Avery Sykes

Avery Sykes, Jr.
Profile
Origin	Liberty
Occupation	Bush Pilot
Gender	Male
Affiliation	Freelancer
Rank	Lieutenant, Liberty Navy (discharged)
Status	Active
Born	787 A.S., Ouray Base, Colorado
Died	N/A

Avery Sykes, Jr. (callsign "Sledge") is a freelancer operating out of the Colorado System. He was born and raised in the two-bit criminal society of Ouray Base, a remote bandit outpost near Ames Research Station, where his parents worked until they downsized the operation. Like a great deal of the ex-employees, they were not wealthy people, and decided to meek out a living on the fringe of society. Avery was conceived shortly before their arrival and was delivered on the asteroid, taking his mothers life in the process. His father never fully reconciled with him, but begrudgingly raised him until he was old enough to work alongside him on smuggler crews. Their emotional distance lessened as they bonded over Avery's apprenticeship. Not only did he excel at maintaining a ship, he could fly one as well, and for that his father was proud. The prospect of life as a freighter captain excited young Avery.

Honor exists even among some rogues, and Avery's father had run in to a considerable gambling debt among them. Avery was targeted for extortion once his father was caught, but he managed to escape his pursuers by enlisting in the Liberty Navy, where he rose to the rank of Lieutenant - something he held with distinction until it became clear he was taking exorbitant bribes. As swiftly as he had risen, so too did he fall. Today, Avery lives on Planet Denver, from which he runs a profitable bush piloting operation. Savvy travelers choose him for safe passage through treacherous territory.

Avery is the seasoned captain of a second-hand Z-1650 "Bactrian", the Hollywood, that he has personally refurbished (and rearmed). A childhood dream to own one, he is extremely proud of his ship and refuses to upgrade on the basis of, "if it ain't broke, don't fix it". When it's docked in Denver, Avery can be found tinkering with it at his garage, or knocking back drinks with nice a cigar at the cantina. He attends regular poker games on board the Battleship Rio Grande; close connections with his Navy buddies provide him a finger on the steady pulse of fleet movement.

Clipper Hollywood Z-1650 "Bactrian" Freighter