Peter Fordham
 | |
| Full name | Peter Fordham |
|---|---|
| Date of Birth | 1 June 2505 |
| Birthplace | Jiangyin |
| Parents | Keith, Rosa |
| Siblings | Arthur, John |
| Spouse | Unwed |
| Children | None |
| Assignment | Operations, Wulver |
| Gender | Male |
| Eyes and Hair | Blue, pale blonde |
| Height and Weight | 5' 9", 160 lbs |
| Status | Active |
| Education Information | |
|
Jiangyin public school | |
| Military Service | |
|
None | |
Description
It's not so much that Peter is out-and-out tall; more that his wiry frame draws more attention to what height he does have, along with his tendency to lean just slightly away from a pure vertical. Pale blond hair is combed to the sides, but trimmed too short to remain in place for long. Blue eyes are slightly bloodshot; angular jaw is framed by cheeks not actually sunken, but managing to suggest the possibility.
A plain black shirt and matching pants do nothing to lessen the severity of his appearance-- at best, they help him blend in if it's dark or crowded or both. The sole hint of color to be found in his outfit is his shoes, a practical (if equally plain) pair made of light brown leather.
Background
The Fordhams have lived on Jiangyin for at least as many generations as Peter has met personally. Some of them pursue local careers and keep to themselves, but the family is mainly known for running a trading business that spans many of its larger towns - making them one of the bigger fish in a tiny bowl, figuratively speaking. As the youngest son of the main branch, Peter was clear on this from an early age; he wasn't happy about it, but what could he actually do? He didn't have the skills or the nerve to just walk away from the planet, and retreating to the hills would have been even worse.
When he turned 16, they started letting him tag along to the spaceport, instead of just hauling or counting things. Seeing the colorful visitors there put a fine edge on his frustration, but at the same time, it gave him an idea: Over the next few years, he threw himself into his work there, picking up the knowledge and the nuances of dealing with outsiders - at the expense of stressing himself out at first, though he got better about it - then proposed that he stop waiting for them to visit, but seek to go out among them instead. Take the market to their doorstep, so to speak.
The first time he brought up his idea, his parents brushed it aside; he hadn't thought it through; he didn't even have a proper grasp of the business yet, much less everything else he'd run into. Not wanting to count on getting a third chance at it any time soon, he buckled down to prove that he was serious, and to answer their questions as best he could, considering he hadn't actually been off-planet yet. This time, they relented-- encouraged by his brothers, who at the same time were in the process of taking over the primary management of the business, and were none too fond of the idea of keeping him around in the mood he was in.
