Freelance
Traveller9B9757 Imperial Navy Able Spacehand Wallace Dakota Cr10,000
Engineering - 3, Mechanical - 2, Vacc Suit - 1, Brawling - 1, Blade Combat - 1
Member, Travellers' Aid Society
Smart, but bored with schools available to a kid of his social status, Wallace dropped out early. After a string of dead end, menial jobs, he studied for and took the basic skills exams. He scored well enough to impress a local Imperial Navy recruiter. Because his scores showed a technical aptitude, he was assigned to the Engineering Branch. He took to it like a natural. Wallace doesn't understand the theory behind Fusion Reactors and Jump Drives, but he knows how to make them work. Not somebody you want teaching at the Sector Naval Academy, but you do want him on your team in Space Junkyard Wars. He's good with his hands, either fixing things or hitting people with his fists.
After basic and advanced training, he was shipped directly to the fleet. Two years working in the engineering section of an Imperial Navy Heavy Cruiser. He kept his nose clean and listened to the senior NCOs. This earned him a promotion and assignment to the crew of troubleshooters who did exterior maintenance while the ship was out on patrol.
All good things come to an end though. He was rotated dirtside. Twelve long months of doing dockyard maintenance. He didn't learn anything new on the job, but he learned some of the finer points of personal combat in bars throughout the Startown. The Shore Patrol got to know him fairly well also.
His CO found Wallace a good Spacer when kept busy. So he recommended him for an advance Engineering school. This kept him out of trouble and he scored well enough to rate a promotion to Able Spacehand.
It also got him a position on a Strike Cruiser. He was tagged by the Bosun for Prize Crew duty. Engineering ratings were not issued sidearms on these missions. So the Bosun had the ship's Marines make sure he could handle the combat knife they were allowed to carry when boarding prize ships. Wallace enjoyed this work, a fact that scared him a bit. It could get dangerous. You were at risk at any surprises that may have been left for you, and if you got caught in space combat, your ship was too undermanned to fight effectively.
He was relieved that his next two assignments were training schools. He enjoyed honing his mechanical & Engineering skills in a safer environment.
Wallace decided to leave the Navy after getting "Up or Out" pressure from his CO. Another promotion would have made him a NCO. Wallace isn't interested in being in charge of anyone. He just wants to work on "his" engines.
Wallace is a large human male. He's 6' 4" (193cm) and 260 pounds (118 Kg). His body fat runs about 2%. Maybe 3% if he has to spend too much time nursing the engines. Given a chance, he'll have a small gym set up in the corner of the engine room. It won't take up much room. An exercise mat, a heavy bag, a jump rope and a resistance based weight training system he built himself. He keeps his dark brown hair in tight crewcut. It's just easier to care for that way. His eyes are also brown, just a shade or two darker than his hair. His skin is naturally colored a rich dark tan, just this side of chocolate.
He is a serious health food nut. He's been known to fill his locker with vitamin supplements, various powders and dried fruit, which he blends with water he filters himself into frothy drinks. He has often been heard to say that Navy chow is slow road to suicide. His two vices are coffee and beer. He brews his own, in engineering when he can get a way with it. He goes out of his way to get good beans and material to make beer. He hates tobacco. Can't stand the smell.
Wallace does not like music or other distracting noises when working. He wants to hear the engine hum as a diagnostic aid. Off duty he reads technical manuals or murder mysteries. He will tell long stories of his Navy days. All take place in the Engine Room or in a Startown bar. The one exception is how got his membership to TAS. It's rumored helped out a Noble in a Startown bar. He doesn't like to talk about it.
His off duty dress tends to be informal. Typical example: bright red boxer shorts, a thick blue terrycloth robe (often left open) and white fuzzy bunny ear slippers.
He has a large leather tool belt. It's loaded with electrical scanners, diagnostic tools, mechanical tools and other devices. These include: a large (20 cm blade) utility knife; a titanium spork; a pepper mill; a collapsible metal coffee mug; a utility torch (often used to heat coffee), and a full set of tech manuals on data chips.
He doesn't like the nickname "Wally." It's either Wallace or "Hey You!" Calling him Wally too many times, especially after he's asked you nicely not to several times, will seriously tick him off.
Wallace only discriminates on one subject. He doesn't care if you are male, female, Human, Vargr, or whatever. You can be short, tall, fat, skinny, green, purple, whatever. As long as you can do your job. He handles the engine room. He trusts the other crewmembers to figure out where they are going and how to get them there.
Wallace does have a soft side, and isn't embarrassed to show at times. He'll be the one who takes care of the ship's cat. Feeding it, changing the litter box, taking it to the ship's doctor when it's appetite is off. Heck, he's probably the reason you have a ship's cat in the first place. Remember those stray kittens at that run down starport you stopped at 4 jumps ago?