Name: Hotaru Koseki
Gender: Male
Marital Status: At a miai
Occupation: Asteroid miner / Deep space scout / Security specialist / Starship Pilot / Spaceship Engineer
Age: 19
Height: 5'7"
Build: Wiry
Skin: So this is a suntan?
Hair: Would get in the way
Eyes: Brown laced with flecks of orange and gold
Homeworld: Deep space
Distinguishing features: Forearm tattoos of fireflies and assorted space phenomena

Description
For a dirty asteroid miner Hotaru Koseki scrubs up rather well. His face is attractive enough without drawing stares, and he clearly keeps in shape. The pull of gravity is still somewhat novel and his muscles have become more evident since he was volunteered to venture out from deep space. He struggles a bit with the effort of full R but rarely complains.

A Firefly must be hardy and flexible, able to adjust to whatever situation life throws their way. Reflecting this Koseki's personality is equal measures of rough and tumble, steady and smooth. To those who can sense such things the spirits of Earth seem to cling to him. Having graduated at the top of his class he exudes self-assurance and is always ready to have a go.



Hooks

• Adventure? Excitement? Danger? Sign me up.
• Even wanted to know about deep space but were too afraid to ask? Ask away.
• So... Planets. Tell me more.
• Okay, but can you mine it?
• Ready and willing to talk shop about spacecraft.
• In tune with the spirits of Earth.

Name: Akodo Akihiko
Gender: Male
Marital Status: Single
Occupation: Gunso (flight commander) of 4th Flight, "Long Claws" Squadron, Lion Navy.
Age: 20
Height: 5'8"
Complexion: Pale
Build: Lean/athletic
Hair: Black
Eyes: Black

Background:

If there is a poster child for ideal Akodo upbringing, the young gunso Akodo Akihiko should be it. Strict but nurturing parents, reasonably dedicated to him as their third child but only boy, gave Akihiko great patience to grow and pursue a future of his choosing. Which was easy for them to say, since generations of ancestors had served in the Lion navy and from a young age, Akihiko was committed to taking that path. The most rebellion he showed as a youth was his fascination with carriers and "the small ships," meaning the fighter and bomber corvettes, rather than his father's idea of small ships: destroyers and frigates.Taking the name of his starfighter-ace great-grandfather, Matsu Akihiko, at gempukku, one might have expected the young samurai to finally disappoint, having set too high of a standard for himself. But thus far, the opposite has been true.

Young Akihiko's father was a gunnery officer, retiring as senior chui aboard the Lion Clan Wakizashi-class cruiser Claw of Courage? He had long hoped his only son would follow in his footsteps. When Akihiko's first assignment with the Lion navy was on an Ono-class frigate, guarding Unicorn trade lanes from pirates, that dream was mostly complete. But that first tour is most notable for Akihiko's first partial kill, when the lucky young pilot, flying a shuttlecraft that probably should not have had any active weapon systems, finished off a damaged pirate corvette that was trying to disengage past Akihiko's vessel as he came up from the planet's surface.

The local Lion commander saw both actual and propaganda potential in Akihiko's improbable exploit, pushing the young man's sudden reassignment to advanced pilot training -- an experience captured and retold in a moderately popular reality/docu-series called "Son of Akodo" -- which set him on a new course. It was literally a dream come true for Akihiko, who gave the training, and his subsequent extended deployment in the Crossroads System, every ounce of dedication. With a vigor perhaps only possible for a now-20-year-old whose "down time" is playing competitive games like Fantasy Fight and cheering his flightmates at oshidama or their other pursuits.

"Goldenboy," as Akihiko was quickly dubbed by his original flightmates, got a cold reception when he arrived fresh from the flight academy (early 3122), toting more reputation than a young pilot could possibly live up to. But after four weeks of constant missions, Akihiko was an acting nikutai, had saved Ikoma "Zippy" Zansho from bogeys twice and had posted 1.5 kills at Crossroads alone. That pace wasn't really sustainable, and Akihiko has had several small injuries along the way, but after two years on the front lines, Akihiko is now a Crossroads Ace, gunso of his old flight -- and still has Zippy around as well. Among the ship's officers, there's a running joke about "How long 'til Goldenboy takes your job?" Though Akihiko is doing nothing to seek promotion, and certainly wouldn't want to leave the cockpit for any ship-board job, at least one group of officers has a pool going on how soon Akihiko will make chui.

Hooks:

coming

Name: Susumu Geppu
Gender: Male
Marital Status: Single
Occupation: Obsidian Magistrate-in-training, Marksman
Age: 24
Height: 5' 9"
Complexion: Pale
Build: Fit
Hair: Black
Eyes: Red
Notable Features: Full back tattoo of splay-winged crow with jade inlay

Geppu has freshly arrived from the Hive and is looking to do his duty the best he can and preferably find something pleasing to do in the meantime. This is his first meaningful leave in years and even if he is going to be forced into marrying someone he barely knows, he might as well make an occasion of it.

Standing a bit taller than what would be average for a Rokugani male, he displays little in the way of the usual Spider ornamental fashion, choosing to wear serviceable clothing that at least makes a nod towards the popular fashions of the day. He frequently wears an enclosed helmet with a matte black face shield that obscures his facial features. "Too used to breathing through a mask," is his frequent response as to why he bothers even in areas with perfectly serviceable atmosphere.

Helmetless:


Hooks!
- Do you like introducing the face of your enemy to a concentrated blast of energy from hundreds of feet away? So does Geppu and he'll gladly talk to you about it.
- Are you a fan of poetry? He's not amazing at it, but he'd love to hear about your inspirations.
- Do you have some level of social grace and interest in the activities of court? It'd be nice to talk to someone who isn't as socially gifted as a sack of hammers.

Gender: Male
Occupation: Professional chauffeur and attorney
Age: 20
Height: 5'7"
Build: Slender
Hair: Black
Eyes: A pale light blue
Homeworld: World of Dreams

The youngest of seven siblings and granted only the smallest inheritance of control over Kawakami Logistics, a corporation dominated by his immediate family, Nakaba was raised with the intent of supporting his older siblings in their future business ventures. The title "golden son" was often mocked towards him by his brothers and sisters as only Nakaba was allowed to be at his father's side during his many travels and dealings. Their father a powerful man estranged to his own family that only allowed Nakaba to observe the company's more delicate and high profile inner workings. Not uncommon within the world of business empires for those without inheritance to be entrusted with their sibling's dirty work.

Graduating among the top of his class at the Yasuki academy, Nakaba strangely turned down multiple high profile contracts of employment to instead return home to the World of Dreams. Refusing his own promising future to instead serve his family. With no care for prestige or status Nakaba executes his duties with high efficiency. Given clan oders, he has been assigned as an assistant to multiple corporate VIPs within the clan he ensures protection, procurement, and proper negotiation of Yasuki contracts. A life he had grown quite comfortable with until being summoned away for a miai of all things...

Hooks:

-Passionate gearhead for fast cars and the racing scene. Nothing beats a nice midnight cruise through the city. Want to come along?
-Man who deeply cares for his entire family and a pretty cool uncle if he says so himself. Album of pictures always at the ready, he's always happy to share and listen to your own family's adventures.
-Constant travel is one of the many perks in the world of business. Where have you been? What wonders have you witnessed? More importantly what do you think of its market growth and durability?

Gender: Male
Occupation: Scholar of the Spirit Realms
Age: 19
Height: 5'8"
Build: Slender
Hair: Brown
Eyes: Green
Homeworld: Kuwagata

Description:
Joo-Woo is a shugenja, and it is visible for many, not just from his clothes, but from his build. He is a bookish researcher primarily, though he does seem to have spent some time outside based on his tan. He prefers utilarian lothing over fashionable, though it does seem that some of his clothes are meant more for appeal than function, and he is appropriately uncomfortable in them.

What is known:
Joo-Woo hails from Kuwagata, from that nomadic planet. Studying the Spirit Realms, Joo-Woo has a rare ability to interact and commune with them directly, and has chosen this area as his focus of study. Rumor has it that he spent some time on other planets, but the spirit realms took a hold of him, and he went on a sabbatical. While coming to the miai, his ship was also attacked by pirates, and he himself injured. Luckily, he was discharged from the hospital before the miai is over, but he still needs to work on gaining recognition, and hopefully, a spouse.

Hooks:
- Are you interested in the Spirit Realms? Joo is too!
- Do you like painting? Joo is an amateur painter! Very amateur
- Joo is interested in meeting everyone due to his late start.