Aparna Kade
Captain of Cygnus (a.k.a. Basilisk)
Personal History
Childhood
Aparna was born on the SS Korision, a very conservative and patriarchal Ironhome settlement that believed in extremely strict gender roles, especially for women. Aparna grew up in the Girls' Quarters with the expectation that she would be married off to a community elder when she started menstruating. Aparna wasn't close to any of her own relatives or siblings but did form a bond with Astrid, who was only about two years older than her. Astrid was married off at the age of 12 but proved so troublesome to her husband that he soon gave her up and she was married off several times more before suffering "an unfortunate accident" when she was 15. The day before she died, however, Astrid snuck back into the Girls' Quarters, pressed an iron fragment into Aparna's hand, and told Aparna to never let anyone control her or dictate who she was. Aparna didn't start menstruating at 12 and for a while, she was hopeful that this would mean she was barren. Per the traditions of the SS Korision, this meant she would become an Auntie. She would live in the Women's Quarters but she wouldn't be forced to marry. Aparna wasn't happy with life on the SS Korision, but this did seem like the best possible fate she could imagine for a female-bodied person, given that all she knew was the ways and traditions of her society. That dream came crashing down when she had her first menses at the age of 14. Aparna promptly had a panic attack but calmed herself by grasping the iron fragment Astrid had given her one year prior. That night, Aparna went to the hangar and stole the ship that was biometrically keyed to her shitbag of a father. She was able to use their biological similarities to override the locks and "update" his biometrics with hers. That was when she swore an ironvow to build a home that would be a sanctuary for the deserving and the helpless. She abandoned the surname of her father and set off for the stars. At the first new station she reached, Aparna adopted as her surname the first word she saw: Kade.Work as a Courier
Kade spent the next eleven and a half years working as a data courier, taking information from one end of the Forge to the next. In this time, they became a more-than-decent pilot of their ship Cygnus, and forged a fast friendship with the ship's overseer AI, who she affectionately named Zigy. During this time, Kade made friends all across the Forge, often with those commonly considered the scum of polite society. Kade's good-thing-going came to an abrupt end, however, when she let herself get embroiled in some very expensive drama that she doesn't really feel like talking about. As a result, she was unable to pay all her debts when the shit hit the fan and her ship was impounded at an Outlands station. There, Kade remained for nearly half a year until her acquaintance Blake Solas sent a Terminus-born trader her way. His name was Rokuro Kobayashi, and he needed a ship. He purchased Cygnus but, due to the ship being biometrically linked to Kade, was forced to pay off the rest of her debts and hire her on as captain of her own ship if he wanted to have any hope of taking it anywhere.Rok's Rock
Kade doesn't think very much of the fancy pants poncey Terminus sofboi who stole her ship. Sure, he's smart, but probably not nearly as smart as he thinks he is. He's also stuffy, overly precise when it comes to numbers (though not even Kade can admit that he's kind of brilliant when it comes to mathematics). Unaware that Rokuro prefers the nickname "Roku," Kade calls him "Rok," and is unaware that he hates this. They are aware that he dislikes when she calls him "Ku-Ku," so Kade saves that for when they're mad at him. By far the weirdest thing about "Rok," however, is his rock. It's an ordinary rock, like a stone from any ground on any planet anywhere. But if you stare at it for long enough, you start to see things. Images and things. Weird visions of an incredible paradise. Roku is determined to find it, and that's why he needs Kade and their ship. Wild goose chases, but whatever. Money is money.Physical Description
Apparel & Accessories
Kade wears the iron shard that Astrid gave her on a metal thong around their neck at all times. It's usually under her shirt.
Specialized Equipment
- 2 really nice quality blasters that Kade won in a card game
- Good quality anti-grav belt for planetary exploration
- Extremely rare tome about space magic that Kade picked up somewhere ("like, whatevs")
- Digital file of "The Jabberwocky" that Kade knows by heart
Mental characteristics
Personal history
Kade doesn't talk much about growing up in one of the hyper-conservative Voidborn enclaves, but she's never forgotten how her experiences there set her on the path she's on. Aparna grew up as one child of many, in a patriarchal system where women were reproductive commodities and female gender presentation was a strict prescription.
Aparna was 14 when she left, and really only being a "late bloomer" is what saved them from being married off to some community elder long before then. The first time she menstruated, she knew she had run out of time. She stole a ship that had been biometrically keyed to her shitty biological father, and she was able to use that weak connection to hack the ship and link it to her and her alone. That was also the day Aparna chose to abandon the surname inherited from her father and adopted the surname she wears today: Kade.
Gender Identity
Kade grew up in a strictly conservative and patriarchal society, so their first act upon leaving was to cut their hair and put on a pair of trousers. This act of rebellion soon turned into an act of discovery as Kade realized that while she often resonated with a female gender identity, there was a significant part of them that was often nonbinary. Kade adopted she/they pronouns and is comfortable with people using either for them. Her general vibe, if asked, is to oscillate between "enby femme" and "femme enby."
Sexuality
Kade is attracted to men and masculine presenting people
Employment
Kade worked most frequently as a data courier from the age of 14 (when she left the station where she grew up) until recently, when she got embroiled in some expensive drama. This resulted in her beloved ship Cygnus getting impounded and Kade being stranded on the Outlands space station where it had been taken. Now she's employed by the guy who bought her ship, the Terminus-born trader Rokuro Kobayashi, as a captain and general guide ("protector") while he chases wild fantasies all across the Forge.
Mental Trauma
Kade is scarred and shaped by the experiences of their past. She was never close with her parents or siblings growing up, but she did form a strong bond with an older girl named Astrid. Astrid was only two years older than Kade and they grew up in the Girls' Quarters together. Astrid was married off at twelve (when she began menstruating) but made things so difficult for her husband that he sent her back. Several more unsuccessful marriages later and Astrid "suffered an unfortunate accident" at the age of fifteen, but not before breaking into the Girls' Quarters the night before and pressing a shard of iron into Aparna's hand. Astrid told Aparna to never give in and never let the elders define her.
That was the day that 13-year-old Aparna began to plan her escape from the station.
Morality & Philosophy
Kade likes to present as rough and tumble but inside, she has a heart of gold. The vow they made the night they stole their ship and set off for the stars, Kade vowed to build a home that will be a sanctuary for the deserving, the weak, and the oppressed.
Kade is unable to turn down someone in a dire situation in need of help, most especially if that someone is a woman or a child.
Personality Characteristics
Motivation
Kade has sworn an ironvow to build a home that will be a sanctuary for the deserving and desperate.
Kade has also sworn an ironvow to follow the coordinates of the Edenstone wherever they lead.
Relationships
Nicknames & Petnames
Kade calls Roku "Rok" when she's not mad at him and "Ku-Ku" when she's trying to be irritating. She does not appear to realize that Roku doesn't like being called "Rok."
Currently Boarded Vehicle
Species
Age
26
Date of Birth
10 Octrion
Birthplace
SS Korision
Spouses
Siblings
Children
Pronouns
she/they
Sex
Female
Gender
Woman/Nonbinary
Presentation
Androgynous
Eyes
large brown eyes
Hair
short dark brown hair
Height
5'6"
Weight
123 lb
Related Plots
Related Reports
Character Prototype
Rough & Tumble With a Heart of Gold
Comments