lifes_short_pop

Body and Appearance
1. Describe the character's height and build. Is he heavyset, thin, short, rangy?

He favors his father's build - athletic, broad in the shoulders. He hides it a bit by wearing loose, casual clothing. No such luck when he's in a Gridsuit.

2. How old is he?

As of the story the mun is writing, set in March 2010, 26 years.

3. Describe his posture. Does he carry himself well or does he slouch?

There's a slouch, part to look non-threatening, but mostly due to long hours hunched over a desk writing code or playing video games.

4. How is his health? Is he fit or out of shape? Any illnesses or conditions? Any physical disabilities?

He has horrible eyesight outside of cyberspace (astigmatism and nearsighted), and wears thick, horn-rim glasses. Other than that, however, he is actually in better shape than he thinks. Part of it was a childhood and youth keeping up with Sam. Now, his boss is to credit with most of it, taking Jet on as a sparring partner and workout buddy.

5. How does he move? Is he clumsy, graceful, tense, fluid?

Most of the time, he moves as though he's not in a hurry to get anywhere. He isn't clumsy, but he will get lost in his thoughts and bump into things (or people) if he's not paying enough attention to his surroundings. Once he gets into cyberspace, he is on high alert because the place is a nonstop threat. His movements become a lot more sudden, a lot faster, because of all the danger.

6. How attractive is this character physically? How does he perceive himself in the mirror?

Again, better than he thinks. He certainly gets appreciative looks, but doesn't notice them. It's been a while since he had a girlfriend, so his skills there are quite rusty.

"I'm okay, I guess. Nothing too out of the ordinary. Just your average software jock, really."

7. Describe his complexion. Dark, light, clear, scarred?

Pale. He takes after his mom there - easy to sunburn. He freckled as a kid, but not so much as an adult.

8. Describe his hair: color, texture, style.

Light brown, cut short and spiky so he can look presentable by running his fingers through it if he's really in a hurry. Motorcycle helmets tend to cause bad hair days if it gets any longer.

9. What color are his eyes?

Blue - favoring his mom's genetics

10. Does the character have any other noteworthy features?

Nothing coming to immediate mind.

11. What are his chief tension centers?

Shoulder blades (there's a spot under his right shoulder that is a near-permanent knot), hands, lower back (from all the sitting)

12. What is the character's wardrobe like? Casual, dressy, utilitarian? Bright colors, pastels, neutrals? Is it varied, or does he have six of the same suit?

Jeans, slacks, T-shirts, button-downs, maybe a vest if it gets colder. The colors tend to be a little drab - he doesn't dress very flatteringly.

13. Do his clothes fit well? Does he seem comfortable in them?

He's comfortable, but they probably are a size too big.

14. Does he dress the same on the job as he does in his free time? If not, what are the differences?

Pretty much. Good part about being a programmer - you can show up in jeans and a T-shirt. He'll throw a button-down or a vest over the top if he's going to work, most of the time.

15. You knew it was coming: Boxers, briefs or commando?

"I'm pleading the fifth!"
"Can't do that, Jet."
*Sigh* "Okay, fine. Briefs."

Speech
1. What does this character's voice sound like? High-pitched, deep, hoarse?

It's a higher pitch than his father's, but it has some of the same characteristics if someone's listening for it; a slight gravelly quality, similar pauses.

2. How does he normally speak? Loud, soft, fast, evenly? Does he talk easily, or does he hesitate?

He has a tendency to stammer or trail off if he's confused or upset. When he's angry or overcome with emotion, though, he can speak very rapidly, without a lot of pausing for breath. It always seems to shock him a bit when it gets to that point.

3. Does the character have a distinct accent or dialect? Any individual quirks of pronunciation? Any, like, you know, verbal tics?

Again, a bit of his father's Midwestern dialect, even though he's an LA boy, a tendency to stumble or rave if there's strong emotion.

4. What language/s does he speak, and with how much fluency?

“English, definitely. And enough Spanish to get by in LA.”

5. Does he switch languages or dialects in certain situations?

“Um...only if I'm dealing with the taco truck that parks across the street on Wednesdays and Fridays. My Spanish is bad, but the orders get done correctly that way.”

6. Is he a good impromptu speaker, or does he have to think about his words?

“Don't ask me to do public speaking. Please don't. I'll take on a couple Z-Lots over having to make a speech.”

7. Is he eloquent or inarticulate? Under what circumstances might this change?

“I think I can get the point across if I have to.”

Mental and Emotional
1. How intelligent is this character? Is he book-smart or street-smart?

More book smart than street smart. And has a gift with computers that impresses seasoned code jocks.

2. Does he think on his feet, or does he need time to deliberate?

In a crisis (like the story's events), he's pretty good with “roll with it now, questions later, panic last.” He's not big on thinking things through, preferring to go with his gut. This gets him in deep trouble, as emotions like frustration or joy can get the better of him.

3. Describe the character's thought process. Is he more logical, or more intuitive? Idealistic or practical?

Oh, he's one of the few idealists in this scenario, very much his mother's boy in terms of that. But he isn't guided by a lot of logic outside of a programming scenario. He acts on impulse and emotion much of the time, which is part of the reason he and his father clash so badly.

4. What kind of education has the character had?

“I went to UCLA, but got suspended for a year after that stunt with the server – still don't know what I was thinking with that one. I had to bite the bullet and start over at community college, then switch back. In the end, it probably was good for me – the setback probably made me work harder and get my act together.”

5. What are his areas of expertise? What, if anything, is he interested in learning more about?

Oh, his “areas” are definitely computers. He's got a natural intuition with them that scares even seasoned coders. He's particularly good at finding patterns in an AI and exploiting them, as well as debugging code. This manifests in cyberspace as a healing factor that allows him to shrug off viral damage (like the Z-Lots) and to heal damaged Programs – healing, however, is very dangerous for him to do as it means taking the damage himself and hoping his healing factor can deal with it. It's a very real risk that he'll die if he heals a Program that's heavily damaged.

6. Is he an introvert or an extrovert?

Introvert. INFP on the Myers-Brigg. Don't ask him to manage a team, perform public speaking, or be guest of honor anywhere. He wants to work behind the scenes, to the point where he's credited as “Eugene Baines” on his games because he doesn't want people assuming he's coasting by on the family name, but mostly not to draw too much attention to himself.

7. Describe the character's temperament. Is he even-tempered or does he have mood swings? Cheerful or melancholy? Laid-back or driven?

Laid back, but prone to mood swings and impulsive actions. He tends to push down little slights, small angers and frustrations, and bottle them up until it gets too much and he lashes out, usually in the form of doing something foolish like racing his motorcycle, breaking into somewhere he's not supposed to be to explore and get away from everyone, or trying to hack a computer. He's not going to steal anything, or do any permanent damage. It's the exploration and the thrill of seeing the forbidden that holds the appeal.

8. How does he respond to new people or situations? Is he suspicious, relaxed, timid, enthusiastic?

He's a very laid-back, “roll with it” type. He likes to understand the “why” and the “how” of a new place or situation. When it comes to cyberspace, he spends half his time trying to survive it and the other half trying to learn about how its society and world even work.

9. Is he more likely to act, or to react?

React. He doesn't go out looking for trouble – not anymore. Trouble will find him eventually.

10. Which is his default: fight or flight?

While he's rot above charging into a fight impulsively, his default mode is “flight,” especially if her percieves the situation is beyond his capacity to change. His refusal of his father's arrangements is a form of “flight,” as he is actively deciding not to get entangled in Encom politics or the Flynn Lives intrigues. It's too painful and frustrating to keep being in the middle of it. He's the guy who is in the best position to see the wide swath of destruction Flynn's vanishing act did to his family, Sam, and Encom. He's just in the worst position to do anything about it, so he physically (by traveling and contracting) and mentally (by staying out of Encom politics and Flynn Lives) “checked out.”

11. Describe the character's sense of humor. Does he appreciate jokes? Puns? Gallows humor? Bathroom humor? Pranks?

All of the above. He's been Sam's wingman on the pranks, and like most geeks. puns and gallows humor are definitely appreciated. Bathroom humor is not normally his thing until he's on his third gin and tonic.

12. Does the character have any diagnosable mental disorders? If yes, how does he deal with them?

No. Maybe a little depressed under the laid-back persona, but his family is a mess, so it's justified. He'll have a bit of PTSD and guilt after this adventure, however.

13. What moments in this character's life have defined him as a person?

“I guess the first was Mom leaving for DC. She's always been a coast away, and I spent more time missing her than being with her. Even when she was here, I'd have to keep reminding myself that she had to go back. I don't even know how she and Pop make it work.”

“My godfather vanishing is another big one. It changed so much, and none of it was for the better. We were left with no answers, no closure, no leads, nothing. He was my hero, and for him to just abandon us all like that...I forced myself not to think about him for years, but it's all come back on me. First, it was having to bite the bullet and work for Encom. Second was getting bumped up to Lead Programmer on Space Paranoids Online when the hand-picked, so-called 'genius' Dillinger Junior picked up flaked out on us mid-project. I mean, that was my godfather's second-best game. And then, there's this trip to the other side of the screen and finding out what he may have been up to before he vanished.”

“The other stuff? Mom's accident, which just made things worse between my dad and me. It's so frustrating that there's nothing we can do for her. There were the times I got arrested; once for street racing – okay, that was worth sitting in a holding cell with Sam. I even won that race. Second time...I should have been busted for a lot more than just trespassing, seeing as I was high on E and pot by the time the cops came by. That rave at the old factory was a lot of fun until I got caught. In the end, they let me off with a fine because it was too much of a pain the the ass to hold everyone who was at that rave.”

“The last time I got arrested was when I hacked the school's server. I broke into the server room with a stolen keycard and the rest was pathetically easy – their so-called IT guy had his password on a post-it stuck to the monitor! Well, I...was stupid and defaced the school's main website with joke pictures and garbage links. At the time, I thought it was just fun. I almost got out of the building without getting caught, but campus security found me. I panicked and ran for my bike, trying to get away, only to miss a turn, crash into a guard rail, and wipe out. The bike was nearly totaled, my leg was broken in two placed, I'd broken a rib and cracked a couple more, dislocated my shoulder. The helmet was the only reason I escaped a major head injury. Dad convinced them to drop the charges for the criminal hacking, but my license was suspended and I had to pay a big fine. I was also suspended for a year and had to start over at a community college. ”

“Nothing like looking at something that almost kills you to deliver a wake-up call. I started applying myself and while I wasn't top of my classes like my parents were, I still did well enough to get jobs lined up, squared away my legal issues, and earn enough money repairing computers around campus to rebuild my bike. I've cleaned up my act and stayed out of trouble for years now. Pop doesn't want to see that, but I didn't do it for him anyway. ”

What does he fear?

He fears that his parents' loving marriage might be a lie. He fears losing Sam before they can make amends. He's afraid of losing his parents, even though things haven't been smooth. And now that he's seen the digital world, he fears that he's not capable of living up to the faith the Programs have in Users or that his own Programs might hate him for being an inadequate or abusive User. He fears being completely lost and alone or having someone depend on him, because he's not sure he can follow through.

15. What are his hopes or aspirations?

“Before all this, I never had any aspirations higher than what I became; I built games people wanted to play. I drew concept art, wrote code, tested the result for bugs. I had a great boss, roof over my head, bills paid. I never thought of having more to my life.”

“But now that I've seen it? The inside of the computer? There's so much I have to question. What was I doing? Every time I coded up a sprite, or compiled a program, every time I took a controller in hand at the arcade, I was touching something much bigger and didn't know it. Reformatting a hard drive is like nuking a city. Destroying a program is taking a life. Dropping a laptop is like an earthquake or a tsunami. We gave them life, and we didn't even know what we were doing! Unfortunately, F-Con found out about this world and they won't be the last ones who want to use it for selfish reasons, to get rich and powerful at the expense of others, and they'll hide it with the usual 'they're less than human' excuse. Thorne was one corrupted User, and look at the horrible damage he did. There must have been thousands or even millions of Programs dead. And the Wraiths represented and even more terrifying prospect – the same old story of a technologically superior power finding a new frontier, enslaving or killing the natives, and stripping it bare of resources to gain the upper hand over their peers. No, damn it. Just no. Someone has to step up. Someone has to fight for the Programs. If I can't get out of being a User, then I need to be a good one, the kind these Programs deserve to have. We made this world – we have a responsibility to not abuse or abandon it.”

16. What is something he doesn't want anyone to find out about him?

One, that he does not forgive his godfather, especially after seeing cyberspace for himself. He knows his parents, Roy, and Sam will - he's definitely not inclined. With what little information he has and with what he saw in cyberspace, Jet's concluded that Flynn's experiments were immoral and insane. (This is likely going to cause a big argument with Quorra later.)

Second, he doesn't want to admit openly that he experimented with drugs in high school and freshman year of college – mostly alcohol, pot, Ecstasy, and hallucinogens. It was more a way to try and “hack” his perceptions or escape from the messy situation at home.

Relationships
1. Describe this character's relationship with his parents.

“Mom's great, but she's away a lot. And her being sick doesn't help. I know she's probably dying, but I don't want to think about that. There's nothing I can do about it anyway. I miss her and wish she would come back so that Pop and I can spend more time with her.”

“Pop...It's never been easy between us. He's absorbed in his work – both the Encom stuff and the 'Flynn Lives' stuff he thinks I don't know about. He works too much, drinks too much, and tries to keep everything hidden out of some ass-backwards desire to 'protect' us. I'm also frustrated with the way he's trying to run my life, especially his trying to arrange my career. I'm happy in the game department, and I refuse to get tied up with the upper management. Can't Pop see the way they treat him? I want no part in that. He's my father, and I love him, but I don't understand him at all.”

2. Does the character have any siblings? What is/was their relationship like?

“No siblings...not 'real world' siblings. Mom was on the East Coast so much, but I know she and Pop were giving it a try. Once the accident happened, there...there was no way she would be able to. I never talk about this to them, but I always did wonder what it would be like to have a brother or sister. Closest I have to one is Sam, really.”

“But...y'know, before this whole trip to the computer world, I completely put it out of my mind. Seeing it brought all sorts of things back. When I was little, Uncle Kevin said I did have a brother and a sister - Programs in the computer system that Mom and Pop created. Back then, I just figured that he wanted to cheer me up or was just telling stories again. Now...most of his stories turned out to be true. I wonder if this one was, too.”

Are there other blood relatives to whom he is close? Are there ones he can't stand?

“Not really. My only grandparent – Mom's mom – is an a nursing home and doesn't recognize us anymore. Pop was an only child, and Mom's got brothers, but one's halfway around the world, and the other is in New York. Never saw much of them.”

4. Are there other, unrelated people whom he considers part of his family? What are his relationships with them?

“My godfather. Yeah, you probably heard of him – flamboyant CEO, pioneering game designer, biggest unsolved mystery of the 1980's. To me...he was just 'Uncle Kevin,' an oversized kid that could beat Sam and me at video games, taught me the basics of how programming worked...and a few tricks you shouldn't really be doing with them. He had all these stories about a big, beautiful world just beyond the screen. Part of me always wanted them to be real and part of me wanted to grow up to be just like him.

Well, I did go into game design, so part of that came true. I also got to see the world he was talking about and realized it wasn't just a story. He left a lot of parts out – like how fucking dangerous it is. And if the Programs are sentient life...well, I wonder if the things he was up to were anything resembling sane. They certainly don't seem to be ethical. I'm also pretty angry that he apparently didn't tell anyone. That was my mom's laser design. Pop and Roy have blown their fortunes, risked jail time, gambled with their careers...and Uncle Kevin didn't seem to care enough about that to tell them what he was doing. I'm seeing now that he was a deeply flawed man, and used the people around him without returning the love and trust they placed in him. If turns out alive, he's going to have a lot to answer for.”

5. Who is/was the character's best friend? How did they meet?

“I've known Sam since we were in diapers. His father was my godfather, and Pop is his. He's a bit of a wild man, and we could get into all kinds of trouble trying to push each other into passing our limits. He's got a lot of anger; his mom died when he wasn't quite two. And his dad...well, see above. When we were kids, we were inseparable, always a team. Things changed when we grew up, and not for the better.”

“I'm not sure if there was just one incident or a lot of little ones that split us up. After my accident, I went back to college, applied myself, and got my degree. Sam dropped out of college and hasn't gone back. I didn't want to work for Encom, and don't really like the fact Pop pulled strings somewhere to get me in the door, but I do my job and really like being there.”

“It all came to a head after Sam's last annual prank. I helped out with those. Before, it seemed so right, a little sticking it to the board and the people who have taken the things Old Man Gibbs and Uncle Kevin stood for and trashed it. Once I started working there, though, I saw the pranks weren't doing any good. It didn't help the people who needed it and didn't hurt the people who were making the bad decisions. After the last one, we got into an argument. I called him a few names, he called me a few names. We'd both been drinking. I haven't seen him since.”

6. Does he have other close friends?

“Well, there's Patrick. He's my boss, and he keeps me in line, but a great guy. He's a lot of the reason I don't want to get promoted out of games. He used to be in the military and a stuntman before he hurt his back. We've been working together for almost a year now, and he promoted me to Lead Programmer when he saw what I could do. We hit the gym after our shifts. He pushes hard, but he's fair.”

7. Does he make friends easily, or does he have trouble getting along with people?

“I mostly keep to myself. Long hours, and I'm not very good with small talk..”

8. Which does he consider more important: family or friends?

“Family shapes who you were. Friends shape who you become.”

9. Is the character single, married, divorced, widowed? Has he been married more than once?

“Oh, single. Definitely single. My last serious girlfriend? Well, Maribeth and I met in college, and we had a great time. We thought there might be a future, but she got an acting job in New York, and I wasn't going to ask her to give that up for me, especially since neither of us wanted to get married. We tried the long-distance thing, but while it works for my parents...it didn't work for us. I spent most of the time after college traveling, taking contracts for a few months at most, never in one place for long. So, I dated some, but I never got serious with anyone.“

10. Is he currently in a romantic relationship with someone other than a spouse?

“Um...I'm not sure if what's going on with Mercury could be called a 'relationship.' It's certainly intense, though.”

11. Who was his first crush? Who is his latest?

“First crush? Oh, probably Angelica Montez back in middle school. Long, dark hair, forward on the girl's soccer team. Confident, tough, could certainly handle her own. Um...when I asked her out to the school dance, it turned out she had a girlfriend. Sometimes, my luck isn't that great.”

12. What does he look for in a romantic partner?

“Chalk it up to being in soccer as a kid, my mom being the only female physicist in her graduating class, or too many hours of Tomb Raider – I like girls who are willing to take charge, and can take care of themselves. Nothing's a bigger turn-off than some girl who is constantly talking about her flaws, or doesn't have any dreams or life of her own. I mean, what can you talk about? And if she's a gamer girl...Oh, yeah. I'm there.”

13. Does the character have children? Grandchildren? If yes, how does he relate to them? If no, does he want any?

“No, and I never thought much about it. It depends on the mother, wouldn't you think? I don't know if I would be good at being a father, though. There's a lot that could go wrong, and I don't want to repeat with my own kids the kind of tension I've got with Pop.”

14. Does he have any rivals or enemies?

“I definitely pissed off those F-Con guys, and I somehow doubt all of them were defeated or arrested. Anyone who still followed Thorne or that security Kernel will probably want my head, too.”

15. What is the character's sexual orientation? Where does he fall on the Kinsey scale?

“Into girls. Definitely into girls. Never found a guy who could make me reconsider that.”

16. How does he feel about sex? How important is it to him?

“It's fun. Best if you really know and care for the other person. I suppose I could go after hook-ups, but the morning after gets awkward if there's no plans to continue seeing each other, or sex is all it is.”

17. What are his turn-ons? Turn-offs? Weird bedroom habits?

“That's not something for you, mun. You've already seen enough with Mercury and me.”

Beliefs
1. Do you know your character's astrological (zodiac of choice) sign? How well does he fit type?

Sagittarius Dog (Dec 21, 1982). He's certainly got the wanderlust and the adventurous streak, as well as the relative inability to keep his mouth shut if something moves him to speak.

2. Is this character religious, spiritual, both, or neither? How important are these elements in his life?

“Neither, tell you the truth. If God does exist, then he either walked away or stopped caring about us a long time ago. I think the closest you could call me is 'deist' or 'agnostic.'”

3. Does this character have a personal code of morals or ethics? If so, how did that begin? What would it take to compromise it?

“Not so much a code of ethics or anything hard and fast. As I told Mercury, I'm not very good with the big picture, and can only judge right and wrong on a moment to moment basis.

4. How does he regard beliefs that differ from his? Is he tolerant, intolerant, curious, indifferent?

“If it's not harming anyone, or being obnoxious to others, I don't see the problem. Just because I'm not sure God exists or cares doesn't mean that's the way everyone should feel.”

5. What prejudices does he hold? Are they irrational or does he have a good reason for them?

He really dislikes the Encom board, even though he hasn't met them personally. He's heard enough of his dad's war stories and seen how drained his father is after dealing with them. He doesn't like how they outsource or being in H1-B visa contractors when there are plenty of unemployed computer techs looking for work, because he knows that the board can get away with paying to contractors at a lower wage and can threaten them with loss of their visa if they complain about working conditions. It's not fair, and Jet's got issues about being “fair.” (He got that from his old man.)

Daily Life
1. What is the character's financial situation? Is he rich, poor, comfortable, in debt?

Programmers have a comfortable, but not wealthy, lifestyle. He leases a small apartment on the south edge of the Silver Lake neighborhood in LA, three floors up. The building has a garage space for his prized BMW motorcycle, which he painstakingly rebuilt after the crash.

2. What is his social status? Has this changed over time, and if so, how has the change affected him?

Yes, his father is a former CEO and major stockholder, and very wealthy, but Jet isn't going to ask for help on any of that. A man's got his pride, and that's his parents' money, not his. He's going to make his own way in the world, which is why he avoided taking any job with Encom until the recession and economic necessity forced the issue.

When he was out of college and contracting, he was barely scraping by. He lived out of hostels and hotels, but made enough to cover his meals and lodging, and he didn't have much in the way of needs. A sketchpad, set of pencils, change of clothing, toiletries, cell phone, and a laptop were all he really needed. Anything else was window dressing. He liked those days because he had a lot of pride in being able to handle himself in foreign countries, or be able to throw everything into a backpack and start over somewhere else if he had to.

3. Where does he live? House, apartment, trailer? Is his home his castle or just a place to crash? What condition is it in? Does he share it with others?

“Home's mostly a place to crash. When I was contracting, I got pretty good with living out of a backpack and a motel room. My current place doesn't have a lot of charm, but it's got a locked garage for my motorcycle, and it's a fifteen-minute drive to work. You can't underestimate that in LA.”

4. Besides the basic necessities, what does he spend his money on?

“Books, magazines, more games, art supplies, some computer gear if I can score a good deal on it.”

5. What does he do for a living? Is he good at it? Does he enjoy it, or would he rather be doing something else?

“Being a game designer is all I ever wanted to be, from the time I was a kid armed with an old computer running a BASIC shell. Patrick's an awesome boss, and I'm happier than I've ever been. I just wish Pop could see that.”

6. What are his interests or hobbies? How does he spend his free time?

He's very much of an arcade hound, and while he lacks Sam's reflexes and natural talent with them, his own talents involve observing the patterns and anticipating AI behavior.

7. What are his eating habits? Does he skip meals, eat out, drink alcohol, avoid certain foods?

“Never really learned how to cook, aside from maybe pasta and canned goods. The bad side to all that time wandering was that most of the places didn't have a kitchen. Good thing there are a lot of cheap takeout places in walking distance or the all-night grocery. Yes, I like a beer or a few cocktails, but I do have the sense not to get on my bike after those, and I haven't been drunk since that last fight with Sam.”

Associations
Which of the following do you associate with the character, or which is his favorite:

1. Color?

Electric Blue – the color of his circuitry when he hits the digital world.

2. Smell?

Asphalt and dry ice.

3. Time of day?

Early evening, just as work and classes are letting out for everyone, but the bars and restaurants aren't full yet.

4. Season?

Late fall, early winter. The start of new schools, new projects, colorful trees (in other parts of the world – LA doesn't have much for seasons), and not yet the crazy period that comes with holidays.

5. Book?

He's pretty much read Digital Frontier so many times that his paper copy fell apart, but he's going to take a much harsher look at it in light of what he's learned.

6. Music?

The song “Retrograde” from Cartel. (Mun actually heard it on a Jet fanmix)

7. Place?

Camped out with his lunch on the wrong side of a “No Trespassing” sign, preferably somewhere he can perch and be alone with the view.

8. Substance?

Clear quartz

9. Plant?

Basil

10. Animal?
Horse.

END
{{ Get the HTML here so you can do it yourself. }}