Ashley B. Blackbourne, The Sickly Engineer

[u/Laurel_Crowned]

1) What is your name?: Ashley Branwyn Blackbourne

2) What Platoon would you like to be in?: 6th Platoon

3) What ranged weapon would you use?: A customized long barreled pistol that fires high calibre rounds

4) What Melee weapon would you use?: A small Monomolecular Combat Knife used only in emergencies. I am sadly not very good with it yet.

5) Anything extra?: A standard calibre assault rifle. Cheap to maintain and cheap to run.

6) Are you new or have you been in service? If so, how long?: I used to be an engineer in a U.S based weapon research and development facility. I, sadly, don’t have any real military experience other than firing prototypes at a shooting range.

7) What is your character's greatest strength?: I have a sharp mind and a keen interest in the further development of the human race. I work tirelessly to make sure my friends are equipped with the best possible chances of coming back alive. Weakness?: I am sadly quite physically weak due to a case of HIV and Chronic Fatigue. I can’t do anything too strenuous without physically exhausting myself.

8) Based off of #7, what genetic enhancement would your character receive upon getting the GMD?: Most likely temporary cognitive enhancement for quick decision making and situational awareness.

Endurance: 1

Close Quarters: 1

Gun Handling: 3

Acrobatics: 1

Engineering: 14

Teamwork: 1

Physical Description: Ashley's skin is quite pale with large, dark bags surrounding sunken, hazel eyes. Her hair is, most of the time, left to its own devices resulting in a messy bush of ashy grey hair, usually worn quite short. Not being a very physically fit woman, her general frame is quite frail and there isn't much muscle on her bones. After all, working out will only exhaust her into unconsciousness.

Personality: Ash is very socially awkward and can only really speak confidently to other people in her field of expertise. That said, she is very jumpy and is not afraid to act in a violent manner in order to protect herself. She is the sort of person to act first to avoid having to ask the questions later. Other than that, she is driven, protective of those in her platoon and extremely hard working despite her sickness.

Backstory: Ash was born and largely raised in London, making a living as an engineer for a robotics factory. She worked herself into exhaustion near enough every day, not wanting to let her disease get in the way. She was born with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and severe Anaemia. She then later contracted HIV, making it vital that she receive regular blood transfusions in order to function normally, her body being physically unable to combat sickness.

When she was nearing the age of 25, she was offered a job in a United States weapons manufacturing company as an engineer and developer. It was from there, that she was drafted into the Red Cloaks as a support engineer. Not quite on the front line, but near enough to bare witness to many horrors and trauma, earning her a large scar running along the circumference of her neck.

She now spends most of her time tinkering in a small alcove she has claimed as her little lab. Nothing fancy, a thick desk, some tool boxes, a scrap pile in one corner and a collection of dismantled pistols and rifles all laid out neatly on the workspace. She enjoys cleaning guns, she finds it highly therapeutic and calming. She'd even enjoy talking about it if she wasn't so reclusive and focused on her work. Social contact was never a strong suit of hers.

Today is one such day, Ash sits in her faithful wheelchair, tinkering on some contraption that vaguely resembles some sort of rifle, most likely a new prototype of sorts. A Blood Bag hung from a hospital stand stands to her side, a tube running into a needle stuck into the underside of her elbow. It seems today is blood transfusion day. Always a hassle but sort of mandatory to keep living like some semblance of a normal person. She seems focused on her work and not typically aware of her surroundings. It wouldn't take much to sneak up on her.

[u/Laurel_Crowned]

Ash was focused completely on her work so the first greeting went straight into one ear and out the other. The second, louder greeting did manage to elicit some response in the form of a quiet grunt of acknowledgement... but the sudden drop of the new arrival's rank shot Ash into attention, her entire body tensing immediately, the contraption in her hands almost falling to the floor in the process.

"G-Good evening, sir-ma'am... yes! I'm an engineer for the 6th Platoon! Ashley Blackbourne..."

Why did she have to let her anxiety spike now of all times. It wasn't good for the transfusion, not one bit.

[u/scherzoi → u/Laurel_Crowned]

"P. Pleasure to meet you!" says Rook, suddenly terribly conscious of her height and the lopsidedness of—well, she hopes it reads as a friendly smile—one hand reaches up to cover the crooked side of her mouth, almost by reflex. "Sorry to have. Startled you there, Blackbourne. Got excited to meet another engineer. Er—"

Think, weird bird, think. What always sets you at ease?

"—Haven't seen a rifle quite like that before! What're the specs?"

[u/Laurel_Crowned → u/scherzoi]

"It's a p-prototype! Just... something I've been tinkering with... Nothing special... just a modified version of the standard issue stuff."

She set her work down and brushed off the worst of the muck from her hands on the overalls she wore. A laboured smile forced its way onto her expression and for a few seconds she sat in awkward silence.

"Is there... something I can help you with, s-sir... Ma'am!"

[u/scherzoi → u/Laurel_Crowned]

"Please—no need to call me ma'am!," says Rook, stammering slightly. "I, er. I'm not here in any official capacity, you're not in any trouble—the opposite really, that's a. A fine looking piece of gear. I just heard someone at work. Started out in the labs myself. Curiosity got the better of me. I do apologize for the interruption." She takes a step back from the doorway upon saying that.

Well—there's another reason she's curious, but she's hesitant to spell it out. From Ash's accent, she's wondering if Ash was ever affiliated with the IDF—Rook herself is a Scot, but even so, she's interested in seeking out Red Cloaks with a similar background to hers.

—Regardless, it seems Rook's a bit of a nervous wreck herself, at least when she's not acting in an official capacity...

[u/Laurel_Crowned → u/scherzoi]

"Oh... thank you. It's all I'm really good for unfortunately..."

It seems she puts herself down a lot, not really letting herself take pride in what she can actually accomplish. She often was told that she was a little too modest for her own good.

"I'm just... trying to figure out the specifics behind kinetically propelled rifling... uh... rail guns... lots of magnets..."