Iron Coalition storyline
Order. Strength. Unity - This is the creed of the Iron Coalition. Formed as a space-borne United Nations peacekeeping force, the Earth's destruction has transformed the Iron Coalition into one of the dominant powers in space. Led by Brigadier General Derek Fisk, the Iron Coalition struggles to restore and maintain order to the remaining members of the human race - by any means necessary.
IDEOLOGY STATEMENT
To restore and maintain order to the solar system until a properly constituted government can take control.
BACKGROUND
The earliest antecedent of the so-called “Iron Coalition” was formed in July 2071, when the United Nations passed an emergency resolution authorizing the creation of a multi-national peace-keeping force. The express mission of this force was to restore order on Luna - and challenge the power of the megacorporations that had begun to flaunt Earth laws. The Coalition participated in several battles and some rather drawn-out wars before Earth's destruction.
From the beginning, the Coalition was dominated by the United States Marine Corps which had a long history of actions in space. The Coalition's first leader, General David Eglin, was himself a US Marine and proved highly adept in the political battlefield. He succeeded in obtaining a great deal of funding from his UN overseers, funding he used to build and strengthen Coalition military technology. His actions in those early days laid the groundwork for today's Coalition - perhaps the most powerful military force ever fielded by an Earth government.
The most obvious example of Coalition might was the Siege of Leonov. After weeks of stalemated negotiations and continued violence between GigaCorp and the Crimson Group, Eglin ordered the Coalition to secure Leonov crater. This action surprised many people, some of whom viewed it as far too provocative. Whether they were correct or not in their assessment, the critics did not anticipate the reactions of the corporations. For the first time in over a generation, someone had successfully stood up to commercial concerns in space. The Iron Coalition had quickly established itself as a force to be reckoned with.
After the Siege of Leonov, the Coalition was synonymous with “order.” The late 21st century was a wild and dangerous time. The corporations, especially GigaCorp and the Crimson Group, ran rampant throughout the solar system. Their power was largely unchecked and without rival. Similarly, independent traders and prospectors set themselves up everywhere without any regard for central authority. The potential for disaster and conflict was vast.
Under General Eglin, the Coalition patrolled the solar system and adjudicated disputes, occasionally dispensing justice on the spot. They kept on eye on the corporations and did what they could to prevent violence. In many cases, their presence was enough to dissuade the fringe elements of the solar system from acting violently.
In light of the Coalition's success as a peace-keeping force, the UN ordered the Coalition to install a traffic control and communications network throughout the solar system. While ultimately unsuccessful in doing so, the fact that the UN turned to them and not another organization speaks greatly about their power and influence.
Naturally, the corporations resented the growing power of the Coalition and did whatever possible to curtail it; munitions shipments from Earth were routinely “salvaged” (intercepted and claimed by corporate assets as recovered wreckage), and replacement munitions, parts and other gear suddenly started exhibiting defects (reportedly through corporate sabotage). Using their influence in the media and in Earth governments, the corporations waged a public relations campaign against the Coalition, painting the military as “fascists without respect for liberty, free trade and an open, honest society.”
Surprisingly, the public didn't accept this characterization, despite the best efforts of the corporate media machine. After the guerilla broadcasts of 2037 (which exposed GeneFlex human experimentation), many believed that the Coalition was the only organization capable of policing the megacorps.
The first major defeat of Coalition forces was during Solikhov's uprising on Luna; Coalition General Eglin was killed in a cunning ambush, demoralizing the military and forcing them to withdraw. Several corporations quietly used their influence to advance candidates for supreme command of the Coalition, hoping to produce a “more malleable” Earth military. Their worst fears were realized, however, when Brigadier General Derek Fisk, the hero of Luna and Io, assumed supreme command of the Coalition.
Although unable to prevent the secession of Luna due to “UN interference,” Fisk proved to be the corporations' worst nightmare. Young and possessed of a keen - and independent - mind, megacorp execs could not intimidate or control the new Supreme Commander of the Coalition.
After assuming command of Coalition forces, Fisk faced a period of relative peace; the corporations; in light of Fisk's record, the corporations refrained from outright warfare. Instead, the Coalition engaged pirate forces and acted as an extra-terrestrial police agency.
The destruction of Earth dramatically altered the Coalition's role. In the wake of the disaster, Fisk reasoned that there was now a power vacuum in human space. Fisk quickly began to move against other unfriendly military powers, hoping to disarm or destroy any groups that could destabilize the already volatile balance of power.
He hoped to bring stability to reunify humanity in an orderly, efficient, military manner. Several military officers - and in fact, entire divisions - allied themselves with the Coalition, more out of distrust of civilian and corporate authority than any strong loyalty to Fisk.
During Fisk's mobilization and expansion of his forces, the term “Iron Coalition” was coined; an officer in the Chinese contingent that was absorbed into Fisk's forces first used the nickname in homage to Fisk's old unit, the Iron Ravens.
Fisk's efforts to date have been somewhat hamstrung by his support staff, many of whom were drawn from the ranks of other military forces. Some of his staff - while outwardly obeying his orders - secretly have their own agendas, and occasionally tensions within the Coalition mount and some internecine fighting ensues.
The Coalition has - because of Eglin's foresight and Fisk's leadership - grown from a fairly primitive (albeit large) military presence into a high-tech, well-equipped and efficient attack force. The bulk of Coalition forces are still US Marines, though Russia, China, France, Britain, Japan, Germany, Ireland, Australia, and Brazil all have sizable populations within the Coalition.
INTER-CIV RELATIONS
The Iron Coalition does not maintain amicable relations with any of the other civilizations in the solar system. Its most bitter and long-standing enemy is GigaCorp. General Fisk views GigaCorp as the only significant challenger to the Coalition's supremacy. At the same time, he views corporate forces as cowardly and dishonorable in the extreme. Experience has shown that GigaCorp is invariably hostile to the Coalition's goals and its forces are to be treated with extreme caution.
On the other hand, the Coalition views the Belters as nothing but a rag-tag band of pirates, renegades, and other undesirables who possess neither discipline nor good sense. Consequently, the Belters are not considered a serious threat to the goals of the Coalition. Existing rules of engagement counsel avoiding Belters unless they become an impediment to Coalition operations. General Fisk hopes that this policy will minimize unnecessary combats and one day lead the Belters to “see the error of their ways” and embrace the order that the Coalition represents.
There is little significant contact between the Coalition and the Bios. They are generally viewed with suspicion, as their corporate ancestry and racial supremacist views are anathema to the Iron Coalition. Until proven otherwise, Coalition commanders have orders to proceed with extreme caution when dealing with this civilization, though - where possible - they are also under orders to capture Bio technology.
NOTABLE PERSONALITIES
BRIGADER GENERAL DEREK FISK
History
The current leader of the Iron Coalition is Brigadier General Derek Fisk. Fisk rose rapidly through the ranks because of his uncanny skill and ruthlessness during the Io Conflict. Born in Lincoln, Nebraska on 19 August 2084, Derek Fisk came from a large family with a proud military tradition. His father, William, had seen combat as part of the military forces that broke the Siege of Leonov. Young Derek grew up hearing stories of his father's exploits and was clearly impressed by them. No one among his family or friends ever doubted that he would one day serve with the military just as his father did.
Fisk attended the US Naval Academy in Annapolis, where he excelled at mathematics, physics, and military history. He left the Academy with the rank of Second Lieutenant in the US Marine Corps. His instructors predicted that he would thrive within the Corps, but few had any inkling of just how far he would go. Indeed, most believed he had the makings of a formidable strategist and tactician - not a leader of men. Yet, that is precisely what he became, although that transformation would take several more years to occur.
The early career of Derek Fisk may surprise those who know the man only as the stern leader of today. Fisk fought hard to have himself placed in a combat unit. His superiors believed his skills would be wasted as “a mere grunt.” Of course, the young Fisk proved as persuasive as he was talented and he was assigned to the Rapid Deployment Force. After distinguishing himself in several small Earth-bound conflicts in Hong Kong, Pakistan and Switzerland, Fisk won over the skeptics. He was soon promoted and accepted into the USMC's fledgling space program.
The years between Fisk's acceptance into the space program and the Second Lunar War were punctuated by a series of small brushfire wars that broke out almost daily. As GigaCorp and Crimson Group warred for control of the resources of the solar system, they inadvertently fostered a number of terrorist groups opposed to their might. These groups fought the corporations tooth and nail, as they were unwilling to hand over everything to the rapacious greed of the corporations. When their actions threatened human lives - any lives, not just corporate ones - the Coalition was often called in to restore order. Although Fisk relished this role, he came to hate the corporations and all that they stood for. Without their unending quest for profit, he reasoned, the solar system might not be the dangerous place that it had become.
Despite his feelings, Fisk had an exemplary career. By the age of 31, he had achieved the rank of Lieutenant Colonel and was renowned for his ability “to get things done.” He was also noted for his willingness to listen to the suggestions, complaints, and concerns of his men - from the lowliest grunt to his closest aides. Possessed of an earthy, earnest personal demeanor, which makes him rather approachable (a valuable asset as a commanding officer).
Fisk's greatest moment of personal glory occurred when he led a small task force of armored Marines on a surface action during the Io Conflict. There could be no question that Fisk hated GigaCorp as much as he hated the Crimson Group - perhaps more. Even so, he reasonably surmised that, since Crimson Shield troops were the aggressors on Io, he should direct the attentions of his troops against them, not GigaCorp. Thus, he launched a devastating ambush on a Crimson Shield staging area.
During the engagement, Fisk personally killed three Crimson Shield zero-g combat troops in hand-to-hand combat. Next, Fisk and his men captured several Crimson Shield spacecraft, and flew them against remaining corporate air forces, again with almost total success. Resistance on Io was quickly obliterated. While GigaCorp was grateful for the defeat of their enemies, Fisk was unmoved. His natural suspicion of corporations ruled him and he ordered Coalition forces to seize control of their facilities on Io. During the occupation, Fisk wisely uploaded the contents of both sides' computers to the Coalition mainframe.
Another major turning point in Derek Fisk's life came in December of 2116, when the Coalition leader, General Eglin, was killed in a missile attack by Lunar secessionists. Because of his accomplishments on Io, Fisk was promoted to the rank of Brigadier General - a staggeringly rapid advancement in rank - and, almost overnight, appointed the commanding officer of the deadliest military in space.
The fact that Fisk accepted the position so readily has been viewed by some of his critics as proof of his vanity and self-importance. Others have even gone so far as to suggest that Fisk orchestrated Eglin's death in order to gain supreme command of the Iron Coalition. (No proof of such outlandish accusations has ever been discovered, however.) Whatever one thinks of Fisk and his methods, it is highly unlikely that he would be capable of an act of such personal dishonor. Moreover, Fisk's career was already of such a stellar quality that he'd have had little reason to arrange Eglin's death to advance his own position.
In the years since assuming supreme command of the Coalition, Fisk has worked hard to hone it into a devastating combat force. (Ironically, he has retained his rank of Brigadier General, the lowest command rank in the Marine Corps; he claims that, in the absence of a unified Earth government, any “self-promotion” to General would be self-congratulatory and meaningless.)
Because of his own impressive record and willingness to lead from the front, Fisk has had no trouble motivating his troops to give their all. In combat, Fisk is incredibly dangerous. He is fierce, unrelenting and demands the total obedience from his subordinates. (Since he has engendered such strong loyalty, this is rarely a problem.) He rewards bravery and excellence evenhandedly, and will not brook overt political infighting within the Iron Coalition bureaucracy.
Of late, he has begun to rely heavily on the advice of a number of close advisors, including his aide, Major Robert Terrence. While some might see this as a sign of weakness on his part, it is simply another facet of his consultative personality, his willingness to consider all options before making his final decision. This flexibility and open-mindedness serve him well as he leads the Iron Coalition in its mission to restore order after the destruction of Earth and the collapse of civilian government.
Physical Appearance
General Fisk is a tall, muscular black man in his 60s (nearing the age when he would have retired, in fact). No one would have any difficulty recognizing him for what he is. He looks every centimeter the career Marine who has seen his share of combat. Although his bearing speaks of a lifetime spent in a military environment, Fisk does not come across as being “ramrod straight” and stolid. He smiles often and can be heard joking with his general staff from time to time. His steel gray eyes are warm and twinkle mischievously. He is clearly the sort of man of who has given his life to the military, but who has nevertheless managed to retain his soul.
Fisk has close-cropped white hair, which is thinning somewhat with age. Those closest to him know that he worries about his hair loss - not because of vanity, but because he does not wish to appear “old” in the eyes of his troops. His clean-shaven face is marred by a series of thin scars that lace the left side of his face (the result of a near-decompression during the Io Conflict). Like many soldiers in the Coalition, he would never consider cosmetically hiding these scars. He wears them as a badge of honor and as a symbol of the fact that there are some things worth giving one's life for.
Fisk, despite his proud nature, rarely wears the rather impressive amount of citations, ribbons and medals he earned before Earth's destruction. He keeps his uniform clean and largely unadorned. His rank and unit insignia appear to be all he cares about. Like many officers of the Coalition, Fisk always wears his duty sidearm (a large-frame automatic pistol).
MAJOR ROBERT TERRENCE
History
Major Robert Terrence is General Fisk's chief aide. Where Fisk is a gung-ho field grunt at heart, Terrence's military career consisted of intelligence work. Terrence has an uncanny ability to analyze streams of raw data and cull important information from them. This powerful talent evidenced itself in Terrence as a child in Melbourne, Australia, where he amazed his teachers with his remarkable comprehension of material well beyond his years. He soon found himself bored in school and even the best efforts of his teachers failed to keep pace with his voracious appetite for knowledge.
Fortunately for young Robert, his father was a professor of education at the University of Melbourne. With the permission of his school, Robert was removed from school and taken with his father to the university. There he was tutored by friends of the elder Terrence, who soon found him to be the equal (or better) of students a decade his senior. Robert absorbed all manner of learning from the university professors who instructed him. He proved especially fond of history, political science, and linguistics. In fact, he quickly mastered Japanese and Russian in addition to the English and French he already knew. Robert had some difficulty with Chinese, a difficulty that persists to the present day. Nevertheless, he acquired a reputation as a wunderkind and attracted a lot of attention from Earth's media.
With the assistance of his father and the other professors of the university, Terrence completed his undergraduate work in 2130, at the age of 15. From there he traveled to Cambridge University in England to begin graduate studies in political science. Not surprisingly, he did exceptionally well at Cambridge, impressing both the dons and his fellow students. What is especially remarkable is that he did not stir up jealousy among his peers, as one might expect of one so gifted and physically attractive. Instead, Terrence's winning personality and easy manner won him many friends and admirers.
Chief among them was a woman five years his elder also studying political science at Cambridge. Named Francesca Ko, she was one of the few people whose affection for Terrence did not become fawning adulation. Instead, she treated the brilliant young man as a colleague and an equal, something Terrence rarely encountered. She even offered to help him to improve his horrible Chinese accent. To no one's surprise, Terrence fell in love with the formidable Francesca Ko and the two of them planned to spend their lives together.
Terrence acquired his Ph.D. in 2139 at the age of 24. With his reputation for scholarship and unique perspective on insoluble problems, numerous universities, corporations, and governments approached Terrence to work for them. GigaCorp made the young man an extremely lucrative offer, which he seriously considered. Likewise, General Fisk personally asked Terrence to consider accepting a commission in the Iron Coalition. Fisk persuasively argued that Terrence's many talents would be best used for the good of the whole of humanity. In the General's eyes, the Iron Coalition was the only organization in the solar system that placed the interests of the human race above its own. Although Fisk and his offer impressed Terrence, he declined it, preferring to accept an offer from the newly established University of Plato on Luna.
Early in 2140, Terrence traveled to Luna to prepare for his new position as Chair of Political Science and History at the university. He left Francesca behind on Earth while she tied up loose ends so that she could follow him to the Moon. Sadly, mere days after arriving on Luna, a misfired Mass Conveyor asteroid missed it's retrieval point over Luna and instead slammed into Earth; Francesca Ko died in the initial firestorms.
Terrence hoped in vain that Ko had survived that tragic day. After the death toll counts mounted, it soon became apparent that she had indeed perished, sending him into a deep despair. Nothing mattered to Terrence - least of all the academic world in which he had existed for so long. It rapidly became apparent that Terrence had broken; he was involved in a series of drunken brawls, and the University of Plato rescinded its offer of a professorship.
Terrence simply did not care anymore, about anything or anyone. Fortunately for him, General Fisk had long made it a point to keep an eye on Terrence, hoping one day to bring the young man - and his skills - into the fold. When word reached Fisk about the tragedy that had befallen Terrence, he again contacted the prodigy and asked him to reconsider his offer.
Terrence was reluctant. He was an academic, not a soldier. Fisk assured him that he had the makings of a fine member of the Coalition. With time and perseverance, he would serve not only the Coalition but all of humanity as well. “Make her death count,” Fisk told the younger man. “Don't waste her life as well as your own.”
Terrence agreed to join the Coalition and was immediately placed on Fisk's staff. Over time, he has proven that Fisk's assessment of him was correct. He has become an invaluable member of the Coalition, serving both as Fisk's aide and as one of the chief intelligence analysts of the organization.
Terrence has used his abilities to great effect during his tenure, enabling the Iron Coalition to amass a great deal of territory. Terrence is currently in the process of developing the Iron Coalition's intelligence apparatus, hoping to infiltrate the various factions with Iron Coalition agents. His lifelong interest in political science and history has taught him that the Coalition needs to have a stable, reliable source of intelligence if it is to overcome its many foes in the solar system and beyond. He works tirelessly toward this goal, never once forgetting just what is at stake - or the terrible events that led him to join the Iron Coalition in the first place.
Physical Appearance
Unlike his commanding officer, Major Robert Terrence is a young man, in his early thirties. He is also exceedingly handsome and noble in his bearing, in contrast to the rugged good looks of Fisk. Terrence possesses a strong nose and high cheekbones, features that make him stand out in a crowd. Indeed, many of his critics in the Coalition have suggested his good looks would have served him better as a holovid star rather than as a military attache. Major Terrence takes these petty jibes in good stride and devotes himself fully to his work.
Terrence has dark hair and striking blue eyes, which are often described as “mesmerizing” and “penetrating.” (“You get the sense he can see right through you,” one junior officer has remarked. “He's like a one-man sensor package.”) His attractive appearance is only marred by the habitually melancholy expression he wears, as if the weight of countless sorrows have been placed on his shoulders.
Terrence possesses a slim, compact build, and he is physically fit and capable of handling himself in a fight (his record includes several citations for marksmanship); unlike most troops in the Coalition, he does not place much stock in these abilities, however. He rarely spends any time exercising or engaging in any kind of physical activity other than the constant pacing that punctuates his moments of deep concentration.
Like General Fisk, Major Terrence wears very little ornamentation beyond his basic uniform and sidearm. Usually, he's armed with a powerful handheld computer as well, which appears to be wired into every possible information source. He can sometimes be found with a small briefcase in which he carries hardcopies of intelligence reports. Terrence takes his job very seriously and believes it essential that he have the most up-to-date information possible at all times.
LIEUTENANT COLONEL LEUNG SAN-CHIH
History
Leung San-Chih was born on 12 January 2084 in Hong Kong, China. Leung's family was poor and had few connections. Consequently, Leung was frequently hungry and sick as a child, a fact he has never forgotten even in his adulthood. Fortunately, the excellent Chinese education system offered him the chance to better himself. Leung threw himself into his studies and did well enough. Unfortunately, Leung's self-importance and haughty demeanor (perhaps a side effect of his family's poverty) earned him few friends. He was tormented by the other children and got into many fights. On at least one occasion, he was nearly expelled for fighting, but his teachers took pity on him and allowed him to remain in school.
Leung was particularly good at geometry and other forms of spatial mathematics. He seemed to possess an intuitive sense when it came to the relationship between physical objects. Indeed, he could almost “see” these relationships in his head in a way that gave him insights others lacked. For instance, by looking at a map, he could immediately recognize minute errors and mistakes. More importantly, looking at a properly drawn map was, for him, the same as looking at the site it represented. Leung had an almost photographic memory when it came to physical locales. This talent quickly brought him to the attention of the Chinese military.
At the turn of the 22nd Century, the militaries of the world - including the Chinese - engaged in a race with the corporations to establish stable space facilities in orbit around Earth. To successfully accomplish this goal required men and women capable of executing building instructions within the weightlessness of orbit. Although humans had been accustomed to zero-g environments for over a century, there were still a limited number of people whose spatial sense was good enough to perform complex maneuvers. Leung San-Chih was just such a person.
Leung was approached by the Chinese Army to oversee some of the work teams that were constructing their space station. In return, he was given a commission and all the privileges that went with it. For a man like Leung, who had lived his early days in crushing poverty, the offer proved far too easy to accept. He had long dreamed of finding some way out of his predicament and the Army offered him one. Leung accepted their offer with relish and proved to be even more adept at zero-g operations than anyone had anticipated.
However, the Chinese military had enemies among the corporations. One of them, KarrDex Designs (a Korean company), attempted to resolve its dispute with the Chinese by force. In 2108, they sent a small squad of commandos to sabotage the Chinese space station and kill everyone aboard. The KarrDex team caught the Chinese by surprise, blowing holes in the station's hull and decompressing several key modules.
Though frightened, Leung (an engineering specialist aboard the Chinese station) reacted quickly. He instructed several of the soldiers under his command to draw their weapons and follow his orders to the letter. Drifting through the wreckage of the station, he and his underlings stalked the KarrDex squad and picked them off one by one, forcing them to retreat.
Leung's actions saved the station, and brought him to the attention of his superiors. They soon realized that Leung's talents were ideally suited to the instruction of troops training for zero-g combat. His insights, they reasoned, would provide valuable information to Chinese military personnel throughout the solar system. Leung was promoted and began training Chinese Special Forces troops - assigned to “peace-keeping” duty with the Coalition - in zero-g operations.
Leung excelled in his new position and soon found himself propelled to heights within the Coalition. The highest levels of the organization sought his advice on tactical matters. In short order, he had become something of a “celebrity” and he found this newfound status to be to his liking.
When the Second Lunar War erupted in 2115, Leung was instrumental in advising Lieutenant Colonel Samuel Sherman on his portion of Coalition forces. Despite the losses it would engender, Leung advised Sherman to land Coalition forces on Luna. His gamble seemed to have paid off and Coalition troops were now in position to launch a strike against the secessionists. Sherman, however, was obsessed with defeating the Lunar rebels in a single massive assault. Leung cautioned him against this, arguing that such a foolhardy plan of attack would be unlikely to succeed. In fact, Leung argued that a massive attack might prove disastrous should the secessionists have prepared for their arrival.
Sherman would not listen to the master strategist. Instead, he launched a major offensive in May 2116 - with calamitous results. The Coalition forces were killed almost to a man and the few survivors were forced to retreat to the safety of an orbiting warship. Leung himself was badly wounded and nearly did not survive Luna. After months of slow, painful recovery, Leung managed to recuperate.
During his convalescence, Derek Fisk assumed command of the Iron Coalition and began an extensive reorganization of its forces. In examining precisely what went wrong on Luna, Fisk uncovered evidence that Sherman had failed to heed the advice of one of his advisors, Leung San-Chih. Fisk had long heard of Leung's almost-miraculous powers of foresight in tactical matters. and eventually offered him a position on his general staff. Although battered and bruised physically, Leung's mind (and ego) were as strong as ever. He accepted Fisk's offer without hesitation and has served him since that time.
Leung has since proven vital to the Coalition's successes in combat. His tactical sense remains as acute as ever. Indeed, age seems only to have improved his remarkable abilities. His wounds have weakened him physically, but Lieutenant Colonel Leung still leads his troops into battle. (As his strategies have become more sophisticated, it has become more difficult for them to be executed without his actual presence.)
He does not relish serving in front positions, but accepts it, as Fisk has enabled him to distance himself even further from his poverty-stricken childhood (and, indeed, Leung lives rather well for a military officer); in addition, Leung is strongly ego-centric, and is convinced that, without his direct supervision, the “frontline grunts” will botch a critical component of his plans.
Some of Leung's critics within the Coalition suspect his loyalty and wonder whether or not his greed and self-aggrandizement could not be exploited by GigaCorp or other enemy. While there is no evidence to suggest the truth of this charge, Fisk nevertheless keeps a close eye on his master tactician.
Physical Appearance Lieutenant Colonel Leung (who places his family name first in the traditional Chinese fashion) is an Asian man in his mid-50's. He has a full head of hair, worn in a non-regulation, rather long style. Unlike General Fisk, Leung is genuinely vain and believes that his physical appearance is improved by a less severe hair style. He can often be seen running his fingers through his hair and grooming himself.
Leung is, at first glance, an unlikely Coalition officer. He is short (168 cm tall), thin to the point of emaciation, and frail. His vision is poor (after a near flash-blinding during a raid on a pirate enclave), and he walks with a pronounced limp. These traits are offset by stubborn determination and an iron will; those who have followed Leung into battle have no doubts about his ability to get the job done.
His dark eyes are set widely on his round face and dart about constantly, rarely staying focused on a single object. This makes him appear nervous, even skittish, to those who meet him for the first time. Similarly, he rarely sits still for long. Leung commonly fidgets in his seat, gets up, walks across the room, walks back, and then sits back down. This behavior infuriates most people who attends staff meetings with him, but few comment upon it for fear of stirring his famously short temper.
Leung prefers to wear his most formal uniform when at all possible. He keeps it crisp and well pressed, covered in his numerous medals and citations. His fastidiousness toward his own appearance sometimes transfers over to those who serve under him. While in the throes of edginess, he may take notice of imperfections (dust, lint, etc.) on others' uniforms and seek to rectify the situation himself.
SERGEANT MAJOR OF THE MARINE CORPS, MARISA CARVALHO
History
Marisa Carvalho was born in Sao Paulo, Brazil on 22 October 2099. Her childhood was a pleasant one, as her family was well off and she wanted for little. She spent her teen years mesmerized by the news stories of the Second Luna War and the Io Conflict. Carvalho was so impressed by the stories she heard of the Coalition's brave feats that she resolved to join their ranks when she was old enough. Against the wishes of her parents, she passed up her acceptance at university, instead enlisting in the Brazilian military in 2117.
Carvalho spent her first year doing everything she could to develop the skills she'd need for offworld military service. She proved to be a remarkably quick study and excelled in weapons training and zero-g maneuvers. She is also proficient in many forms of martial combat (notably capoeira, savate, judo, and penjak silat), and was the Brazilian military unarmed combat champion within a year of her enlistment. Her superiors recognized her talents and transferred her to space duty and the combat post she'd dreamed of: Luna, and the Lunar insurrection.
By the time she reached the Coalition space station in orbit around Earth, Derek Fisk had signed the Luna Treaty and the fighting had stopped. Though happy to be in space, Carvalho was bitterly disappointed not to be fighting.
Certainly there was still work for the Coalition to do. In the aftermath of several years of war, order needed to be restored and the Coalition was the organization to do it. Yet, these endeavors failed to appeal to Carvalho, who had hoped for something much more “exciting.”
The talented young woman retreated inward, shutting out the world around her. Her friends noticed she had ceased to be the vibrant, go-getter that had enlisted in the military so willingly. Instead, she became sullen and introspective. Her attention to detail and her dedication began to falter. Carvalho even began to reconsider her decision to join the military in the first place.
Then, in 2120, Carvalho was forced to snap to her senses. Carvalho had been assigned to the Coalition craft Courser patrolling the Asteroid Belt. While near the asteroid Amor, the patrol craft detected an unauthorized vessel on its surface. The vessel failed to respond to repeated attempts to hail it. The commander of the Coalition ship ordered it down to Amor to investigate.
On the asteroid's surface, the Marines discovered that Amor was the location of a previously unknown pirate band, the Brethren of the Belt. In addition to the craft already detected, there were two more, each possessing more weaponry than the Courser.
Nevertheless, Carvalho's commanding officer saw this as a unique opportunity to capture three pirate vessels in one fell swoop. The Courser landed on the far side of Amor and deployed its soldiers (including Carvalho, who commanded the spearhead squad). The commander and a pilot remained aboard the ship and planned to provide air support for the troopers. The mission was simple: march across the surface of Amor and surprise the pirates before they had an opportunity to respond, one of many military plans that did not survive direct contact with an enemy.
The “pirates” turned out to be a GigaCorp scout element surveying the Belt for Crimson Shield forces. The corporate troops on Amor were well-armed, well-trained and well-equipped. Their scanners had already alerted them to the presence of the Coalition forces and when Carvalho and her companions moved into position for the attack, they were ambushed.
The combat was quick and deadly, and the Coalition troops took the worst of it. Most of them died from decompression or weapons fire in the first 30 second of the engagment, with the rest breaking off and moving under cover. Marisa Carvalho barely survived the first wave of the ambush, though her suit was holed and only the timely intervention of her surviving squadmate allowed her to survive.
As her teammate moved to scout out the enemy position, she attempted tried to contact the Courser, to no avail. She could only assume that it too had been destroyed. Worse, her teammate never returned.
The GigaCorp forces remained on Amor for only a couple more days before leaving the area. During that time, Carvalho did her best to avoid detection, salvaging air from her fallen comrades' tanks. After the enemy withdrew, she was marooned, and fully expecting to die on the unforgiving ball of rock.
Fortune favored her, however. When the Courser failed to report in, another vessel, the Palomino, was dispatched to the Belt to look for the missing craft. Carvalho was rescued and quickly sent back to a Coalition station. After a brief period of medical leave, she returned to duty with a renewed sense of purpose. She had seen the follies of entering a situation unprepared and vowed never to be caught by surprise again.
In the years since, Carvalho has dedicated herself to training the Coalition's recruits. She considers it her driving purpose to make certain that the young men and women who enlist know what they are getting into and what they are up against. Although she can be a stern taskmistress, she is also quick to praise those who show foresight and clear thinking. Like many Coalition soldiers, she has an intense dislike for GigaCorp (and, by extension, corporations in general), a dislike she inculcates in her underlings.
Since the destruction of Earth, Carvalho has spent more time in the field than she had previously. While her skills as an instructor are unmatched, she is also an extraordinary Marine as well, with several notable victories to her credit. Her superiors occasionally worry that her personal hatred of the corporations may cloud her judgment, though Carvalho does her best to ensure that she never act rashly or without deliberation. Consequently, her record since returning to combat duty is as exemplary as her time as an instructor. Because of her outstanding record, she has since attained the rank of Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps, the highest rank of enlisted personnel.
Physical Appearance
Marisa Carvalho is not outwardly the stereotypical Coalition soldier. Standing a mere 155 cm in height, it is easy to mistake her for a Coalition base administrator, or other support staffer. Despite her appearance, “The Sergeant Major,” (a not-quite-affectionate nickname awarded her by her troops) is every bit the battle-hardened veteran Marine.
Although diminutive in stature, Sergeant Carvalho is broad-shouldered and muscular, possessing superior agility, strength and endurance. The Sergeant Major has been known to offer to settle disputes with her underlings in hand-to-hand combat; not surprisingly, few take her up on such offers.
A native Brazilian, Carvalho is short and dark. Her penetrating eyes have a look of intense seriousness to them that is hard to mistake. Indeed, even her own superiors find themselves somewhat unsettled by the stern looks for which she is well known. Carvalho's skin is tanned and is beginning to show the wrinkles that come with middle age. She proudly wears several deep scars on her right arm (from the engagement on Aron). Sergeant Carvalho keeps her black hair short, in the utilitarian style favored by female Coalition commanders.
The Sergeant prefers to wear her combat fatigues when at all possible. It's not that she feels uncomfortable wearing a standard Coalition uniform; rather, she places great stock in her ability to don her combat armor on a moment's notice. Her obsession with preparedness is legendary and its effects filter down to those who serve under her command.
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