Member
Crimson Flame
Kensai
wintersoldier
Thayr
FourtyTwo
Lunamaria Hawke
datadogie
Half Pint
FosterName: Jan Van Straaten
Callsign/Nickname: Strat
Age: 30
Gender: Male
Appearance:
Jan is not overly tall; standing at around 5'5". He keeps his sun-bleached, sandy-blonde hair short for convenience. He is usually clean-shaven, though his stubble doesn't take long to show.
He has a relatively powerful, broad-shouldered frame and build, and his musculature reflects his regular exercise routine. He has medium blue eyes.
Nationality: South African
Personality:
Jan is quite excitable, eager, and vibrant in his personality. He speaks quickly, especially when warming to a subject and excited about it. His body language and movements will also become animated and lively when he gets excited and eager.
He is something of a quick-witted, fast-talking charmer and a bit of a confidence man, often using his confidence and charisma - such as it is - to bluff through problems, and defuse situations with wit, humour, and bravado. He is quietly confident in his own abilities and appearance - as in, he knows he is good looking - but not given to bragging or boasting.
However, this outward facade of bravado and cocksure confidence hides a more bitter, hollow core of a man who is unsure of his place in the world, and his direction in life. While he claims with casual, airy confidence to fly as a merc for money and prestige, the truth is he is not sure where he fits in, and is searching for belonging and a purpose and hopes that by flying as part of Shattered Steel he can do something that might have a lasting, positive impact on the world.
History:
Jan was born in 1984 and grew up in the waning years of Apartheid in South Africa. While his memories of his youngest years are cloudy, he has vibrant memories of dangerous and turbulent times during his teenage years. The transitional period was marked with violence across the nation - and he was on the frontlines of it.
Jan's father was extremely strict, formal, and conservative in his views. Deeply rooted in the traditional White Supremacist views of Apartheid and a commanding officer in the South African Police, he ran a very strict household and was a domineering personality. As such, he was very reserved with his emotions, and his affection to his sons and his wife.
Jan was very different, following more after his mother's side of the family. He related more to her, and her nurturing affection lead to him being more questioning and open than his father. He increasingly found himself at odds with his father's views and ideals, something he kept secret at first, but found harder and harder to hide behind - especially as the country around them changed and his father's increasing bitterness at the change in ways grew, and Jan grew into more of his own man.
Jan's father and he eventually came to a massive disagreement after Jan found himself in a romantic relationship with a black girl. His father was so outraged he beat Jan, and only his mother putting herself in the way stopped him from going further - and he threatened to beat her, as well. Jan left home immediately, though kept in touch with his mother after the fact through letters.
Jan was unsure of what to do with himself following this. His relationship fell apart after his lover found out who his father was, something that left him even more bitter at his father's influence over his life, even without him being present.
Hoping for stability and order in his life, he enlisted with the South African Defence Force, which was in the middle of reorganization into a new form following the end of Apartheid.
Surprising himself, he showed aptitude for the military life and found the routine and sense of duty helpful to his mental and emotional state, and the learning of new skills something he threw himself into.
The world of aviation lured him in, and he quickly found himself in the air wing of the forces. Showing great aptitude, situational awareness and possessed of a sharp mind, he was nudged toward a career as a pilot, and a fast-jet pilot at that, something he found he enjoyed the challenge and status of.
After two years of flight training, he graduated in 2004... just in time for the world to implode after the Heavenfall.
With so many coastal cities and settlements, South Africa was hit hard, and the SADF was heavily involved in disaster relief efforts. Violence further erupted along borders and internally alike. The government managed to hold onto the reins and keep things together, albeit with much stress and difficulty.
With so many operations, including insurgencies and border wars, Jan very quickly found himself an experienced pilot with numerous combat sorties under his belt. Sometime during this period, he was informed his father had died of a heart attack by his brother.
He attended the funeral, seeing it as something of a reconciling moment to put things to rest, though he was one of very few people there.
After this, Scott decided to cash out of the SADF, as budget cuts forced changes. Still looking to fly, and still unsure of where his life was headed. He briefly enlisted with a mercenary unit in the African continent, invited to by one of his former colleagues. However, after finding out that they were much more of the 'old guard' than he was, quickly decided to leave their employ - especially after more or less openly rebelling against them to sabotage an contract issued by a megacorporate employer that was a thin excuse for displacing people from their homes and land to exploit them for resources.
Sometime after this, he heard about Shattered Steel and approached them to join. He served in another squadron briefly, before being transferred to Scott's command as part of Cobalt Haze.
Personal Gear:
Personal Aircraft:
IAI Kfir NG (New Generation)
Modified as follows:
Jan's Kfir is painted in the distinctive blue-grey camouflage scheme as used on US aggressor aircraft.
Callsign/Nickname: Strat
Age: 30
Gender: Male
Appearance:
Jan is not overly tall; standing at around 5'5". He keeps his sun-bleached, sandy-blonde hair short for convenience. He is usually clean-shaven, though his stubble doesn't take long to show.
He has a relatively powerful, broad-shouldered frame and build, and his musculature reflects his regular exercise routine. He has medium blue eyes.
Nationality: South African
Personality:
Jan is quite excitable, eager, and vibrant in his personality. He speaks quickly, especially when warming to a subject and excited about it. His body language and movements will also become animated and lively when he gets excited and eager.
He is something of a quick-witted, fast-talking charmer and a bit of a confidence man, often using his confidence and charisma - such as it is - to bluff through problems, and defuse situations with wit, humour, and bravado. He is quietly confident in his own abilities and appearance - as in, he knows he is good looking - but not given to bragging or boasting.
However, this outward facade of bravado and cocksure confidence hides a more bitter, hollow core of a man who is unsure of his place in the world, and his direction in life. While he claims with casual, airy confidence to fly as a merc for money and prestige, the truth is he is not sure where he fits in, and is searching for belonging and a purpose and hopes that by flying as part of Shattered Steel he can do something that might have a lasting, positive impact on the world.
History:
Jan was born in 1984 and grew up in the waning years of Apartheid in South Africa. While his memories of his youngest years are cloudy, he has vibrant memories of dangerous and turbulent times during his teenage years. The transitional period was marked with violence across the nation - and he was on the frontlines of it.
Jan's father was extremely strict, formal, and conservative in his views. Deeply rooted in the traditional White Supremacist views of Apartheid and a commanding officer in the South African Police, he ran a very strict household and was a domineering personality. As such, he was very reserved with his emotions, and his affection to his sons and his wife.
Jan was very different, following more after his mother's side of the family. He related more to her, and her nurturing affection lead to him being more questioning and open than his father. He increasingly found himself at odds with his father's views and ideals, something he kept secret at first, but found harder and harder to hide behind - especially as the country around them changed and his father's increasing bitterness at the change in ways grew, and Jan grew into more of his own man.
Jan's father and he eventually came to a massive disagreement after Jan found himself in a romantic relationship with a black girl. His father was so outraged he beat Jan, and only his mother putting herself in the way stopped him from going further - and he threatened to beat her, as well. Jan left home immediately, though kept in touch with his mother after the fact through letters.
Jan was unsure of what to do with himself following this. His relationship fell apart after his lover found out who his father was, something that left him even more bitter at his father's influence over his life, even without him being present.
Hoping for stability and order in his life, he enlisted with the South African Defence Force, which was in the middle of reorganization into a new form following the end of Apartheid.
Surprising himself, he showed aptitude for the military life and found the routine and sense of duty helpful to his mental and emotional state, and the learning of new skills something he threw himself into.
The world of aviation lured him in, and he quickly found himself in the air wing of the forces. Showing great aptitude, situational awareness and possessed of a sharp mind, he was nudged toward a career as a pilot, and a fast-jet pilot at that, something he found he enjoyed the challenge and status of.
After two years of flight training, he graduated in 2004... just in time for the world to implode after the Heavenfall.
With so many coastal cities and settlements, South Africa was hit hard, and the SADF was heavily involved in disaster relief efforts. Violence further erupted along borders and internally alike. The government managed to hold onto the reins and keep things together, albeit with much stress and difficulty.
With so many operations, including insurgencies and border wars, Jan very quickly found himself an experienced pilot with numerous combat sorties under his belt. Sometime during this period, he was informed his father had died of a heart attack by his brother.
He attended the funeral, seeing it as something of a reconciling moment to put things to rest, though he was one of very few people there.
After this, Scott decided to cash out of the SADF, as budget cuts forced changes. Still looking to fly, and still unsure of where his life was headed. He briefly enlisted with a mercenary unit in the African continent, invited to by one of his former colleagues. However, after finding out that they were much more of the 'old guard' than he was, quickly decided to leave their employ - especially after more or less openly rebelling against them to sabotage an contract issued by a megacorporate employer that was a thin excuse for displacing people from their homes and land to exploit them for resources.
Sometime after this, he heard about Shattered Steel and approached them to join. He served in another squadron briefly, before being transferred to Scott's command as part of Cobalt Haze.
Personal Gear:
- H&K USP Compact .45 caliber semi-automatic pistol; underbarrel flashlight.
- Vektor R6 Compact Rifle with ACOG sight
- Combat/Survival knife
Personal Aircraft:
IAI Kfir NG (New Generation)
Modified as follows:
- Elta AESA Radar
- Helmet-mounted sight
- Thrust-vectored engine
- HOTAS controls and full Glass cockpit
- Compatibility with precision-guided air-to-ground weapons
- Compatibility with BVR Air-to-air missiles
- Compatibility with modern targeting and reconnaissance pods
Jan's Kfir is painted in the distinctive blue-grey camouflage scheme as used on US aggressor aircraft.