Aloza

The player would like their character to experience: Adventure. Maybe intrigue. Maybe she's asked to sneak around to gather intel or help rescue someone. Maybe a "slice of life" in the midst of chaos. Or just the usual "trouble".

The player would like to avoid: Writing sex scenes. Okay with fading to black and romance scenes though. Everything else is probably cool.


Name: Aloza Stardust

Age: 241 but appears in her early 30s.
Gender: Female

Appearance: I had trouble finding a picture that best resembles Aloza, but this might be the closest. https://www.pinterest.com/pin/450782243941840173/

Description: Aloza is of average height and weight among the women of her world (5'6", 150lbs). Her dark brown hair with reddish highlights drifts just past her shoulders. And her unusual hazel eyes seem older than how the rest of her looks, which is forever 30.

Personality: She is shy and usually reserved about herself, but she might talk someone's ear off about various topics (though some topics will require some level of trust before she blabs about it).  She's been on her own for so long, with only the Akua and her little buddy for companions, that she might forget how to make friends with other humans. She likes to have discussions with "Stardust", the white rat that's always with her. She hates and is afraid of the idea that an empire would have so much power in this universe. She believes in starting with non-violent resistance, if possible.


History
Aloza's story starts long ago and far away… in another universe that knew nothing of the Nexus. She was born on Thera, one of many worlds colonized by wealthy humans over a millennium earlier. Within a year of being colonized, Thera joined the Confederation of Worlds and resisted the various short-lived empires that tried to conquer them over the centuries. By the time of Aloza's parent's generation, a new threat approached in the form of the Akua: giant space creatures that sort of resembled giant squid from Earth.  While they spent most of their time in space and occasionally came into habitable areas to eat organic things, the biggest issue was their attacks on spaceships and other machines in space. The people had no idea of how to stop them and worried they'd be grounded forever.

Aloza grew up, unlike many others of her generation, marveling at the Akua. She dreamed of encountering them and taming them, and her daydreams often got in the way of her studies and relationships. But then she had her first encounter with one when she was 16. She had recently joined a hunting party that was using radio signals to track the creatures. An Akua was there, in a large clearing. It appeared not to notice them and many hunters failed to notice it as a trap. When the colossal creature started grabbing the hunters, Aloza tried to surrender before losing consciousness.

She woke with a start the following day and felt as if she had the most vivid dream of a talking white rat next to a sleeping Akua. She couldn't remember what was said. A few days later, she learned that those she was with that day were all presumed dead – victims of a hungry Akua. No one believed that she was there, so she tried to forget what had happened and focus on her studies instead.

Her second encounter came over a decade later. She was happily married and had a promising career when a white rat appeared on her desk one day and nearly sent her screaming. It made her remember that night when she was a scared teen begging for her life when everyone around her was being eaten, and how the Akua offered her something 'greater than life', but she was scared and wanted to think about it. The rat spoke of several times that the Akua tried to reach out to her, but that she ignored them. Now she wanted more time to think, so the white rat nodded and said, "In one year, we will know your fate."

It was a long, anxious year but the Akua returned as promised. When told that the alternative was death, she quickly accepted its offer. The Akua invited her to walk into it and opened its huge beak just a little. She slowly stepped in and gasped. She was inside a living, intelligent ship that had been adapted for her survivability and comfort. And the talking white rat said she was now the pilot… an Akua's rider.  Aloza then spent the next two decades learning about the Akua, her relationship with them, as well as her new abilities and limitations. She was surprised to discover that her Akua was part of a 'squad'.  Regularly, she could sense up to six other Akua nearby, and over time, she learned to roughly communicate with them as well.

Sometimes she got homesick and would try to visit her family. The people were still scared of the Akua. And sadly, everyone she knew seemed to be getting older while she hadn't aged a day since bonding with her Akua. The people appeared worried and wanted her to be checked out by doctors and scientists, but the Akua intervened. They did not want her experimented on. Maybe somewhere else would be nicer. They tried to visit other worlds, but people feared the Akua and Aloza would beg to leave before they scared the people even more.

While they could travel faster than light, the Akua were often not in that big of a rush to get anywhere. Being ageless now, she had to learn to accept their slower approach. And their journey seemed aimless and endless for many years. But in the century that followed, she got to explore worlds (mostly habitable), examine the Akua more closely, and create useful things through trial and error.

Then they found an area of space that shimmered like an arora and the Akua got anxious. They could sense new forms of energy just on the other side. They indicated to her that there might be people too, which excited her. People that, she hoped, would not be afraid of the Akua. So the whole squad agreed to go through the shimmering light, but one at a time. Aloza went first with her Akua.

They appeared somewhere in the Nexus and Aloza was amazed by the images that her Akua was sharing with her. She wanted to hear things as well but quickly did not like what she heard. She never personally experienced living under an Empire's rule, but based on her history lessons, she knew that it couldn't be good. So, she hoped there was somewhere where people were free. But the Empire seemed to be everywhere. An Imperial ship came awfully close a few times and scanned them, but found nothing concerning. The Akua had acted like a stoic space creature and did not show any signs that it had anyone inside it or that it was a threat in any way. So each time, the Imperial ships said something to the effect that as long as the beast was not a threat, they would leave it be.

A few months later… Aloza had found someplace that seemed a little rebellious to the Empire, where she could find supplies cheap with no questions asked, and she could eavesdrop while she attempted to find potential allies. She seldom asked or answered questions. The little white rat that was often talking to her seemed to draw a bit of attention. Some people offered her food and potential work to help her, but she was reluctant at first. Then one day a note was passed to her by the tender of the place. It seemed someone had followed her during her last visit and knew a secret, and they were willing to help her get better supplies and allies in exchange for her help.


Traits

1. Immortal or Not = She stopped aging at 30, is immune to natural diseases, is resistant to synthetic poisons, and can heal quickly from most injuries.

2. Psychically Bonded = Since her first encounter with the Akua, she's developed a psychic connection to them, with her strongest bond being with the one that chose her as its "rider". She is always aware of the one that chose her, even if she cannot see it.

3. Hive Mind = The Akua have a hive-like mind and tend to communicate with each other telepathically. They tend to share new knowledge, insight, and experiences with each other. Aloza does not have telepathic abilities beyond her mental connection with the Akua. If an Akua is close enough, she may pick up on those things or ask it something specific and hope it knows something. Of course, they are still pretty alien to her (after so many years) and she may not always understand what they share with her.

4. Pulse and Drain = She can channel the Akua's main offensive and defensive abilities. She can emit or focus a blast of energy similar to an EMP pulse at her target, with a chance to knock them out. She can also (attempt to) grab an attacking target and "drain" them of energy until they surrender.

5. A Little Buddy = She usually needs some physical time away from her Akua, so it created a small companion to accompany her for the two days it could take before she'll feel the need to return. Often, the companion takes the form of a white rat with a long, prehensile tail. The companion is able to talk and interact with those around it. And its connection to the Akua allows it to communicate any situation they find themselves in if Aloza is unable to and even be a beacon if she is trapped (or otherwise unable to return on her own).

6. Like a Scientist = Through experimenting on the Akua, Aloza has been able to create things from her discoveries. Protective things such as the Healing Armor of Invisibility. Medicine like the Quick Healing Bandages. Art that is from the Akua's senses. Non-violent weapons such as the Short Circuiting Tape. And similar things. Some she made for herself and others she makes for the rebels.


~*~

A bit about the Akua, Aloza's living, sapient ship/giant space creature…

Description
They look like a mix of a giant squid, Moya (from Farscape), and the Shadow Vessel (from Babylon 5). The main part of their body is roughly 500 meters long, with 8 "claw-tipped" arms that are about 500 meters long and can stretch out in any direction, and two tentacles that are twice as long as the arms. It's also about 100 meters wide and high.  It has very thick 'skin' that can change color when it goes into offensive or defensive mode. It has silvery compound eyes  It can also blend in with the vacuum of space when it wants to be stealthy or go undetected.

The interior of Aloza's Akua looks mostly biological except where she has fused it with manmade equipment. It has a common area where up to 10 people can eat, drink and discuss things, and there are 10 sleeping chambers next to the common area. Aloza has a lab where she does most of her experiments and creations.  There are also hidden air exchangers that the Akua won't explain where they are or how they work. And any waste is recycled as much as possible.

The interior of the other Akua could be adapted to fit 10 people (that Aloza trusts) comfortably, or more if comfort is not a priority.

They are able to travel faster than light in short bursts if they need to escape from a losing battle.

History
In a different universe, an ancient race of beings created these living, sapient ships millions of years ago (maybe) and disappeared within a millennium of creating them.  When they had a purpose, the Akua were "civilized creatures that carried and protected their masters, always".  But in their creator's absence, they became indifferent and roamed their universe aimlessly in squads of 7 hive-minded individuals.  They started eating more organic beings, including humans, and attacking manmade machines they saw as a threat.

But then one day, an Akua wanted purpose in its life again and when a young female human begged for her life, it saw its chance to do something great. Something the creators would be proud of.  So, it spared the human's life, made its interior space habitable for humans, and then spent over a decade trying to bond with her.  Eventually, she accepted the bond and joined the squad.  The other Akua in its squad were curious and were soon communicating with the human and wanting to be part of this purpose as well.