Professor Catherine Franklin:

Name: Professor Franklin
True Name: Catherine Franklin
Alignment: Scrupulous (Good)
Hit Points: 32 S.D.C.: 28
Attributes: I.Q.: 23 (+9%), M.E.: 10, M.A.: 12, P.S.: 11, P.P.: 15, P.E.: 11, P.B.: 14, SPD: 15
Height: 5 ft 8 in (1.75 Meters) Weight: 136 lbs (61.69 kg)
Age: 38 (Appears about 22 due to anti-aging drugs.) Race: Human Sex: Female P.P.E.: 16
Disposition:
Catherine Franklin is a scholar through and through. Her big love is the study of ancient alien races, spending years studying them. Her favorite area of study is an ancient race known as the "Valdemarians," a race closely related to the elven race around the Three Galaxies. She has been studying for years both what happened to them and trying to find out more technology.
She is in two different worlds, both comfortable in the world of the academic and that of an adventure. Professor Franklin enjoys teaching her interest in ancient cultures to her students. Long boring researches do not bother her. As well, she enjoys being on archaeological finds on distant planets. Some scholars do not like to get their hands dirty. Unlike some, she does not concern herself much with appearances and wears little in teh form of cosmetics or jewelry.
Being from a Utopian World, she has many of the cultural values that one might expect. As with many, she has anti-aging drugs from an early age. She is not especially religious and is pretty liberal in her views generally. She is a strong supporter of personally freedom. She also believes very strongly in democratic leadership. Finally, she hates to see people die, especially purposelessly. When some of her crew were killed, it bothered her more than it might a more combat oriented individual.
O.C.C.: Research Scientist (Rogue Scientist) Experience Level: Fourth (4) Experience Points: 10,000
Combat Skill: Hand to Hand; Basic & Boxing
Attacks per Melee: Six (6)
Bonuses, Combat: +0 to Strike, +3 to Parry, +3 to Dodge, +0 to Damage, +2 to Roll with punch, fall, or impact, +0 to Initiative, Critical of Natural 20.
Cybernetics: Universal Head jack & Ear Implant Only
Special Abilities:
Excellent Memory:.She has +5% in the skills of Archaeology, Xenology, and Lore: Galactic / Aliens.
Background Skills: Pilot: Pilot Hovercraft (+5%) 79%, Science: Mathematics - Basic (+15%) 84%, Technical: Language: Trade Four [Native] 98%, Literacy: Trade Four [Native] 98%
O.C.C. Skills: Communication: Radio: Basic (+10%) 79%, Electrical: Basic Electronics (+20%) 74%, Pilot: Pilot Automobile (+10%) 85%, Pilot Related: Read Sensory Instruments (+20%) 74%, , Science: Mathematics - Advanced (+20%) 89%, Technical: Computer Operation (+20%) 84%, Literacy: Elven (+40%) 94%, Wilderness: Land Navigation (+4%) 619%, Weapon Proficiencies, Modern: W.P. Energy Rifle (+4 aimed / +2 bursts).
O.C.C. Related Skills: Communication: Optic systems (+10%) 64%, T.V. / Video (+10%) 56%, Medical: Paramedic [Learned at Third Level] (+5%) 59%, Science: Anthropology (+20%) 64%, Archaeology (+20%) 69%, Biology (+20%) 74%, Botany (+20%) 69%, Xenology (+20%) 79%, Technical: Computer Programming (+15%) 69%, Language: Elven (+15%) 89%, Language: Trade One (+15%) 89%, Trade Six (+15%) 89%, Literacy: Trade One (+15%) 69%, Trade Six (+15%) 69%, Lore: Galactic / Alien (+15%) 69%, Writing [Learned at Third Level] (+15%) 54%
Secondary Skills: Espionage: Wilderness Survival 54%, Physical: Hand to Hand - Basic, Athletics - General, Climbing 64% / 54%, Swimming 74%, Weapon Proficiencies, Modern: W.P. Energy Pistol (+4 aimed / +2 bursts).
Appearance:
Catherine Franklin is not unattractive although does not consider herself to be very good looking. Still, she might be described as slightly mousey. Fairly slender, she is reasonably athletics. She has brown hair which is often slightly disheveled. Generally she keeps it fairly short, generally just below shoulder level. When she thinks about it, she may tie in a bun. As well, her eyes are brown. Her skin is fairly dark and she is a mixture of different ethnic backgrounds. Generally, she does not wear much in the way of cosmetics.
She generally dresses in business attire when teaching or dealing with others. She generally dresses in fairly plain cuts and prefers to be comfortable. Professor Franklin prefers greys, browns, and dark blues. Generally she looks just a little frumpled. When working in the field, she wears practical jumpsuits. She does not generally wear jewelry either.
Weapons of Note:
HW-19 Stun Pistol: Weight: 2 lbs (.9 kg)
Damage: Reduces PP and SPD by 3D6 and -3 to combat actions each hit. Once they reach zero, person is conscious but unable to move. Rate of Fire: Single shot only. Range: 1000 ft (305 m) payload: 20 shots
Ammunition (Used by Multiple weapons): 12 Long E-Clips.
Armor of Note:
CAF Jumpsuit: M.D.C.: 25, Weight: 12 lbs (5.4 kg), & -2% Prowl Penalty.
Other Equipment:
Vehicles: None
Clothing: Business Uniforms, Jumpsuits, Casual Clothing, Work Shoes, Hats, and Underwear.
Other Items: Feminine Items, Comb and Brush, Phase World HPC, PPD/Pocket Digital Disc Player and Recorder, High Quality Recording Equipment, Portable Language Translator, Full Size Micro Computer, Writing Gear and Notebook, Sketch Pad or Blank Paper, Normal Binoculars, Knapsack, Back Pack, Laser Distance Finder, Multi-Optic Gear, Picks and Digging Gear (Including Fine Gear), Specimen Cases and Bags, Carrying Case for Artifacts, Long Range Radio, and Survival Gear.
Valuables: 80,000 credits

Background:

Catherine Franklin was born on the planet Marcette. It is one of the core worlds of the Consortium of Civilized Worlds and almost a Utopia World in many respects. Her childhood was fairly typical in most respects. She always had a keen interest in Xeno-Archeology, the science of studying ancient races long gone from the Three Galaxies.

She went for first her masters and then her doctorate in the field of Xeno-Archaology from the Borge University on the planet of Belgica. Her greatest interest was a race called the Valdemarians, an elven culture from tens of thousands of years in the past. Her doctoral dissertation was on this race. Dr Franklin's interest was never really in the engineering but the culture itself.

The Valdemarians were a culture which only inhabited a very small number of star systems although their technology was incredibly advanced. They were masters of gravity weaponry, gamma radiation lasers, advanced automation, and artificial intelligence. In most respects, their technology is on part with the most advanced technology by the Consortium and Trans-Galactic Empire. Surprisingly for being so closely related to elves, they seemed to have practiced little to no magic.

It appears as if the Valdemarians got into wars with several neighboring groups although always seemed to have been victorious. Something happened though, some kind of incredible natural disaster. There was an object in the center of the cluster of systems which the Valdemarians inhabited. It appears to have been some kind of neutron star from appearances. It seems to have created a massive explosion which wiped them out. Why they could not escape with faster than light drives is unknown even now though there is some speculation.

After completing her doctorate, Dr Franklin spend some time over the next few years in archaeological projects in what was once Valdemarian space. In addition, she also spent times exploring other extinct cultures in the Three Galaxies to round out her knowledge. Over the years, she began to become known in Xeno-Archaeological circles especially with respect to the Valdemarian civilization. Several important works on the Valdemarian from her were published.

Eventually she took a professor position in the Moria University on the planet of Angelus. Angelus is not a member of the Consortium but is a surprisingly wealthy planet. One reason for this is that the planet grows organic compounds used in anti-aging drugs. While the planet has a moderate population compared to many in the Consortium, the planet has some of the more advanced schools which can be found. She taught there for eight years, starting as a junior professor and slowly through the ranks.

It is likely that she would have gained tenure in a few years but she found some old records which she decided had to be explored. There were records from one of the first explorers of Valdemarian controlled space. What he had found was some ruins which appeared to be from the Valdemarians outside of what is normally considered their space. There seemed to be some surviving ruins on the planet.

She used all of her savings to mortgage a small scout ship and pay a crew to fly the ship out to the system which the old records pointed to. The trip out to the system near Valdemarian, time investigating, and the return trip took eight months. She did make various interesting discoveries although nothing definitive. A better funded expedition might have been able to find out more.

She returned to Angelus, expecting to be able to gather interest in a new expedition. Unfortunately the planet was suffering from some domestic instability and she was unable to get any financial backing for a second expedition. She also had debts on the starship which had purchased and the vessel was seized. She did not have any real starship skills so was dependent on the crew.

Suddenly the crew which she had hired began disappearing and later dying. The first one she thought nothing but after the second and third incidents, she became extremely concerned. The whole situation was baffling because the professor did not think she had seen anything worth killing over, not having found much in the way of military technology. She had a few artifacts although they did not seem especially valuable ether. The professor had the only co-ordinates of the system thought with the scout ship’s navigator core erased.

Sometimes the truth is stranger than fiction. There was a team surrounding her dwelling, appearing to be ready to kidnap her. Then rescue came. A Draconid by the name of Tsa'rhyn found some strange anomalies and decided to investigate it. Him and a number of the crew of a ship called the "Monkey Fist" rescued her. While they captured several of the kidnappers, there was little to go on. They were hired though intermediaries. She was smuggled aboard the Monkey Fist and given a false identity.

Curious about the Valdemarians, Tsa'rhyn persuaded the remainder of the crew that it would be interesting to investigate the ruins near what was once Valdemarian space.

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Writeup by Kitsune (E-Mail Kitsune).

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