[Metroid Equis] Sydney Exeter: A Closer Look · 3:33am Jan 8th, 2016
Some downtime in Las Vegas for CES, so while I work on a commission, I thought I'd push something else out for the fans and those who follow the story. Let's get started!
Sydney Exeter
The death of Captain Andrew C. Exeter and his company on the surface of Aether due to an Ing attack was a demoralizing loss for many soldiers in the Galactic Federation 4th Fleet and 14th Infantry. He is survived by his younger sister, Sydney, who received his commendations and medals posthumously.
A soldier much like her late older brother, Sydney Exeter held her brother to the highest regard, and was right behind him in line to enlist in the GFMC, lying about her age to get into the military with her brother who did not wish to wait. While Andrew rose quickly through the ranks as a rifleman and a leader, Sydney took a slightly alternate course with a penchant for heavy weaponry. While she had no desire (nor the patience) to train as a full-fledged Missile Trooper, Sydney's skill lay not only with an assault rifle, but with a machine gun. She excelled in both belt-fed and core-powered guns. Her ability to think quickly on her feet and switch roles at an instant (a trait she attributes to her brother's influence) landed her as a multi-role trooper in Crusader Squad, Special Forces, something that Andrew always took immense pride in on behalf of his little sis. Originally a replacement for a casualty, she found her place comfortably under the command of Captain Jacob Dittmar. Her skills were sharpened under his leadership, and she immediately formed a strong bond with a new recruit Nathan Krandor and eventually, Arianna Guerrera. A few combat sorties earned her two battlefield promotions to Sergeant. The subsequent operation in Equestria against the Space Pirates earned her another promotion to Lieutenant.
While the straight, amber hair, soothing blue eyes, and lightly-tanned, fair skin afforded her a sightly and often unassuming appearance, most quickly learned to take her seriously. Sydney was always known to have a fun, spry side to her. While she knew how to behave and act in battle, she had little hesitation with jumping on her brother's back when he least expected and had him carry her. She would also have few qualms with dragging Arianna out of her shell and off to somewhere interesting, nor have a problem in bantering with Nathan nor the Captain. Razor-sharp wit and tactical sense in combat easily testified to her ability and deservance of a position in the Special Forces, proving herself a reliable, valuable soldier time and time again.
However, her personality changed upon Andrew's death.
The news broke her completely, and for the following few weeks, her morale had sullen to quantitatively nothing. What hurt her more was a small series of ironies. Andrew Exeter's unit was short on a few troops a few days before departure on patrol, and Sydney volunteered immediately for temporary transfer to be with her brother. Jacob approved it and Command signed off on it... but at nearly the last second, it was no longer necessary. She never knew, jokingly dejected, that she would wave goodbye to her brother for the last time. The rest of her squad could sometimes hear her mumbling in the nights, during her mourning period, that she 'should have died with him on Aether.'
The help of her friends and comrades, new and old come the Equis Campaign, did well to break her out of her stupor and fight like the proven soldier she was. Little by little she gained her personality back during and after the course of the conflict, and she soon accepted that Andrew would not want her to constantly dwell on him. She still pays her respects to her fallen sibling, but happily marches on with a hardened, ever vigilant demeanor she's known for, content in knowing that her brother was always proud of the soldier his 'little sis' had become.
Thanks again, guys! Let me know what you think! Remember, if you have any more requests about anything or anyone, an analysis to a degree I can't exactly go into during the story, be sure to let me know and I'll gladly add to these without spoilers!
Pretty cool backstory. I have to wonder, though, how one lies about their age in a futuristic civilization.