| APAGear II Archives | Volume 2, Number 5 | June, 2000 |
I finally found Jakob in Port Arthur. He had just finished a run, and was sitting on a deck chair outside of the Pressure Juice, a cantina in the Entertainment Strip quarter. I grinned to myself, seeing him with his feet up on a stool, beer on a table next to him, as he relaxed and tanned in the late afternoon Badlands sun. The scent of his tobacco wafted into my nostrils as I approached. He was leaning back, his eyes closed as I stopped and put my hands on my hips.
"Hi Patrycja," he said, not opening his eyes, "finally caught up with me, huh?"
I looked around, feeling peculiar with all the GREL's everywhere. I'd been hearing things about how volatile the GREL's of Port Arthur had become in recent cycles. A massive Mordred trooper was standing just outside the door to the bar, looking far too disgruntled for my liking.
"Yeah, it's good to see you finally Jakob," I replied, as he reached down and took a strange looking pipe into his mouth. It was attached to a hose, which snaked down to the ground, leading back up to an ornately worked water pipe. He puffed softly, and I recoiled in shock.
"Oh relax, it's not drugs! Fuck, every single fucking person who sees me smoking my nargila seems to think I'm some kinda drug addict!" he growled, and puffed a little more, "it's just tobacco, flavoured with honey and molasses. Want some?" he grinned and offered me the pipe, his warm brown eyes incredibly comforting. It was then that I knew that he had missed me as much as I had missed him.
"N-no Jakob, but thanks," I paused and grinned down at him, "so what does a girl have to do to get a beer around here?"
He motioned to the Mordred at the door, who went inside, scowling. I stared at Jakob, amazed, and pulled up a chair.
"They know me here, and Fritz there has taken a bit of a liking to me," he paused, and flashed me a sly crooked grin, "that, and I tip well."
"I see. So, how was the run into Port Arthur? That was your biggest convoy, wasn't it?"
"Yeah, it went well. Nearly got cracked by some rovers along the way, but we hoisted 'em on their own petard"
I nodded. Jakob probably was on point, and ambushed the rovers all on his own. He still tries to protect me from the grisly details. If only he knew what I had been up to for the past two cycles.
The Mordred returned with a very cold beer, and handed it to me almost daintily.
"Thanks Fritz," Jakob said, as the Mordred grimaced a little, and walked over to the door again.
"So, do you have some time to yourself before you ship out with the next convoy?" I asked.
"Yeah, a couple of days. I just signed on to shotgun a convoy to Nineveh," he looked at me, raised his left eyebrow and frowned, "why, what's up?"
I smiled, and took out the manila envelope. He looked at me, eyes widening. I had the same reaction when I got an envelope just like it, a cycle ago. Certain things never change, manila envelops from Bill Pierce and Jakob's crooked grin being two of them.
He looked at me, put the envelope on the table next to his beer, and kept grinning.
"Oh, I guess I can cancel that job to Nineveh."
Jakob was born in TN 1900 in a Jerusalemite commune on the shores of Lake Clearwater in the NLC, the eldest of two children. Jakob's childhood was happy. His parents were hardworking, and Jakob was never exposed to any of the religious intolerance prevalent in the NLC as a child. His world was turned upside down when the War of the Alliance began in TN 1913. His parents went off to fight, and by TN 1917, Jakob was also drafted into a reserve infantry battalion. However, the War ended before he saw any action, and he returned home where he was reunited with his family. His service in the Northern Guard opened up new opportunities, and Jakob graduated from Wententhal University in Zagazig in TN 1925 with a degree in mathematics and history. Due to strongly held beliefs about serving the state, he re-enlisted into the Northern Guard immediately after receiving his degree, and was trained as a heavy gear pilot. He rose steadily through the ranks, and by TN 1933 was a decorated piloting instructor for the Northern Guard.
However, as religious tensions rose in the NLC, Jakob came under increasing pressure to conform or even resign. He bitterly gave up his post and left the Northern Guard for the Badlands in TN 1934, and has not returned home since then.
In TN 1934, Jakob met Bill Pierce, the owner/operator of a small courier company based out of Trinwood, in the Barrington Basin. The two became fast friends, and Jakob worked as a security specialist, escorting sensitive packages or even convoys. Once he had made a name for himself, Jakob struck out on his own, using what connections he had made to become a premier caravan escort. He oversees the security of whatever caravan he is working with, and when on the move he always takes point in his well-weathered Hunter.
Jakob Petrush is a practical down to earth fellow with a warm smile and an easygoing nature. He enjoys a good time, and throws a mean party. Jakob is also a practicing Jerusalemite, and while he does not strictly adhere to all the tenets of his faith, he nonetheless is serious about and proud of his identity and his ancient heritage. He is still bitter about his people's treatment in the North, and hates traveling there, despite the fact that his family still lives in the NLC. Currently, Jakob is happy with his work, and has no plans to settle down.
Jakob does not revel in fighting. While trained and capable, he prefers to avoid danger by careful planning and diplomacy. However, he is quite capable of causing much harm and havoc. What stays his hand is a keen sense of the value of human life. Jakob was an amateur wrestler in his youth, and has kept up the skill since. This usually means his brawls end up being very close, and personal.
Jakob is a stocky man, with a barrel chest and meaty arms. His brown hair is cut very short, and he seems to have perpetual three-day-old stubble. His manner of dress is ordinary, bordering on drab. He usually carries a combat knife in his boot, as well as a pack of the cheapest cigarettes available, which are alternately smoked, or thrown away, depending on his mood.
When Jakob does have time to himself, he usually tries to find the closest drumset to play on, or failing that, tries to improvise something similar. He also listens to as much rock and roll, swing and funk as he possibly can get his hands on.
"It ain't rocket science. If I can do it, you can too!"
Jakob is a friendly person who takes great pleasure in helping people. If the PC's are in need of solid backup or a little extra muscle, Jakob is quite capable both in and out of a heavy gear. He won't be particularly pleased that he's risking his life, unless the cause is truly just. Either way, he won't let his friends down.
Jakob travels more than most. This enables him to pick up lots of information and he has many contacts all over the planet. Usually, his crowd is a little rough, consisting of soldiers, musicians, caravan traders and other ne'er do wells. Due to his studies, he also has connections in Northern academia, although it's been a few cycles since he's seen any of those individuals.
Jakob is either a friendly rival, who plays a mean poker hand, or a deadly opponent on the battlefield. He will stoop to the lowest trick to carry the day, and fights intelligently and doggedly until he has won. Jakob also pilots his Hunter with competence, and while he may not be the finest pilot, his ability to improvise and adapt quickly have made him the bane of many rovers looking for easy pickings.
| Age: 36 Cycles | Height: 1.8 m | Mass: 102 kg | Hair Color: Brown | Eye Color: Brown |
| Handedness: Left-handed | ||||
| AGI +1 | APP +0 | BLD +1 | CRE +1 | FIT +0 |
| INF +0 | KNO +1 | PER +1 | PSY +1 | WIL +0 |
| STR +0 | HEA +0 | STA 30 | UD 6 | AD 5 |
| Skills | Skills | Skills | Skills |
| Athletics 1/+0 | Combat Sense 2/+1 | Cooking 1/+1 | Dodge 1/+1 |
| Gunnery (Heavy Gear) 2/+1 | Haggling 1/+0 | Hand-to-Hand 2/+1 | Language (Jerusalemite Hebrew) 2/+1 |
| Language (Universal French) 1/+1 | Leadership 1/+0 | Melee 1/+1 | Music (Drumming*) 1/+1 |
| Navigation (Land) 1/+1 | Notice 2/+1 | Physical Science (Mathematics*) 2/+1 | Pilot (Heavy Gear) 2/+1 |
| Small Arms 1/+1 | Social Sciences (History* 2/+1 | Survival 1/+1 | Swimming 1/+0 |
| Tactics 1/+1 | Teaching 2/+1 |
*specialization
Jakob pilots a well maintained Hunter gear, with a MAC (F 40 rounds) replacing the LAC, and 2 HPZF (F) strapped on the back of the gear. He normally carries a 9mm pistol in combat, though he does like using a heavy rifle on occasion. His light flak suit is well worn and weather-beaten. Jakob has few personal possessions, including a military com link which he uses to keep tabs on a caravan and its escorts, and his nargila, a meter tall water pipe he enjoys smoking on occasion.
| APAGear II Archives | Volume 2, Number 5 | June, 2000 |
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