Freelance
Traveller
Michael Lakish was born Eugène Vidocq into an average, lower-middle-class family, on an average planet. Unfortunately, he was also born with a face that would stop an X-boat. Combined with a serious lack of social skills, Eugène grew up with no friends at all. To compensate, he applied himself diligently to his studies and earned a scholarship to University. He graduated with Honors in the computer field.
Unfortunately, his success couldn't truly overcome his irascible manner and frightful appearance. As he approached graduation, a local criminal gang seduced him with a false sense of acceptance. He became the gang's hacker. Unfortunately, a job went south in a very aggressive fashion, and Eugène ended up shooting a policeman. Fortunately, Eugène was a poor shot, and simply nicked the officer. Sentenced to several years in prison, Eugène's future looked bleak, and it really didn't help his temperament any. In his first month in prison, he was knifed in a fight that nearly took his head (and left an ugly scar on his neck that almost distracts from his face). Eugène got religion and became a model prisoner.
Near the end of his first year in prison (the end of his first term after college), he was noticed by a visitor to the prison. Something about him struck the visitor as worthy of a fresh start, and - after an interview with Eugène - he began pulling strings to get him paroled. The visitor was one JJ Angleton, security officer for a megacorp without much name recognition outside of certain circles. After obtaining his parole, Angleton provided a new identity (legally) for Eugène: Michael Lakish. He also placed him in an entry-level cyber security position in the company.
Michael proved very competent and was steadily promoted through the ranks of corporate security, despite his interpersonal skills problems. Around his eleventh year of employment, Michael's patron's family was kidnapped. Michael took this very personally, and was intimately engaged in their recovery - to the extent that he was involved in a hand-to-hand fight with one of the kidnappers and nearly killed when an explosive device detonated (leaving his chest with a maze of scars). Shortly thereafter, Michael's patron retired. Michael eventually became head of security and retired after 16 years with the megacorp.
Michael keeps in touch with his old patron and keeps himself in shape. He is a large (6'1", 240lbs or 1.85m, 109kg), unattractive, middle-aged (42) man, though his social skills and manner of dress show significant improvement. It is very difficult for most people to get past his looks. Strangely, every time the opportunity has arisen for corrective surgery, he has declined (even when it was offered for free as a reward by the megacorp). He is difficult to get to know, but is a loyal friend for the very small handful of people he considers as such. He fights dirty and keeps himself in shape (only a loss of -1 Endurance on aging rolls, so far). He makes an excellent patron to send characters on an intelligence mission, as guys like this never really retire.
Though his previous conviction is not public knowledge, it is not really secret. His name change is legal and his background could be easily traced - it is therefore not a threat to him in any way.
Mega-Traveller Stats
- Ex-Rogue/Law Enforcement AA99B7 Age 42 Rank: Chief (of Security)
- (Starting stats: AAA9B3)
- CrImp 50,000, TAS membership (retirement gift from the megacorp)
- Appearance/Presence/Charisma of 6, up from 4
- Vehicle (Grav)-2, Brawling-2, Blade Combat (Dagger)-1, Gun Combat (Revolver)-0, Gun Combat (Pistol)-2, Streetwise-3, Stealth-1, Computer-3, Disguise-1, Forensic-3, Forgery-1, Gambling-1, Interrogation-1, Intrusion-2, Legal-1
Author's note: You may consider this character a munchkin. I like my characters tough - the universe is inevitably tougher. Feel free to pull down his skills a bit in Vehicle, Gun Combat (Pistol), and Computer. But, he should be one tough (but ugly) customer. Also, do a Google search for Eugène Vidocq to find out about a really interesting character in 18th-century France.