Mantissa
Information detailed here is for OOC uses only.
 | |
| Full name | Mantissa Avaria (age 24) |
|---|---|
| Date of Birth | 2nd Feb 2499 |
| Birthplace | The Black |
| Parents | Dominique and Oleg Avaria |
| Siblings | None |
| Assignment | Phoenix Org - Captain of the Laverna, XO of the White Star |
| Specialization | Charisma, Combat and Concealment |
| Gender | Female |
| Eyes and Hair | Jet-black hair, light-green eyes |
| Height and Weight | 5'11", 140 lbs. |
| Status | Active |
"Live with a man forty years - share his house, his meals, speak on every subject; then tie him up and hold him over a volcano's edge, and on that day you will finally meet the man." - the Warrior-Poet Shan-Yu.
Contents
Mantissa in Brief
Mantissa Avaria is a woman with many ambitions, hopes and dreams. Some of which have already gone horribly wrong - others not yet. In spite of everything, she is immensely strong in character, able to weather most challenges she faces. A jack of all trades she skits around the 'verse trying to find her own place in it.
Description
A tall woman, seemingly around 5'11, her frame is slim and athletic - well-exercised and well-kept. Her short black hair fans out in a carefully wild mottle about her head - the face that it frames with its sharp cheekbones, almost greek nose and generally pleasingly laid out features which suggest a franco-italian heritage, accentuated by incisively green eyes and a wide, thin-lipped smile.
Her appearance seems well-taken care of from every angle. That is not to say she looks a pristine noble beauty, pampered and accoutred in expensive clothing - rather quite the opposite.
Her clothes are simple and practical at first glance, a somewhat worn black leather jacket, coarse red trousers, flatteringly tight as they accentuate her strong thighs and a pair of knee-high leather boots, scuffed and weathered with age. The hands are almost always covered with thin leather gloves, simple shirt under her jacket and a convenient all-purpose satchel slung over her shoulder. Those with keener eyes will notice a holster beneath the leather.
Yet there appears to be some form of planned imprecision about her outfit, almost as if it were calculated, or perhaps picked out by a keen eye for fashion sense - sitting on her figure just right, accentuating all the right parts of the body, looking alluring as well as rugged and practical.
History
Early Life
Mantissa Avaria was born on a craft in the far depths of space as it passed from border world to border world. Always living close to the space-faring trade it is a wonder she did not become a tech-junkie in her early years, but in truth nothing could interest her less than big, metal hulking machinery. Instead she grew to be fascinated and interested in people - what makes them tick, their desires, motivations and, ultimately, how she can manipulate them to her own benefits.
Growing Up
Her parents never seemed to interest her particularly much, being routine smugglers, running contraband this way and that way between the various worlds. In fact it was only when her father was found out to be suffering and dying from cancer in the late stages that she really acknowledged his existance - and he hers. Because of it she has always blamed herself since, internally, for having neglected her parents and hence, having known a largely parentless childhood. Her mother moved on quickly after the death of her father and made no effort on her part to reconcile the gap between her and her daughter, whom she viewed as little more than baggage, and left Mantissa to take care of herself as soon as a reasonable opportunity presented itself - with Mantissa finding herself a job of her own on the crew of a smuggling ship, working cons and other small-time thefts.
Unlike some unfortunates of the 'verse, Mantissa never really underwent any particularly traumatic episodes in her life, nor any startling eye-openers. Her life has always tended to drift along entirely on its own, one way or the other. If there are any pivotal points... they've yet to happen.
Career
Adept at social manipulation, Mantissa soon worked her way into the command of a ship of her own, running small smuggling operations and various other odd jobs. As a young, upshot captain it wasn't to last however, as her ship was irrepairably damaged in a close shave of a skirmish with Reavers on an exceptionally risky run. Although the craft was eventually salvaged after over a week being stranded adrift in the middle of bleak space, the vessel would no longer fly again under its own power and much of the crew, disillusioned and disheartened, dispersed upon their arrival at Persephone. There, Mantissa has stayed since, doing small-time jobs as she waits for a bigger gig to come along.
After about a year, she joined a group of acquaintances starting a crew out anew on the Spitfire under the La Paz organisation. The deal quickly turned sour as tensions mounted between the two contingents of the crew, resulting in several firefights on board and an attempted, but eventually defused, mutiny.
Mantissa departed the ship early on in the events and joined the Phoenix organisation instead, whereupon she spent several months working for the Phoenix Supplies store on Persephone under Patrice 'Patty' Pike and the org's owner, John Collins. Eventually, she asked for a transfer - and was granted - to serve aboard the Phoenix ship, where she took the role of Chief of Security. Her work at the post was largely uneventful and left her free to pursue various romantic interests, which eventually led to her engagement to Katja Patroval, then captain of the Bonaventure.
After an agreed arrangement with Kenthadus Grayshade, the Captain and owner of the Ascension at the time, Mantissa transferred once again from the Phoenix to serve first as Chief of Security on the Ascension and, later, as Acting Captain on the Resolute, an Osprey-class ship which Kenthadus had traded the Firefly-class Ascension in for. In early March 2523, Mantissa bought the Resolute, becoming its Captain and legal owner.
Soon after, however, a major restructuring of the Phoenix organisation saw both ships being traded in to consolidate the group on a large passenger liner - the White Star. Though she was offered Captaincy of the new vessel, she declined and became instead the ship's XO. However, she operates her own craft at the same time - the Laverna, an independent-make ASREV and daughter-ship to the White Star.
Personality
Attitude
Mantissa has a complicated persona, torn to a very large extent between a variety of drives of which she consciously can manage only a few. She frequently lets her passionate, emotional side get the better of her - but during times of duress she can discard it and take on a more objective demeanour to cope with her surroundings better.
Goals
Mantissa will say that her goal in life is material wealth, to retrieve hidden treasures, though in reality the truth is closer to the fact that she has no goal. With nothing and noone especially dear to her, she skits the 'verse trying to find where she herself fits into all of it.
Morals
A curious mix, Mantissa is strictly pragmatic in her dealings with strangers, she tends to default to a cynical but overall friendly demeanour - yet has no empathy for people she does not know personally whatsoever on the whole, though she does have her bouts of acute sadism as well, most prominently outlined by her deep fondness for the works of Shan-Yu. All the same, she is not unknown to offer acts of charity whether for egoistic or altruistic reasons. She is fiercely loyal to her friends however and tends to trust her lovers more than normal people.
Vices
Mantissa almost seems to wear her heart on a sleeve as far as sins are concerned, immoral and proud of it. A lecherous alcoholic with a deeply pragmatic and cynical outview on life, she knows all her vices - drinking, gambling and being the charming manipulator she is, she's a menace to both pretty men and women alike on account of being bisexual.
Her engagement to Katja Patroval seemed to have temporarily set her straight, curbing both her alcohol intake and amount of dalliance with people outside the relationship. However, following the women's break-up, she quickly reverted to her old ways.
Mantissa is more often seen drinking a glass of bourbon than not. At any one time, she usually has a wide array of available sexual partners, both male and female. She has informal affairs with many of her crew and close associates.
Mantissa has been engaged three times, twice to Katja Patroval and once to Aria, a Companion. She has also participated in numerous long-term D/s relationships, including her former pet, Gabrielle Demidov (deceased) and current pet, Adria Gallagher. She also herself publicly wears the collar of the Phoenix owner, Elunara. And of particular note is her relationship with Jasmine Geddes, whom she used to meet with regularly every month.
