Name: Roy Spencer
Position: Infantry--sniper specialist/Security Chief for the ESN Hermes
Rank: Sergeant Major of the Corps
Age: appears to be in his early 40s
Gender: male

Appearance: Average in height (close to 5'10", but he has a slight tendency to slouch, so it's hard to know for certain), with a very lean, wiry build.  His dark hair has started graying early, going salt-and-pepper at the temples and sideburns, the contrast with the rest of his hair made less apparent by keeping it cropped short.  His skin is tanned, the kind of weathered tan that results from a lifetime in the elements, with creases around his eyes and mouth that make him look older.  His hazel eyes, with hints of green to them, are intense and alert, however, and have a youthful energy behind them that is at odds with the faded exterior he presents.  The overall effect is, in fact, something of an 'ageless' feel, that defies easy categorization.


Equipment load-out:  Never completely unarmed...even in the privacy of his own quarters, there's always at least a knife within easy reach.  During 'down-time' on board the ship, he carries a kukri (curved, heavy-bladed Nepalese knife) and a pistol of apparent non-human origin.  On combat missions, the gear changes, according to the expected demands of the operation.

Personality:  Laconic in manner but intense in focus, he's slow to anger, quick to smile, and rarely laughs aloud.  His devotion to the battle at hand is unswerving, but he's got patience to wait for just the right blow to strike, and the emotional steadiness to keep his crosshairs on the target when the world is going to hell around him.  With regards to his personal life, he's reluctant to talk much, though he'll listen sympathetically to almost anyone...for a while.  If he thinks a person is just whining about life, he'll call them on it...but he's very supportive of anyone who's got a valid problem, and will do what he can to help a friend, even at great inconvenience to himself.

History:  He grew up in the Four Corners area of the Southwestern United States, the only white kid in the midst of a bunch of Native Americans.  And while they were never overtly hostile, he was never really welcomed into the group.  As a result, he's never really felt like he had 'peers'...at least, not until he got into the military.  He spent a lot of his teens and twenties living out on the land, surviving by his own skills and wits, stalking and trapping game and scavenging what he needed from the wilderness for weeks at a time.  He almost missed out on the recruitment rounds, until someone mentioned 'sharpshooters', and one of his neighbors mentioned him in response.  He's a natural at fieldcraft, and lethal with a rifle at ranges that would make most others squint just to find a target.  He was almost passed over for selection because there were doubts he'd have the resilience to operate alone with a heavy weapon (gauss rifles were the latest trend in sniper tech, since the last century had actually brought someone who knew how to make hyper-sonic-durable rounds and a power-pack that was actually small enough to be man-portable)--but his wiry build proved to be as capable as many a would-be linebacker when it came to the burden.  He's passed sniper training with honors...but in many ways, becoming a sniper has only enforced his sense of separation.

Anyone who's seen him in full dress uniform would immediately notice the ribbons and medals on display.  Not counting the commendations received before he joined the ESN (a not inconsiderable amount, after twenty years in the Corps), he displays the following with a quiet certitude:

Awards:  Sanri Bronze Star
         ESN Bronze Star (five times decorated)
         ESN Silver Star (eleven times decorated)
         ESN Gold Star (six times decorated)
         ESN Purple Heart (three times decorated)
         ESN Navy Cross
         Angel Silver Star (twice decorated)
         Angel Gold Battle Star
         Angel Burning Star
         AP Silver Star (thrice decorated)
         AP Bronze Star (twice decorated)
         Skith Bronze Star
         Felrite Starpaw
         Felrite Silver Star
         APF Silver Star (nine times decorated)
         APF Gold Star (twice decorated)
         APF Combat Action Ribbon (twice decorated)
         Nivarian Golden Web
         Udenese Bronze Star
         Udenese Silver Apple
         Udenese Order of the Tree