Category: Writing

26 February 2024

Finished editing Mnemosyne last night, and updated the file when I should’ve been looking for a job. (Internet went down in the middle of an assessment. Thanks heaps, Spectrum.) It’s coming along. We’ll see how much more editing will be needed down the road. This is the way.

Character Biography: Caralynn Adrasteia

Name:  Caralynn Adrasteia (Carly)
Race:  Enhanced Human / 311811225/JC7/04232172
Age:  20
Date of Birth:  2172.113 (04/23/2172)
Place of Birth:  Aiken-Bendicks Biochem, Albany, New York, NorAm, Earth
Citizenship:  NorAm, Earth
Legal Status:  Free Person with no criminal record
Relatives:  The other forty-nine members of Batch JC7, Martin Carleson (surrogate father)
Height:  6’ (182.88 cm)
Weight:  150 lbs (68.04 kg)
Eye Color:  Gray
Hair Color:  White
Religion:  Atheist
Intelligence:  Genius
Strength:  Enhanced Human
Speed:  Enhanced Human
Stamina:  Enhanced Human
Durability:  Enhanced Human
Agility:  Enhanced Human
Reflexes:  Enhanced Human
Profession/Rank (Current):   Government security agent, adventurer
Profession/Rank (Former):  Farm hand, surrogate mother
Current Alias:  Snowflake
Former Alias:  N/A
Personal Weaponry:  Waller-Jameson CZ75 Phased Plasma Pistol, various other plasma weapons as needed
Usual Base of Operations:  EarthGov Security, Division Five, a division of EarthGov, Oneonta, New York, NorAm, Earth
Friends/Allies/Confidants:  Nicola Baldwin, Denise Bell, Xavier Bernard, Leah Buchanan, Martin Carleson, Murphy Greenfield, Wesley Jensen, Harmony Moore, Melody Moore, Alexandra Sinclair, Bryan Styles, Marissa Tolliver,
Enemies:  Efhram Bartok, Purists
Skills:  Skilled hand-to-hand combatant, various martial arts, expert marksman, competent pilot
Special Abilities:  Like all Enhanced Humans, Caralynn has heightened senses; her eyesight, hearing and sense of smell are far more sensitive than those of a Normal Human.  She is also more agile, has greater dexterity and is many times stronger than the average Normal Human. She can bench press approximately 1100 lbs (499 kg), and curl approximately 500 lbs (226.8 kg).  She can run a mile in approximately 1 minute 11 seconds.
Source of Special Abilities:  Genetic engineering

Caralynn Adrasteia was born on April 23, 2172, along with the other forty-nine members of Batch JC7, in the Aiken-Bendicks Biochem facility in Albany, New York. The first two years of Carly’s life were fairly typical for Enhanced Humans. For two years, the batch was subjected to accelerated learning and acculturation. During that time, they were also greatly influenced by their chief geneticist, Doctor Martin Carleson. Carleson taught them to think of themselves as a family, with Carleson himself as their father. The batch continues to refer to Carleson as Father.

In 2174, as with all batches, JC7 was divided in half, with twenty-five being taken to be indentured, while the remainder of the batch was granted Free Person status. Carly was one of the twenty-five to be indentured. She was purchased by plantation owner Raymond Buchanan, and sent to his main facility in Nebraska.

Carly would spend six years on Buchanan’s plantation. During that time, she was also chosen by Buchanan to be his mistress. Carly would spend most of every night with Buchanan, dosed with soporifics, sedatives designed to keep Enhanced Humans docile, while also being handcuffed to the wall. She continued in this position until mid-2176, when she became the surrogate for Buchanan’s child. Carly gave birth to a son in early 2177, but had no contact with the child. Almost immediately, Carly was returned to farm work.

Over the years, Carly had several close friends, though none closer than a woman named Dinah Simmons. Despite the rough conditions the farm staff lived under, Dinah always seemed to be upbeat and happy, smiling through the hours of hard labor. Carly was devastated when Dinah was killed in an accident.

Unknown to Carly, Doctor Carleson and the free members of Batch JC7 had been working to secure the freedom of those that had been sold. Helping with this effort was Xavier Bernard, the director of EarthGov Security, Division Five. Coming from a wealthy family, Bernard was able to provide financial incentives to secure the freedom of many of the batch’s members. A few times, he bought out the indentures. By 2180, only Carly remained indentured. With his finances beginning to dwindle, Bernard could only afford to buy out the indentures of one more Enhanced Human. His choices were Carly, or a man named Efhram Bartok. Knowing Carly was the last of her batch to be indentured, Bernard bought out her indentures.

On her first night after being released, Carly was reunited with her batch brothers and sisters Brandon Zimmer, Loretta Taylor, Robert Campbell, and Anna Robinson in person, and by phone with sister Jenna-Lynn Sayles. When she finally settled down to sleep, she was apparently visited by an older version of herself, along with a woman who was identical to Dinah Simmons. There were two men she could not clearly see, though one did have an Australian accent. Over time, she came to think of this as being nothing but a dream.

After meeting Bernard, and touring the headquarters of EGS/D5 in Oneonta, New York, Carly decided to apply to the EGS academy. Upon graduation, Carly joined Division Five as a probationary agent. She was partnered with Special Agent Murphy Greenfield, and began to work on overcoming her insecurities and self-doubt.

In mid-2181, Carly accompanied Murphy, Bernard, and his executive assistant, Special Agent Marissa Tolliver, to a speech by Senator Thomas Browning, an outspoken proponent of freedom and equality for all Enhanced Humans, and ending the Enhanced Human Program. During the speech, Carly heard a potential assassin pull the pin on a grenade. She reached the man before he could throw the grenade. Carly held on to the bomb, keeping the arming lever in its standby position. On suggestion from Murphy, Bernard got them to the roof of a nearby office building. Once on the roof, Carly threw the grenade straight up. It detonated without causing injury or damage. From that point on, Browning kept an eye on the career of both Carly and Murphy.

Not long after this, Murphy and Carly started dating. Both would later say they had to swear an oath to not let their relationship interfere with the performance of their jobs. For the most part, they have managed to keep their off duty lives separate from their on duty lives. (Carly does say that Murphy does tend to be a bit obsessive, sometimes. Murphy’s response it that he’s only trying to remind her that, no matter how enhanced she may be, she’s only human.)

The relationship would cost Murphy at least one friend. Karl Archer, a friend since the Academy, said he couldn’t believe anyone would want to date an artificial. (Artificial being an derogatory term for Enhanced Humans.) This started an argument, which lead to punches being thrown. Murphy broke Archer’s nose, which lead to disciplinary action. It also cost him Archer’s friendship. Murphy considered it a fair trade. (Murphy has no tolerance for bigots.) In response to this, Carly made Murphy the first of her surrogate family.

Years passed. With each assignment, Carly and Murphy’s reputation as highly effective agents grew, until they were among the top agents in the division. As a team, they tend to share responsibilities, alternating taking lead. (With most two agent teams, the senior agent always takes lead. Murphy is the senior agent, having started two years before Carly.) For the most part, if a case involves Enhanced Humans, Carly will take lead.

As of 2192, Carly continues her work with EarthGov Security. Her surrogate family expanded to include Xavier Bernard, Marissa Tolliver, and fellow agents, Alexandra Sinclair, Harmony and Melody Moore, and Wesley Jensen. While she claims she’s just someone trying to do her job to the best of her abilities, Carly has been an inspiration to many. Most notably, Special Agent Denise Bell, the first Enhanced Human in Division Two of EarthGov Security.

This is general overview of the life of Caralynn Adrasteia, one of my favorite characters. I kept it to broad strokes, not going into detail about things that are covered in published works.

Carly appears in “Last Light” (from Campfire Stories), On A Cold Wind, and Wanderer. I am working on a sequel to On A Cold Wind, currently titled “Dissembler.” Also in the works is a story titled “Spiritus Mundi,” a story which starts off with the investigation of a double murder, then promptly goes pear-shaped. (So, which is stronger…magic or technology?)

Any feedback would be welcome.

This is the way.

MPD
20 February 2024

5 February 2024 / Multitasking

Multitasking this afternoon…
…reading Darkship Thieves by Sarah A. Hoyt (Book 1 of Darkship Thieves), alternating with Immortal by Lauretta Hignett (Imogen Gray #1)…
…making notes for a new story (“Comes A Light”, a self-discovery story, with some action, set in the wider galaxy of my fictional universe)…
…watching YouTube videos…
…enjoying a fresh cup of coffee…
…and looking for another job.