Carina Yuzu

Carina Yuzu
Gender Female Age 29 Crew Posting Companion/Scientist/Co-Captain Homeworld Whittier (P/2030(Kalidasa)15) Religion Buddhism

History

Childhood

Born on the rim, Carina was the poor daughter of 'dirt' poor fishery workers (not much dirt to be found, to be fair) on Whittier, her mother of Japanese descent and her father of Hispanic ancestry. A bright, eager and lovely child, she would have been condemned to a life of servitude to the corporation that ran the fishery, but as a child she came to the attention of one of the lower-tier executives at the fish hatchery, after accompanying her parents to the fish hatchery resulted in several encounters, including one where she made an innocent suggestion of the right changes to a algae strain to successfully compensate for a change in the environments. After the executive concluded that the girl was clearly far too bright to be condemned to such a meager education and opportunities, arrangements were made to sponsor her to Companion training on Sihnon at the tender age of ten.

Carina passed her initial testing handily, and took to the top-tier educational opportunities of Companion training with ease, grace, and an eager voraciousness some of the children from upper-tier social strata just couldn't equal. Rather than being lonely, the bright girl found friends, including a special friend from outside Companion training: the daughter of one of the cleaning staff. The two built a strong connection in only a few years, owing as much to their eager minds and spirits and their shared lower-tier origins as anything else. Carina was inspired by the strength and determination of Michi, and remembered her fondly, even when Companion training demands finally became so great that they started drifting apart, having less time for one another.

Carina's brilliance proved to be an asset to the Companions, who put her to special use by working her biochemical wizardry in-house creating various custom and enhanced cosmetics, perfumes and the likes for the Companions. Meanwhile, they also made a point of grooming her to become a Companion of interest to top-tier scientists, a special Muse who could speak their language, understand and inspire them on their flights of scientific fancy.

The War

When the War began, Carina found herself deeply moved by the plight of the rebellion. Wanting to do her part, and knowing she was no use on the front lines, Carina instead began using her contacts and connections through the Companions to meet various others of import - politicians, leaders and military commanders - and gather information, which she then funneled to the rebellion. She never spied on her clients, but never hesitated to gather information on those her clients met with or to whom she was introduced.

This became a problem for Carina later in the war. She accepted a longer term contract with a client who was a top-tier scientific mind for the Core; though she did not know it at the time, he was one of the Readers, and had first become interested in Carina because of her clear intelligence and adaptability. When Carina arrived, she discovered that her client had no intention of honoring the dictates of her contract, and in fact had no intention of letting her go. He had discovered her spying, and used his influence, power and money to buy off those in the Companion's Guild not to raise the alarm when Carina did not return as expected. Her messages to the Guild were largely ignored and erased, and those passed to her contacts in the rebellion never arrived.

It was only by chance that she recognized her dear childhood friend Michi as the shuttle pilot flying her client-captor and his bodyguard with her to their new base of operations. Carina will be forever grateful that Michi was able to rescue her from that Hell and get them both to safety with the rebellion. Carina finished out the war plying her trade as a Companion outside the Core, and continuing to work on biochemistry projects for the rebellion when asked. But her access to the uppermost tiers of Alliance industry and science were lost to her for the rest of the war, for fear others there would do the same with her given the chance.

After the War

When the War ended, Carina expected to find herself arrested at any moment as a traitor. But that day never came. She slowly began expanding her client base once more, accepting many more lucrative contracts, and found that her monies from before her kidnapping remained. She made a point of consolidating her funds and investing wisely, with an eye towards the hope that when Michi was released from her prison sentence, perhaps she could repay her friend for all she'd sacrificed to help her.

Carina was there the day Michi was released from prison. Though their reunion was a sweet and precious thing, and their time together pleasant, Carina was disappointed that Michi would not accept her gift, her 'investment' in Michi's future. Still, they kept in touch while Michi struggled, trying to make her own way. Carina continued investing, and plying her trade as a Companion, until almost three years later, when Michi reached out once more, saying that she wanted to buy her own ship and start racing again. Carina gladly invested her money in Michi's efforts, and the two of them have secured and fixed up a pretty nice, sleek ship which they work together to keep quite clean and in good shape.

Carina actually plies her trade as a Companion from the ship, and helps to run the business of the ship. Her relationship with Michi is a casual thing right now, largely because Carina has determined this is what Michi is ready for at this time. But she can wait. They have time.

Interesting Figures

• Clarissa Romanov: Carina's original benefactor, the lower-tier administrator on Whittier at the fish hatchery who sponsored Carina to the Companions.
• Melissa Taylor: Carina's mentor in the Companions, now a Priestess at the Temple on Sihnon.
• John Chan: The Reader scientist who kidnapped Carina and held her against her will.

Character Sheet

Distinctions

Registered Companion d8 (Firefly p347)

You have an active license in the Companion Registry, which opens doors and brings you business.
✔ Gain 1 Plot Point when you roll a d4 instead of a d8.
⚫ Inside Knowledge: When you create an Asset related to an individual’s history, biodata, or Cortex record, step it up.
✔ I Know Your Ways: Spend 1 PP to step up or double Influence when you are attempting to follow proper etiquette or put someone at ease.
Highlighted Skills: Focus, Influence, Perform

Bookworm d8 (Things Don't Go Smooth p231)

You find books are often better company than people.
✔ Gain 1 Plot Point when you roll a d4 instead of a d8.
✔ Book Club: Cash in a d8 or smaller Big Damn Hero Die to create a Book of the Month Asset of the same size for the rest of the Episode.
⚫ Well Read: When planning a job with your Crew, spend 1 PP to create an I’ve Seen This Plan Before d8 Asset as you shape the plan around the plot of a book you read.
Highlighted Skills: Craft, Know, Operate

Dancer d8 (Firefly p352)

Anyone can shuffle their feet to a beat. A true dancer exists as beauty through motion.
✔ Gain 1 Plot Point when you roll a d4 instead of a d8.
⚫ Enticing: When you Perform before an audience, spend 1 PP and name someone who is watching. That person will seek you out after the show.
⚫ Grand Jeté: When you take cover or move quickly to avoid being hurt, step up or double Move for the Action. If you lose the roll, step back Move for the scene.
Highlighted Skills: Fight, Move, Perform

Signature Assets

• Chemistry Set d8: Carina has a relatively full-featured chemistry set assembled in her quarters for preparing whatever she needs.
• War Fans d6: Carina has beautiful but exceptionally functional war fans, given to her during her Companion training, which she often uses in dance numbers, but are also very useful in fighting.

Attributes

• Mental d10
• Physical d6
• Social d8

Skills

• Craft d8 / Biochemistry d6
• Drive d4
• Fight d6
• Fix d4
• Fly d4
• Focus d6
• Influence d10
• Know d10 / Science d6
• Labor d4
• Move d6
• Notice d6
• Operate d8
• Perform d10
• Shoot d4
• Sneak d4
• Survive d4
• Throw d4
• Treat d4
• Trick d4