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Shearwater is an enigma, my sources at GSN Intel would indicate that "Sam Bishop, Baron Shearwater" is a name that has been associated with Manticoran Intel operations for over 300 T-years. Even with the miracle of Prolong there's no way this is the same man.

Game Status: Non-Player Character

Name: David "The Silver Fox" Chesterton

Rank: Captian (flag)

Current Assignment: Commanding Officer, HMS Centaur

Age: 63 T-years, Not Prolonged

Planet of Origin: Grayson, Orbital #3266

Physical Description: 5ft 9in tall, Iron grey hair and full beard, hazel eyes, muscular build, tip of left hand 4th finger missing. Is said to resemble "General Lee" a semi-mythical figure from Old Earth History.

Background: David Chesterton was born and raised in a grayson orbital habitat, He joined the GSN to defend his home from the Schismatic enemy. Over time the navy became his life and his passion. The sudden exponential growth of the GSN has fast-tracked his career, his leadership ability becoming legendary within that service.

Chesterton's religious views are complex (and of concern to his superiors) He rejects a large portion of Grayson Orthodoxy as nonsense, whilst at the same time refusing Prolong on the basis that it is "cheating the test".

Military Record: Ensign aboard GSN Gethsemeny (LAC), Lt aboard GSN Masada (DD), Lt Cdr (XO) aboard GSN Courvosier (DN), Captain aboard GSN Casca (CL), Acting Commander 12th "Tester's Own" Sqdn (Mixed CL and DD), Captain(flag) aboard HMS Centaur.

Game Status: Non-Player Character

Name: William Taylor

Rank: Commander

Current Assignment: Executive Officer, HMS Centaur

Age: 59 T-years, 3rd Gen Prolonged

Planet of Origin: Posnan, Silesian Confederacy, raised on Sphynx, SKM. (SKM National)

Physical Description: No Data

Background:

Commander Taylor is a native of Sphinx, in the Manticore system. However, he was not born there. His father and mother, Martin and Susanne Taylor, were diplomats with His Majesty's Diplomatic mission to New Berlin (Andermani) . During a particularly delicate negotiation, both the Taylors were in Posnan to finalize a delicate trade and military exchange treaty. Susanne went into unexpected premature labor during Foundation Day in Posnan, and as a result the doctors on duty were overworked and understaffed. During the difficult birth, Susanne Taylor died of blood loss.

Her son, William, survived and soon was a thriving baby. Strangely enough, a few hours after his birth, someone left a gold signet ring on the baby's pillow. No one seemed to be able to identify the signet, and Martin was too distraught by his wife's death to give the matter any real attention. The ring was put away with William's baby things, forgotten for many years. Martin Taylor resigned his commission in His Majesty's Diplomatic Service and returned to Sphinx with his son. Martin soon joined the Forestry Service, burying his deep grief and betrayal in his work. Since his father was away on Forestry Service business so often, William found himself being raised by his mother's brother and sister, his Aunt Dorothy and Uncle Carl Tanberg.

As he was growing up, William ranged over the Sphinx jungles, worrying both his father and uncle with his daring. Fortunately for everyone involved, it soon proved to be that young William was a crack shot with any sort of handgun, and was able to shoot a light pulser at the youthful age of 8. At the junior Sphinx small weapons championships, he and another young Sphinxian, Taylor Washington tied for the All-Sphinx title. This was the start of a life-long rivalry between the two. Throughout their teen years, Taylor and William were number one and number two in every championship on the planet, first one and then the other. This rivalry came to a head at the All-Sphinx Open All-Ages match, where Martin edged out Taylor by one point. Taylor always believed that Martin had sneezed just as her final shot was squeezed off, causing her to lose the match. Ever since then, when their paths cross, the sparks (and sometimes bullets) fly. As a result of Williams ability in firearms, he was chosen as a companion for young Baron Smallback. The two boys became fast friends, and remain so to this day.

Soon after he won the All Sphinx trophy, William received word that his application to the Academy had been accepted. He took four t-weeks off to hike the Copperwall Preserve with his father, to try to make their seperate peace with the death of Susanne and as a send-off to the academy. To everyone's surprise (especially William's), a uninquely tan on tan treecat adopted the younger Taylor about a week into their hike. This broke the reserve between Father and Son, and William finally understood the blow his Mother's death had been to his father, and they somewhat repaired their relationship. With his new companion, and with a wider world than William had ever dreamed existed, he headed off to the Academy.

Military Record:

William graduated the Academy in the top ten percent of his class, but didn't attract any great notice and quietly slipped into the Manticoran navy as an Ensign. His firs assignment was as assistant gunnery officer on an aging heavy cruiser. His efficiency marks were amazing to his new Captain, Eleanor Price. She wondered how such a "gem" passed through the academy without being noticed by someone. During their 5 year deployment in Silesia, the heavy cruiser Intolerant jumped a privateer "flying" Silesian colors attacking an Andermani Yacht. Due primarily to William's brilliant gunnery, the privateer was disabled and captured. When a rescue party boarded the Yacht, they found only the Captain left alive on board, dying from what appeared to be pulser wounds. He gasped out something about bloody mutiny, and died. The entire control room had been destroyed by whatever firefight had occurred, and the only clue as to whom the Yacht belonged to was the symbol painted onto the side of the craft - identical to the signet ring that William had received soon after his birth. His father had sent William some mementoes that he had found in an old box in the attic, and the ring had been among them. William had thought it from his mother, and wore it constantly. When the Intolerant turned the yacht and privateer over to the Anderman authorities, this ring was noted by the official in charge, and ever since, the Andermani have been keeping a close, unofficial eye on William Taylor.

This action gained William noteriety, and a quick promotion to lieutenant. He served on a variety of vessels, again seeming to fade into mediocrity. But due to the nature of the pre-war navy, with no patronage, William found himself assinged to the engine room of the DN Spinx's Pride. Again, he amazed his commanding officer's with the depth of his knowledge and skills in what they assumed was unfamiliar territory. During routine war games with the Home Fleet, the Sphinx's Gift experienced a compensator malfunction that could have threatened the lives of everyone on board. Lt. Taylor identified and solved the problem during the emergency, and was able to make a temporary repair enough to shut the wedge down. For saving the lives of everyone on board the DN, he was again promoted to Lt. Commander, and assinged to Hephaestos.

William spent over 10 years at Hephestos, dealing with both engineering and gunnery problems, and growing into his abilities to command. He was the testing officer for many of the new weapons and techniques of the Weapons Design Board and "Horrible" Hemphill. He respects her innovation and willingness to experiment, but when he heard the results of the modification of Dame Harrington's cruiser, and the damage it caused the ship, he has since taken ANY idea of Sonja Hemphills with a large grain of salt, and ahealthy skepticism.

Promoted to full Commander after the first years of the war for his abilities to organize the rapid repair and replacement for war-torn ships, it was decided that this officer was exactly what was needed to support the Captain of the newest of Sonja Hemphill's "ideas", the Pegasus class Strike Cruiser HMS Centaur.

Captain's Notes

A TreeCat! how remarkable, the vids of Nimitz don't do the species justice. SKM NavInt reports abnormal interest in Cdr Taylor by several Silesian factions.

Name: Mathew Shepherd, MonT, MC, CGM, DSO

Rank: Major

Current Assignment: Squadron Intelligence Officer, Task Group 7222

Age: 36 T-years, 3rd Gen Prolonged

Planet of Origin: Gryphon, SKM

Physical Description: Height:6'0", Weight: 200lbs

Background:

Born on Gryphon to a yeoman family, he attended the finest university’s on Manticore and as rebellion to his father's control of his life chose to join the Marines and serve, he found a new family in the Marine Corps.

As a soldier's soldier, Matt has never called upon his troops to do anything he wouldn't do himself. The career military man has avoided marriage in favor of his love affair with duty, honor, country and action. As he tells his troops, "Soldiering is a selfish mistress." In this line of work, a man is better off not worrying about loved ones at home.

Interests include Ancient Swords, Martial Arts, Military History, Computer Programming, Languages and Computer Hardware Design.

Military Record:

2nd Lt. CO 4th Platoon, 2nd Regiment, 2nd Marine Division,

2nd Lt. Marine Intelligence Division HQ, Manticore System

Military Attache (1st Lt.) Solarian League Embassy

Millitary Attache (1st Lt.) People's Republic of Haven Embassy

1st Lt. Attached to Marine Force Recon Teams

Captain Attached to Specter Team (Team operating behind PRH lines.)

Major Attached to HMS Centaur as Squadron Intelligence Officer

Most of his file is classified because of his work in covert operations. But what is known is that he has receive the Monarch's Thanks two times and both of them for his work behind the lines at the beginning of the war with the Republic of Haven.

Captain's Notes:

GSN intel has worked with Shepherd before and had a dossier an inch thick on him. He has connections in the Black Market, Allied & Solarian League Intel. Agencies, and other Black Ops, Special Operations Team’s, and Mercenary groups. He's a master of several martial art's. Is know for his computer Hacking abilities and He has a Lethal rating in his record for both unarmed and armed combat.

Name: Iason M Iokopeles

Rank: Lieutenant Commander

Current Assignment: Chief Engineering Officer, HMS Centaur

Age: ? T-years, 3rd Gen Prolonged

Planet of Origin: Sphynx, SKM

Physical Description:

Background:

Iason is a member of the "Kirk of Sphinx", a Calvinist Church that has set itself almost apart from the rest of Sphinan society. They are strong, god-fearing folk who keep to strict rules and the Sabbath.

The one exception in this is for those in emergency services and the military. Necessity has made them a Church militant, like the covenanters of old, and dispensation is given with the understanding that acts of devotion are done in the off hours.

This has led to Iason being somewhat distant to those not of his faith whom he views as not being of the elect and thus being damned.

The Church of Sphinx has a policy on TreeCats. It is that they have no position, no Church member has yet been adopted.

Iason's family is mostly Scots, the Greek element is much diluted, but surfaces in family names and somefamily traditions. Iason's father was Fraser Dionysus Iokopeles and his mother was a second cousin. Arianna Ritchie.

Iason has always been interested in machines, and this led him to the academy where he got to play with the biggest machines of all, for the glory of God and the Queen.

Milliary Record: No data

Captain's Notes

Iokopeles is civil but distant...I must make greater efforts to understand him

Name: Adrew Young

Rank: Leiutenant Commander

Current Assignment:

Age: ? T-Years

Planet of Origin: Erewhon

Physical Description:

Background: Young is partly Erewhon and partly Havenite conquered Planet Pegasus .He has studied medical electronical engineering on Sol and applied for a PHD on Beowulf, this fell through but he ended up in an exchange with Manticore. Anticipating the flare-up with Haven, having a personal score with Haven and with the tacit blessing of the Erewhon establishment he enlisted.

His experience with signal processing and signal analysis stood him in good steed during the course and he ended up as 9th of the tactical enEW class (Best Erewhonese).

Military Record: With held at request of Erewhon Navy

Captain's Notes

Adrew Young is another highly competent enigma, I just hope the bad press the name "Young" has in Grayson and Manticoran circles doesn't give him problems.

Name: Morgan St. James

Rank: Squadron Leader (LAC)

Current Assignment: Flight Operations Officer, HMS Centaur

Age: ? T-Years

Planet of Origin: Sphynx, SKM

Physical Description: 6' 3" tall, brown hair in a long ponytail , hazel eyes, husky , but un-prepossessing

Background: No Data

Military record:

He joined the RMN to serve his nation and , ended up on a LAC for a number of years , then after serving on the Minotaur for it's first tour , was assigned out as a experienced LAC commander to the Centaur

Captain's Notes:

St Charles is a very quiet and slightly unassuming man , who when in the thick of action becomes a dynamo, planning and adjusting on the fly to any situation, But he cares about bringing his people back alive more than achieving a suicidal mission. A good quality in a LAC pilot.

Name: Dray Harrington

Rank: Lieutenant (jg)

Current Assignment: Tactical Officer, HMS Centaur

Age: ? T-years, 3rd Gen Prolonged

Planet of Origin: Sphynx, SKM

Physical Description: Red hair cut military short, average height, thin, stronger than he looks.

Background:

Dray Harrington and a Lt(jg) about average intellgence and from Sphinx of course. He knows a bit of coup but is no master nor expert at it. Honor could tear him apart. He could be dangerous to someone who does not know it. He spends too much time doing other things such as writing.

Military Record:

Captain's Notes

Lt Harrington...I don't envy the lad a name like that, it must be hard to be in a shadow that large.

Name: Francis Anthony Ney, DSO, CGM, MTx3, 2 wound stripes, 5 service stripes

Rank: Senior Chief Sick Berth Attendant

Current Assignment: Acting Ship's Doctor, HMS Centaur

Age: 47 T-years 3rd gen prolonged

Planet of Origin: Manticore,SKM

Appearance: Average height for a Manticoran, slightly overweight but otherwise in good shape. Hair and beard in compliance with regs. Generally unimpressed with rank per se, respect is earned by respect and competence.

Background: No Data

Military Record: Length of Service: 15 M-years, Multiple letters of commendation from CO's and CMO's. Previous Assignment: HMSS Vulcan.

Captain's Notes:

Ney seems to have almost as many gallantary awards as Steadholder Harrington herself. The citation for his DSO and second MT are classified "Burn Before Reading". In addition, his service record notes twice declined promotion to Master Chief SBA on the grounds that he would be removed from active medical service...I don't think I've ever come across "burn BEFORE reading" before, I really should ask him about that one.

Name: Takashi Barrington-Smythe, CGM & bar, HSM, WSx6, 3xCampaign ribbon

Rank: Major

Current Assignment: Marine Contingent Commander, HMS Centaur

Age: 37, 3rd Gen. Prolong

Planet of Origin: Beowulf, Solarian League

Physical Description: 5'11", 167 lbs. Black hair, blue eyes, classical Asian features. Considered handsome.

Background: Born on Beowulf, to parents both in the medical research profession. His parents both emigrated to the SKM when he was a child, having accepted positions with a large pharmaceutical company based in the Manticore system. His father, Hideo, died in an industrial accident when Takashi was three, and his mother, Yukiyo, re-married when he was seven. Her new husband, Alistaire Barrington-Smythe, was an administrator within the company, and an SKM citizen. After the marriage Yukiyo chose to become a naturalized citizen of the SKM, and when he reached his age of decision, Takashi did likewise.

Takashi scored unusually high on the tactical and leadership portions of the Royal Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery and accepted a scholarship to the Royal Marine Academy, as his family did not have the connections to secure a posting to the Royal Naval Academy. He graduated near, but not at the top of his class, and was commissioned into the 1st Marine Division upon graduation.

His advance through the ranks was steady, and owed more to his individual ability than any political connections or overwatch by a mentor. Because of the 1st Marine's position as the lead element of the RMMC, he was regularly placed in the position of having to lead troops in actions against pirates and other threats. Consistently demonstrating an excellent and innovative grasp of tactics, he did so with a consistently high success ratio, and an equally consistently low RMMC casualty ratio.

His career took a detour approximately five T-years ago, when his pattern of assignments changed from the usual one to two-year stints with the same unit. Increasingly, he began to draw shorter commands with very high-risk assignments, or demeaning work like prisoner escorts and garrison duties in the worst hellholes of the SKM. His assignment to HMS Centaur is a departure from that pattern - at least on the surface.

Military Record:

2nd Lieutenant, CO 2nd Platoon, Alpha Company, 3rd Regiment, 1st Marine Division [270 AL]

Wound Stripe awarded, [271 AL]

Wound Stripe awarded, [273 AL]

2nd Lieutenant, CO 1st Platoon, Marine Detachment HMS Redoubtable [273 AL]

SKM Conspicuous Gallantry Medal, [274 AL]

2nd Lieutenant, RMMC Command College, Saganami Island. [275 AL]

1st Lieutenant, XO Alpha Company, 3rd Regiment, 1st Marine Division [275 AL]

Wound Stripe awarded, [277 AL]

1st Lieutenant, RMMC Staff College, Saganami Island [278 AL]

Captain, CO Alpha Company, 3rd Regiment, 1st Marine Division [279 AL]

Commendation for Meritorious Service Under Fire, [279 AL]

Captain, CO Delta Company, 2nd Regiment, 3rd Marine Division [280 AL]

Wound Stripe awarded, [280 AL]

Wound Stripe awarded, [281 AL]

Captain, CO 1st Relief Detachment, Yemmen Civil Disorder [281 AL]

Humanitarian Service Medal [281 AL]

Captain, CO Bravo Company, 1st Regiment, 2nd Marine Division [282 AL]

Wound Stripe awarded, [282 AL]

Battle of Blackbird Station Campaign Ribbon [282 AL]

Captain, Acting CO Regimental Concert Band [282 AL]

Captain, CO Echo Company, 1st Regiment, 2nd Marine Division [282 AL]

SKM Conspicuous Gallantry Medal (bar) [283 AL]

Major, CO 2nd Combined Arms Company, Endicott Occupation Force [283 AL]

Endicott Occupation Ribbon [283 AL]

Endicott Occupation Ribbon, Bronze Cluster [284 AL]

Major, Detached Duty as Observer to Basilisk Customs Patrol [284 AL]

Major, CO Marine Detachment, HMS Centaur [284 AL]

Captain's Notes: I have yet to meet our Marine Major, for reasons that have not been explained He, and fully half my marine comtingent, have been diverted to Basilisk. From his record it would seem that some high ranking official has taken an unhealthy interest in Barrington-Smythe's Carreer, If I ever get proof..by the tester someone will pay.

Name: Jordan Edwards, MT, OG, Wound stripe

Rank: Platoon Sergeant

Current Position: Acting Commander 1st Marine Company and Acting Master at Arms, HMS Centaur

Age 24 T-Years (appears about 16) 3rd Gen Prolong

Height 160cm

Weight 110Kg

Birthplace Landing, Manticore

Service Record 4th Platoon, 1st Company HMS Fury (BB)

1st Platoon, HMS Whittel (DD)

Edwards is a weapons specialist. He has expert ratings on all marine small arms (pulsers, stunners and flechette guns) as well as basic training with Battle Armor and plasma weaponry.

In addition, Edwards has completed extensive training in unarmed combat and is considered a black belt in Coup de Vitesse

Edwards has had primary training in starship security and boarding actions. He is a competant squad leader, if somewhat unimaginative at times.

In addition to his primary training, Edwards has taken basic courses in first aid, demolitions and small vehicle operations. He also seems to have extensive knowledge of marine regulations, and makes a point to follow regulations to the letter at all times.

Background:

Edwards started his service with a complete lack of distinction. He arrived in boot camp completely unprepared and undisciplined and was on the verge of being dismissed before he was "adopted" by Major Kyle Rogers. Major Rogers has had a long tradition of "rehabilitating" hard cases, and saw a promising marine where other had simply seen "one more washout." Under the watchful eye of the most brutal drill officer in boot camp, Edwards shaped up into a model marine.

Military Record:

Edwards was first assigned to the marine complement onboard the HMS Fury. He distinguished himself only by his rigid adherance to "the book" and managed to annoy several senior officers by strictly following regulations. At the "recommendation" of his platoon leader, he was reassigned to the HMS Whittel.

3 years into his service onboard the Whittel, the ship was ambushed and badly damaged by pirates. The ship was boarded, and the crew taken captive. After managing to evade capture, Edwards led a small group of crewmembers in a brutal fight to retake the ship. They managed to free the officers, but Edwards was gravely wounded in the final firefight on the bridge. He lost both of his legs to pulser fire, and was immediatly sent home on medical leave.

For his actions on the Whittel, he was awarded the Order of Gallantry and the Monarch's Thanks.

After spending 6 T-months in rahabilitation, Edwards was assigned the mandatory medical leave. However, he had serious, if somewhat vague objections and requested to return to active duty immediatly. After correspondence with both his physician and counselor, it was decided that he was indeed fit for active duty again.

Officer's Notes:

Edwards is a good kid. It took him a while to settle in here and he was undiciplined as hell when he first got here. However, he's one of the best I've seen when it comes to small unit tactics. His squad consistently performed above expectations during our final excercises. He seems to have some difficulty grasping the larger tactical picture though, I'm not sure he'd make good officer material. Certainly not for anything bigger than a platoon.

- Major K. Rodgers, Marine Boot camp, Gryphon

Edwards? He's a sanctimonius pain in the Ass, that's what he is. Just like some punk Private to come in here like he knows everything and mess with a perfectly good system.

- Ptn. Sgt. M. Tyler, Platoon leader, 1st company, HMS Fury

[Addendum: Ptn. Sgt. Tyler was releived of command 4 T-months later for gross incompetance and negligence of duty]

Sgt. Edwards went well above and beyond the call of duty onboard the Whittle. Despite his junior rank, he managed to pull together a bunch of ratings in a rescue attempt

that saved not only our lives, but the Whittle herself. While I am sorry to see him leave, I am happy to endorse his promotion and reassignment.

- Captain (JG) R. Neston, HMS Whittel

Captain's Notes:

They think he can't cope with command, HE thinks so too, I won't except that. I believe this young man has what it takes and I intend to give him the oportunity to prove me right. Anyone who can lose both legs, get right back up and re-inlist in the marines has the true grit to go all the way.