Houston Walker

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Houston Walker
NODATA.gif
Character design
Character
Date of birth: 14th March 3985 (age 26)
Nationality: Edenite, IconEden.png Eden
Language(s): Teegarden English
Gender: Male
Height: 6'3"
Father: Earl Walker
Mother: Jenny Walker
Occupation History
Education: Kingdom Military Academy
Field(s): History
Religion: Orthodox Baptist
Occupation(s): Naval Intelligence Agent (4005-Present)
Previous: Naval Officer (4001-4005)
Affiliations: Godly Republic of Eden
Service history
Service/branch: Godly Republic of Eden Navy
Years served: 4
Rank: Sublieutenant
Commands: GRS Absalom (navigation)
[Source]
Thay ...uhh wonduurr ov ur God’s creation, mighty something.

–Houston in space for the first time, 4001


Houston Walker (born 14th March 3985) was a commissioned officer aboard the GRS Absalom, a scout ship in the navy of the Godly Republic of Eden but is now much more. The lone Orthodox Baptist on his ship, Houston nonetheless felt honored to be among the first Edenites to probe the further reaches of Teegarden's Star System. Now, he works for Eden's naval intelligence and goes far beyond the borders of Eden. It takes a brave heart to do such things, and if Houston wants to prove anything, it is that he is willing to do what it takes to show that he is indeed brave.

History[edit | edit source]

Houston was born in 3985 to a working-class family of Orthodox Baptists in Jericho. The third child in a family with three generations under one roof, Houston's father and grandfather both worked in a factory manufacturing armor for the ships of the Godly Republic of Eden Navy. The little boy grew up in the shadow of the growing Edenite war machine, and Houston marveled at the soldiers marching in the streets with a navy he could see being built in orbit around Moses. He grew up hearing tales of Cainite and Unreformed militias in the hinterlands being crushed by the army with the vast expanse of space being further pierced by the sharp spear of the Edenite navy. As a child, Houston bought a telescope to see the places he heard of: Tartarus, Ukobach, and the Outer Belt. Houston did see many of them, and he marveled at them.

As Houston became a teenager, it became clear that his older brother Nahaam had no ambition above being an industrial worker like their father, and he was something of a halfwit. That disappointed the Walkers greatly, and this put a drive into Houston. His fear of disappointing his parents combined with his love of space drove Houston to new heights in his educational pursuits. He had his sights turned to someplace his parents could have never dreamed of sending him: Kingdom Military Academy.

Kingdom Military Academy was a prestigious military school that was known for training the best and brightest in Eden's army and navy. Houston saw it as the best place to go to get where he wanted to go: he wanted to captain a starship someday. Two things primarily stood in his way: his class and his religion. Most of the time, it was only the sons of the rich who were able go off to military school to officer training. Houston's family was working class and on the poorer side at that. Also, almost the entirety of Kingdom Military Academy were Edenite Baptists who spoke Teegarden English, and there were secret societies just to haze anyone who entered that did not fit in. Usually these were to deal with those who spoke Edenite, but they were more than willing to go for Orthodox Baptists, moreso even. So when Houston managed to get into Kingdom Military Academy in 3997 with his high marks and recommendations from numerous teachers, he was in for a world of hurt.

The next three years were a hard time for Houston. He worked and trained hard while making some strategic alliances with other persecuted cadets to survive his time at the academy. While he trained to become a naval navigator, Houston was allowed to choose his own major and chose history. He studied the Edenite Wars of Religion and grew to be something of an expert on the topic. At the same time, Houston worked to become a navigation officer in flight school while taking full advantage of the training facilities to get him to peak physical existence. By 4001, Houston had finished his training to become an officer and gotten his history degree. Given the rank of ensign after graduation, Houston was put on the starship GNS Absalom. He was enthused to see some of his friends on his ship and was eager to finally get into space.

Houston's first trip into space was a dream come true, and he went about his work quite enthusiastically for the first year or so. His friends Jed and Valerian were happy to see their friend happy, and they all talked about what they thought lay beyond the void. Human star empires, aliens, who knew?

Houston was an ensign on the GNS Absalom for two years, and he really grew into his new role. He grew to have a cool relationship with the captain, a fierce warhawk proud of his lineage going back to the First Landing, and Houston hoped he could be friends with the man one day, as unlikely as that may be. The couple of men under Ensign Walker's command had a genial relationship with him, but there was always seemingly some underlying tension present.

The only Orthodox Baptist on board the GNS Absalom, Houston was often made painfully aware of that. Whenever other crewmembers talked about the Serpent Seed, they cut glances at him. He was not allowed to take services with the rest of the crew on Sundays, and he was forced to spend the Lord's Day alone. This really made Ensign Houston feel isolated at times, but then he mostly kept his mind off these troubling thoughts through intensive workouts which he also did to remain fit in space. He also remembered that he was in the vanguard of the Godly Republic and should be proud of that. Visits to Ukobach were infrequent, but he valued them. The GNS Absalom's missions skirting the Outer Belt especially excited Houston. What might they find out there in the asteroids?

Houston was presented with a choice in 4005 when he came across a first lieutenant, a superior, sodomizing a crewman of lower rank near the bunks. He first considered that perhaps he should just stay quiet so as not upset his superior, but his sense of morality stepped in. Also, Ensign Walker knew that reporting this might hold some benefit. So, the Ensign did report his superior, and for his trouble, he was promoted to sublieutenant. The first lieutenant who he reported swore vengeance but was in reality too ashamed to really do anything. At the same time, Houston was met with increased hostility from the rest of the crew.

Shortly after his promotion and the GNS Absalom's return to Moses, Sublieutenant Walker was called to meet with the superintendent of the orbital shipyard. Houston was surprised that such an important man would want to meet with him, but he was instead met by a completely different group of people.

It turned out the people who wanted to meet with were Naval Intelligence and Eden's Secretary of State, who Houston went down on one knee for in a customary sign of submission. The Secretary of State waived Houston's pleasantries and briefed him on exactly what was going on (or at least what the Secretary wanted him to know). Houston had repeatedly proven his loyalty to the Godly Republic and had certain aspects that made the task he was about to receive much easier for him than the average Edenite.

The Secretary of State got the hardest part out of the way first, telling Houston about the true insignificance of Eden and its state in the grander scheme of things with groups like the Interstellar Governed Space Authority in play. They were truly at the mercy of powers they did not fully understand, and Eden had to tread carefully if it wanted to survive. This along with some new information about the outside world were enough to convince Houston of the gravity of the situation. After he showed Houston the information, the Secretary of State told Houston of the situation specifically facing the Godly Republic in Teegarden's Star System. According the some Edenite satellites and probes, an interstellar conglomerate named Axil Industries had set up mining operations on the edge of Teegarden's Star System, and the Secretary of State wanted to size up this potential new foes. So, he was sending Sublieutenant Houston to spy on Axil, not on their base on Hunte but beyond in their other possessions among the stars. Houston was initially confused by this, but the Secretary of State reassured him that doing so would be of a great service to the Godly Republic.

Over the next few weeks, Houston was given a sort of crash-course training on both special operations and the outside world. After all, one of the reasons Houston had been chosen was because he ascribed to Orthodox Baptist beliefs and was deemed less likely to react badly to culture shock outside Eden. Still, all this talk about "interstellar empires", "gender ambiguity" and "androids" just confused Houston intensely. He wanted to serve, but this was just all coming at him so fast. The Secretary of State reassured Houston that everything would be much clear when he actually met the "Serpent's Seed" for himself. Houston was unsure about that. He had heard that the humans back on Earth raped their victims to death, ate their flesh, and sewed their skin into their clothing, sometimes in that order. That was why the apocalypse was brought down on them after all. Although he was an Orthodox Baptist and so did not believe all these stories or the concept of "Snake Seed", Houston had heard the stories since he was a child and they were hard to forget. Nevertheless, Houston agreed to go on the mission, even though it technically required him to leave the navy.

In early 4005, Houston finally made his move and was taken in a single man craft to Hammerhead Base on Hunte, where he would leave the system with the help of a paid-off Axil Industries executive. On Hunte, Houston was already quite taken aback by the miners and their accents were not what he had expected. The Tranquilans and Earthers were much more fast-talking than anyone he'd encountered back home, and he had trouble keeping up with their conversations at first. Eventually though, he managed to catch on with the help of his handler. The androids all around were all foreign to Houston as well, but he just tried to ignore them. He was put on the first Axil transport out of Hunte after his arrival, just as planned. Houston is currently on his way to AD Leonis b with an assumed identity and falsified employment records, from there he hopes to do his Godly Republic proud.

Personality[edit | edit source]

Houston Walker has what you might call a "Charles Atlas" mentality about life. He believes that with enough training and determination, just about anything is possible. This belief comes fundamentally from a fear of failure, whether it be obvious like with his brother or more subtly like with his father and grandfather. Houston wants himself to the best man he can be, and he wants to prove himself to everyone, whether through his skills in navigation, his knowledge of Edenite history, or his strength. Houston's relation with other Edenites is rather notable in that he mostly associates with Edenite Baptists instead of other Orthodox Baptists. He often expressed in the academy that he thought others of his religion were “weak” and lacked the certain vigor of the Edenite Baptists, one of the other reasons he likes the Godly Republic. However, his personable shell is rigid, and Houston will break if pressed hard enough.

Appearance[edit | edit source]

A rather strapping lad with cropped dark brown hair, Houston Walker has been working his entire life to be in peak physical shape. Having wide-set shoulders and a broad chest, it seems more like that Houston would be in the heavy infantry rather than as a navigator. However, looks can be deceiving, and Houston can be very fast in a fight. His nickname was “Lightning Bruiser” at the academy after all.