Hi all,

 

Following a suggestion from @W.A.Rorie, I'm going to summarise the main characters in each of the two stories I have written. This came about because I've been posting passages out of chronological order and a mix of the two stories. I hope this helps clear things up. As my readers will know, I do enjoy my languages and will provide some context for their names. The meaning of the names isn't terribly important, but thought it might make a point of interest. I've lived in both Śląske (Silesia), Poland and on the island of Fyn, Denmark and, where possible, I've used local dialects from those places as opposed to the standard Polish or Danish. Polish is easy. Danish has a lot of glottal or rear throat sounds and I am really not sure how to describe them, so will do my best. Hopefully there's a Dane here who can help!

 

Anyhow, enough language waffle - I'll bore you to sleep if you let me carry on!

 

So, to begin, the first story:

 

Comes The Sandstorm

 

Characters:

 

The Narrator - Age approximately 25. Worked in the mines to provide for his wife and home. He spent every waking hour there and she found affection in the arms of another man. However, he was a brute, and the  new opening passage details our Narrator identifying his wife in the morgue after she was beaten to death.

 

He didn't return to the mines and was punished through conscription.

He is later noticed by Mona, who sees promise, and chosen to be the new squad sergeant of the 280th after the death of Sgt. Rakoczy. He is a reluctant leader, but grows into the role.

 

Laska Nowak - [lass-KA noh-VAK] - Age approximately 24. Her name meaning 'grace' or 'mercy,' she's the squad's lance corporal, so second officer under the Narrator. She is passionate, but disciplined. She put on the tough front, but, in moments of silence, she reveals her loneliness. She is fiercely loyal but I have tried not to step too much into the 'tough gal' trope. She is the special weapons member, wielding a grenade launcher.

 

She and the Narrator eventually get together, which firms up her loyalty even more. She's strong, mentally, and has a rather sardonic sense of humour.

 

Krystan Jensen - [kri-STAN yen-SEN] - The 280th's Chimera driver. He is, like myself, on the spectrum, but quite a bit further along. Like me, he loves logic and things being 'just so.' When he is seated inside the cockpit of a machine, nothing else matters; only he and the machine. Develops a relationship with the unsolvable puzzle that is 329.

 

Czajka Gorski - [chy-KA gor-SKI] - Age approximately 24. His first name meaning 'lapwing,' a type of bird. For those not familiar: https://www.rspb.org.uk/birds-and-wildlife/lapwing. His surname means, approximately, 'of the mountains.' Squad sniper. A man of few words. Not distant, but certainly observant. He does have some heart-to-hearts with the Narrator. He is a good advisor, doesn't give up much about himself, but, as he has been with the 280th since his late teens, he knows how the squad works.

 

Zofia Malmgren - [zo-FEE-ah mal-GREN] - Age approximately 38. Polish first name, Danish last, so a mixture of cultures. No nonsense medic. She is somewhat of a pacifist and does not like weapons, but understands the importance of the cause and is always on-hand to do her medical duties. She does carry a pistol, but we never see her use it. There is a frisson of sexual tension between she and Róża, but nothing explicit.

 

Róża Makówska - [roo-JA mah-KOOF-ska] (the 'J' is pronounced like the French 'je'] - Approximately 28 years old. First  name meaning 'Rose.' Sergeant of squad 265 and career military. Initially eyes the Narrator with caution, maybe even looking down on him, but grows to respect him. Holds her own during the assault on Complex 27, scruffing a young soldier and snapping him out of his fear. Unspoken attraction to Zofia. I leave the idea they are intimate to the imagination.

 

Marek Sobczak - [mah-REK sob-CHAK] - Approximately 35 years old. Lance corporal of 265. Not entirely won over by the Resistance. Betrays the Resistance to Lieutenant Kaśnyk, providing intel. Slain by the Fennec.

 

Lieutenant Kaśnyk - [LEF-tenant cash-NIK] - Approximately 40 years old. I've tried to write him like a film noir gumshoe detective. As exemplified by his interview of the functionary, he is normally given mundane investigations and, while he completes the job at-hand, he yearns for a challenge. When the Resistance start to act, strange movements, stealing old, mothballed war engines, he gets fired up.

 

He follows the rules to the letter. He is bureaucratic to a fault and sees everything in black and white, though he is aware of the value of a bribe. Possesses a monocle that projects information onto his left eye that provides information on whatever he looks at.

 

His henchman, Barcza, is his last resort and he is reluctant to use him, but he knows the value of the use of a little force.

 

Barcza - [bar-CHA] = Approximately 35 years old. Spec Ops commander (read: Kasrkin). Launches a stealth attack on Nowa Avestia (the Resistance's HQ) after Lieutenant Kaśnyk gave him his orders. Mission failed due to 329 and he itches to go back and fix the problem.

 

Barcza is the soldier the Narrator's wife, Ida, fell into the arms of. But, he is not only a highly professional solider - he is also a brute. The Narrator gets his justice, but have not revealed that, yet. ;)

 

His team, Raven, Lis, Gauge, and so on, infiltrate in a stealth modified Valkyrie named the Night Rovfugl [Night  roh-FOOL] - meaning 'Night Bird of Prey.' I'm working on a model for this at this time incorporating LED lighting, engine modifications and a few other things inspired by stealth aircraft such as the F-117 and F-22.

 

Mona - [MOH-NAH] - Effectively the GSC Magus. We never see her be violent nor use her psychic powers. She uses her powers of seduction, that soft scent of cinnamon and cloves, her guile, and, on occasion, womanly charms. She is extremely manipulative and has lived for an undetermined amount of time. She was there for the previous uprising, approximately 80 years ago, and has not changed since. One of three touched by the Genestealer's Kiss.

 

Jagiello - [yag-GEE-EH-woh] - Age unknown, though likely 40-50 years old. Effectively, the GSC Primus. Cunning, tactical commander. Supremely confident. He listens to Mona when it is convenient and matches up with his plans. His confidence as a military commander inspires others and it was he who organised the current Resistance....but this begs the question: is he pulling the strings or Mona? One of three touched by the Genestealer's Kiss.

 

The Fennec - [FEN-ECK] - Approximately 30 years old. Based on the Jackal Alphus, but she acts alone. She wields a rifle based on the Denel NTW-20 with the .50 cal barrel. She is not loyal to a particular leader, but 100% loyal to the cause. She is the final tool in Jagiello's armoury and she silences Marek Sobczak with a round through he and his vehicle.  One of three touched by the Genestealer's Kiss.

 

I am looking forward to making a conversion to represent her.

 

The Patriarch - The Patriarch only appears twice in the first story and only in the shadows. I wanted to keep him out of the way, as I am far more interested in the stories of the people than him. He may show up more in the future.

 

Vehicles:

 

Brutus - Based on the HH Malcador with the battle cannon. Brutus is the epitome of reliability, determination, and standing ground. If something needs doing, Brutus will be there by their side, a steadfast ally, her crew confident in her abilities.

 

The Iron Duke - The mighty Minotaur, its huge frontis shield makes it an impenetrable target, protecting those sheltering behind it, all the while its mighty twin Earthshakers launch shells, shattering enemy fortifications. While Brutus is the all-rounder, The Iron Duke is the shield.

 

329 - The unknown. This is where I break canon. It is autonomous in the sense it can function without a crew. No AI. just programming. The problem is, no-one quite knows what that programming is, so it is unpredictable. The closest person to finding out its secrets is Krystan. And even he is still scared of it. Detects the danger from Barcza's team when they try to lay demo charges on it and obliterates some of them, forcing a retreat.

 

The Night Rovfugl - [nite roh-FOOL] - Barcza and his team's unique, customised Valkyrie, built with additional modifications to simulate stealth features found in F-117, F-22, F-35, including exhaust baffles, matte black radar-absorbent paint, intake baffles, modified tail plane, etc. The model is still the flying brick of a Valkyrie we all know and love, but it was a fun challenge to try to do something about it.

 

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Thank you for coming to my TED talk. I will work on the characters from the second story next week.

 

In the meantime, have you any questions, please feel free to reply.