Marco Domici: Irene Pace

From the moment you first saw her, you knew Irene was a little different ... actually very different. She had gold toned skin, brown eyes and hip length black hair gathered into multiple messy braids. She had a round face with a square jaw atop a very large wide-hipped body. She was not fat, she was two full meters (6'6") and 180 kg (396#) of rock hard muscle. If not for her distinctive laugh and bright pastel clothing, she would have been terrifying.

Another E2, like you, Irene had 2 years seniority over you ... this was her First Term Fourth Year. You didn't mind being teamed up with Irene for missions, she was a good Marine and easy to get along with. (Besides, having someone with 3 years experience in Battle Dress, a MCUF, and a heavy support weapon might come in handy if you run into trouble.)

Getting to know her as a soldier, you learn that she is a Heavy Worlder ... born and raised on a world with nearly double standard gravity. As a result, she is physically too large to fit in Combat Armor or a standard Vacc Suit, so right out of basic, she was fitted with Battledress and trained as a Forward Observer. She eaned her MCUF in a Police action right after completing AIT. Irene saw a little zero-G combat serving on a warship last year (one of the ship's your unit was sent to - she was rotating home while your unit was rotating out), and came close to earning a second MCUF. Close enough that they decided to send her to Protected Forces Training, which is how you two met.

With lots of time spent just dealing with crappy conditions on some hell-hole of a world, you had a chance to talk and get to know Irene on a personal level. Her Birthday is October 6, she likes being a Marine and she likes getting into a brawl. She doesn't do well at formal education, being dyslexic and a kinetic learner, she hates written tests. She is mentally focused and quick thinking, not as dumb as her lack of formal education might lead you to think, and you learn that underestimating Irene in combat is a good way to get dead fast. She has high standards of personal discipline, but enjoys a flexible, laid-back lifestyle ... but she loves to party with friends and can keep up with anyone.

She has two brothers and four sisters and was raised by her father. She always seems to be in debt, and you discover that part of that is the money she sends home for her father's medical treatments. It seems Heavy Worlders age faster than normal people and tend to die young (aging rolls every three years instead of every four).

You learn that Irene had a fiancee. He isn't dead ("I'm not that lucky" Irene quips). Harvey Daugherty was a young inventor. Wealthy, hard working and career focused. Well liked, a social drinker and good at sports. But Harvey likes the ladies ... too many and a little too much. So Irene is accepting of being single and resigned to the life of a Marine.

You and Irene shared a noteworthy event during a training mission ... It was a simple mission to run field tests on some communications equipment on some airless rock ball. There were reports that the local miners were unhappy with the mine owners, but nothing of any concern. So you were skipping along in your Combat Armor (there is just no way to look 'cool' doing that low-G shuffle) and Irene was lumbering along in her battledress carrying all of the equipment like some robot pack mule. You completed the mission without incident, when the Lander at the evacuation zone came under attack from a MRL (multiple rocket launcher). Irene charged forward, clear of the landing craft, to engage the rockets with the Gatling laser mounted to her Battledress to protect the ship and crew. You joined her at the rim of the crater and provided suppression fire on the insurgents to keep them from rushing the ship or the Battledress. (Intercepting missiles required Irene's full attention). A crude tele-operated missile targeted the Battledress and Irene took a hard hit, throwing the Battledress several hundred feet and slamming it into the side of the ship. The suit breached and Irene injured, she continued to defend the ship while you patched the suit. A minute later, one of your Gunships arrived and made short work of the insurgents.

Irene received a MCUF for defending her unit under difficult circumstances and you received a commendation for lifesaving.