hoberman tapped ground experienced gained on Aurora to form a ground mercenary unit, and accepted innumerable high paying jobs against Singularity, pirate, and renegade Tri-Axis forces in the Minor Colonies and on the Rim from 2432 to 2435. Facing public embrassment after a job that went horribly wrong, and gaining new media fame as the derided "Disgraced Ace" as a result, he found himself facing burnout and feeling devoid of any further purpose. After ten years of fighting since his arrival on Eridanus in 2425, he disbanded the unit, much to its dissatisfaction, and returned to Earth. Aside from the odd consulting job, Hoberman did effectively nothing and was heard from by no one for more than a year.
In 2436, the Pavo Tech Union tempted Hoberman out of his de facto retirement with an enormous lump sum. He was to be a part of a high technology test to take place in secret at the Tau1 Gruis II colony, far from prying eyes of competing corporations and foreign governments. He traveled via spaceliner from Sol to Delta Pavonis, then aboard the SS Hammerhead from Delta Pavonis to Tau1 Gruis, arriving in mid-February 2437. The job would be two-fold: he would not only serve as the test subject for the piece of technology to be tested, but also thereby ensure through proximity and his broad-spectrum combat ability that no one unauthorized would get ahold of either the equipment to be tested, or the related technology.
