Jack of Harts

One of the main ideas of the Jack of Harts universe is that all fighter pilots have cybernetic partners that agree to work with them. And the cybernetic families have the final say on whether or not their sons and daughters will work with a person. If you don’t get one of those families to choose you, don’t expect to be a front line combat fighter pilot. Oh, you can be a shuttle pilot, or fill in for dozens or hundreds of other jobs, but without a cyber to work with you, you’ll never be able to stand up against a true pilot and cyber team.

The pilot and cyber team is the benchmark of the Jack universe’s fighter combat. Only a cyber has the reaction time to dodge incoming fire, shoot down incoming fire, keep track of enemy craft, and shoot them all at the same time. Combat happens in split seconds and no purely biological human can keep up with it. But even the best cybers aren’t as…random as biological humans. They are the best AIs built by man, and they cross the line on the sophont tests. At least those administered by the Western Alliance. The Russians and the Chinese disagree, of course. But the point is that even the best cybers lack the zany and crazy randomness inherent in a biological existence. They calmly factor all information and do what is best. Given the correct information, they will choose the best and correct path every time. And because of that, they can be predicted. But biological humans will do the unexpected, they will follow hunches without evidence, and yes they will make mistakes.

Working together, the cyber and pilot can perform at a level far greater than the sum of their parts. And because the cyber is born to be with their pilot, their style and looks almost always complement that person. Things get complicated when they chose another pilot, whether through the death of the pilot or the abrogation of a partnership. The changes can often be radical, reflecting the necessary changes in their base programming required to work with a new pilot. Natalie is an example of that, shown here in one of the outfits she wore when working with Jack.

High res version available for free on Patreon

Drew Keawe was a real life princess, a first daughter of the Star Kingdom of Hawaii, and a hopeless optimist according to some. Why she was included in Jack’s part of Cowboy squadron is a mystery to everyone, including myself if I’m being honest. The truth is that she wasn’t even a name when I wrote the first early draft of what would later be Forge of War. She died and that was that. It was later, when I started doing backstories for each character so I could understand them more, that she became a Princess of Hawaii. I have no idea why. It just happened one day. She’s dead now of course, but do not believe for a moment that is the end of her story.

Like most of the characters I write or obsess about to a greater or lesser degree, I’ve generated her in full CG and with many different styles. Hair, clothing, skin color, body shape, and the like. I use DAZ Studio, a free program, to do all of my rendering, and pick up assets on sale that I find interesting. I mix and match everything kinda like a puzzle, and come up with unique looks that I like or find intriguing. I think Drew became a princess after I finished her design in 3D.

One of the more amusing clothing pieces I’ve picked up over time is a particularly good set of bell-bottomed blue jeans. I don’t use them much because I don’t do many hippy treehuggers, despite the constant joke of applying that term to the Peloran. But when I was later looking for a common style between a slightly rebellious Princess of Hawaii and her cybernetic partner, the bell-bottoms jumped out and said “hello” to me.

So here is a slightly different than originally-planned look for Drew “Hula” Keawe, slightly insubordinate Princess of Hawaii. And if Jasmine has anything to say on the matter, maybe we’ll see Drew wearing it again one day. Jasmine misses the pilot she was born to be with you know, and she may have some ideas on bringing her back in some way. Just saying. There are lots of ideas popping around in the back of Jasmine’s mind. Which of course is really my mind, but most writers are used to just a little bit of split personalities when it comes to their craft. Characters smacking us upside our heads is how many of us get most of our best ideas, you know. 😉

So Drew may be dead, and there may have been a time when I thought that was the totality of her story. But sometimes I’m wrong, and we just might see more of a certain princess in the future…

High rez version available for free on Patreon

High rez version available for free on Patreon