Planet Zar: Nexus
Merete
BONDED TO FIRRETH
BASICS
| Name | Merete Konjin | Gender | Male |
|---|---|---|---|
| Species | Human | Pronouns | he/him |
| Age | 54 | Height: | 5'9" |
| Residence | The Heimdall | Rank | Intelligence Division, General Secretary |
Personality
There's nothing Merete enjoys more than having power over people - and knowledge is the best sort of power. The one augmentation Merete's had done to himself (personally implemented by Dr. Krum herself) was to give himself perfect memory. No need for paperwork or data trails when Merete can recall everything he knows perfectly. He's greatest collection is the myriad of dirt he has on nearly everyone of import in the Heimdall. He's an exceptional investigator with an ability to read people that might rival a minor telepath. He's cultivated a host of skills in diplomacy, hacking, language, and psychology in order to give himself every possible advantage. He vets his friends carefully and demands absolute loyalty from them - which leaves him with a small circle of people he's truly close to.Merete's pride is unchallenged. He's egotistical, manipulative, and self-serving. Any kindness or charity he provides comes with a price tag to be repaid when he sees fit. He loves having people in his pocket. He's an opportunist, pragmatic to a fault, and approaches every interaction as if it's a transaction. He presents himself as a sympathetic ear, genial and altruistic, but this is very much a mask and he drops his disguise as soon as he's acquired his prey.
For all his coldhearted apathy, Merete can be sentimental - dangerously so - with the right people. He truly loves his children, despite not having them in his life anymore, and his calm facade can be shattered if they're threatened. This includes his "found family", Asco Zammis. Merete is aware these are dangerous weaknesses but he can't stand the thought of turning his back on his favorite people.
History
Childhood: Born into poverty on a small human colony. The youngest of four siblings, whose parents worked in dangerous ore mines. Their home colony was riddled with crime, primarily the trade of illegal narcotic substances. Merete's childhood was bleak, and became bleaker when his mother suffered a serious injury in the mine, losing her arm and ability to work. Advanced prostheses weren't uncommon, but they were more expensive than the Konjin family could afford. Unable to support their family, Merete and his siblings were distributed through the colony's poorly run foster system, where they lost touch with one another. Merete used his cunning and wits to survive, keeping a low profile, avoiding trouble. Or, at least, avoiding getting caught. Merete dealt narcotics in bits and trickles wherever he could, slowly saving up a tidy sum of money. When he'd earned enough to buy a ticket off the planet, he left immediately and never looked back.Early Adulthood: Merete was determined to make his living through legal means now that he'd escaped his impoverished colony. He landed on a space station with a bustling population and quickly found work as a secretary for a finance director. He made a tidy living and had a comfortable life. It was during this period he met Laxmi, an information broker that used Merete's bosses' services. He was smitten with her at first sight and the two shared a long courtship. Merete eventually proposed and the two married shortly after. Merete didn't want his children to face the same hardships he did and secretary work wasn't going to be enough to provide for the large family Merete desired. He began helping with Laxmi's information brokering business, but Merete was enticed by bigger (and more dangerous) fish. While their family grew, so did Merete's desire for power and money. He kept his nefarious dealings from Laxmi as long as he could. But Laxmi was a cunning information broker of a higher caliber and it was only a matter of time before she discovered what Merete was up to. They fought. Arguments long and loud about protecting their family vs providing for them. Laxmi kicked Merete out - she wouldn't have her children's lives endangered because of Merete's ego.
The Heimdall: Merete left his bank accounts to his family and left with nothing - the same situation he'd been in when he left his home colony. He kept his unscrupulous contacts and built up his savings once again, but was in search of a more permanent position. A client requested Merete to find some dirt on an upstart mercenary organization; the Heimdall. Merete managed to break into their servers with little effort but most of what he saw was clean. And promising. Rather than selling the information to the client, he contacted the Heimdall directly and informed them of their security breach. He offered his services to them. The Heimdall accepted, and Merete began his work in Heimdall's intelligence division.
Merete proved himself a shrewd and invaluable resource and made quick friends with Dr. Krum. He climbed the ranks quickly, pragmatic and opportunistic, until he became the head of his division. Several of the Heimdall's most promising recruits were hand chosen by Merete. He's rarely in contact with his family (by Laxmi's choice) but sends his children money regularly to keep them comfortable.
Abilities
MEMORY DRIVEMerete has a single cybernetic augmentation: internal cranial hardware that gives him a perfect memory
Connections
Gallery