Betty is a cybernetic intelligence born to be a fighter. With Jack, she pilots an F-12 Avenger starfighter as part of the Marine Fighter Attack Squadron/Wing 112, the Cowboys. Whenever she thinks she can get away with not being in uniform, she prefers to wear a yellow sundress and sandals. It is her way of reminding herself that even if she was born to fight, The War does not define her. She looks forward to an end to The War, and hopes one day to explore the galaxy.
In an effort to secure their new supersoldiers from being turned against them, the Albion built a series of behavioral laws into the Peloran genetic code. Do no harm to any Albion, or allow harm to come to an Albion if you can act to stop it. Protect your own existence at all costs, unless doing so would harm an Albion. Follow the orders of any duly appointed Albion superior, even if it violates the other laws. Many researchers have commented on their similarity to Asimov’s Laws of Robotics with interest. These laws were built into the genetic code of every Peloran after they were developed, and became the foundation of the greatest army the galaxy had ever known up to that time. They were impossible to turn against their masters, and exceptionally hard to kill. Though there was a weakness in the laws that Albion’s enemies learned to exploit.
This is a time of year that we try to remind ourselves about the basic goodness of mankind. A season of taking time off from work and school. We go out of our way to spend time with family and friends. We give gifts to each other. We celebrate the coming New Year with Yule logs on the fire and Mistletoe hung in strategic places in hopes of sneaking a kiss or two from a random or not-so-random stranger. We call for Peace on Earth and Good Will towards Men. Sometimes we get it. Often we do not. But at least we try. Most of us. That gives me hope for humanity.
Betty is a cybernetic intelligence born to be a fighter. With Jack, she pilots an F-12 Avenger starfighter as part of the Marine Fighter Attack Squadron/Wing 112, the Cowboys. Whenever she thinks she can get away with not being in uniform, she prefers to wear a yellow sundress and sandals. It is her way of reminding herself that even if she was born to fight, The War does not define her. She looks forward to an end to The War, and hopes one day to explore the galaxy.
Today I found out that Carrie Fisher died. 2016 has shown a lot of people dying. People who I will forever miss. Musicians and actors that I loved. So many. But today we lost one who has truly dominated my destiny in a way that none of those others have.
I only knew her from Star Wars. I knew she did other stuff, but Star Wars was where I met her. I wore out video tapes watching those movies over and over in my childhood. I memorized those movies, and I purchased every Star Wars book I could find. And then they began coming out with NEW Star Wars books. The timeline moved beyond the end of Jedi for the first time in my life and showed us what happened later. It showed us how Leia Organa Solo, her husband, and her brother continued to fight the Empire and protect the fledgling New Republic from utter destruction. I remember her raising her children as she fought for freedom in the galaxy. She was the ultimate bad ass mother, turning the galaxy on its ear through the force of her will. She kicked a returned Emperor’s ass when her brother failed. She out maneuvered enemies across the galaxy through cunning and subtlety. And she changed the destiny of a galaxy far far away by simply being there and refusing to ever surrender to the Empire or its minions.
All of this was written by people who watched Carrie Fisher play Princess Leia in those three Star Wars movies. They took the life she breathed into that role and built a galaxy-changing character with decades of experience fighting the Empire and finally driving it into the corners of the galaxy. She even served as President of the Republic, and introduced many of us to the idea that a woman could be President.
Carrie Fisher gave life to one of my generation’s greatest heroes.
A Princess. A Rebel. A Mother. A Jedi. A President.
She will be missed.
Forge of War on Amazon
Angel Flight on Amazon
Angel Strike on Amazon
Angel War on Amazon
Wolfenheim Rising on Amazon
Wolfenheim Emergent on Amazon