Rose Morgan
From ExodusWar
| Rose "Thorny" Morgan | |
|---|---|
 A portrait of Rose Morgan. | |
| Birth | March 19, 2269 Ah Kin, Alpha Centauri System |
| Death | April 29, 2322 Earth, Sol System |
| Allegiance(s) | Onyx Empire |
| Profession | Pilot |
| Recognitions | General (Onyx Empire) |
| Achievements | "Raven's Wings" Test Pilot |
Rose "Thorny" Morgan (born March 19, 2269) was born on Ah Kin, in the Alpha Centauri System. She led an exciting young life, dropping out of school with her best friend, Marcus Rathbone, to become a stunt pilot.
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[edit] The Inverted Tandem Dust-Up
Morgan and Rathbone were an inseperable team, and despite their low income they were in high demand on the stunt circuit. In 2289, they made history by performing an "inverted tandem dust-up". The two pilots flew their stunt planes upside down, less than two meters apart from each other, at an altitude of five meters, for a distance of ten kilometers, at speeds exceeding Mach 3. The feat was not so difficult for instruments, but both pilots manually operated their aircraft the entire time.
[edit] Consultant
After their famous stunt, Morgan and Rathbone went their separate ways, though they maintained a close friendship. Rathbone became a private flight instructor. Morgan wanted a more comfortable lifestyle and some financial security, so she went into business as an aircraft safety consultant. Morgan assisted Alexi-Wrought Airworks in developing several failsafe systems, and occasionally flew an aircraft through a live test of the failsafe system.
[edit] The Raven's Wings
When the Onyx Empire became the de-facto ruler of Ah Kin in 2300, the Royal Imperial Labs began several military technology projects. Among them was "Project Raven", which developed the famous F-4 Raven fighter. Rose Morgan's position at Alexi-Wrought and her background as a stunt pilot earned her a spot among the "Raven's Wings" test pilots.
[edit] "Thorny"
When the Onyx Empire's forces were revealed to the public at large, Morgan was indifferent about the idea of going to war against Earth, but was enamored by the charisma of Lucius Black and his Imperial regime. She eagerly joined the newly-formed Royal Imperial Air Force, where she rose through the ranks as a flight instructor and flight leader.
Like her friend Marcus Rathbone, Morgan was a natural at training others. Unlike Rathbone, she had no patience for the unimaginative and dull wit of her "vat"-grown pilots. She would frequently blow up in a fiery temper at the recruits, and quickly earned the nickname "Thorny" for her unapproachable demeanor. There was a saying among the Air Force's pilots; "If you weren't a Raven's Wing, you're no one to Thorny."
[edit] The Imperial Civil War
When the Imperial Civil War started, Morgan remained loyal to the Empire. She was stationed at an important airbase when Marcus Rathbone told her that he was planning to defect. Morgan planned to alert the garrison forces, hoping to use her influence to save Rathbone's life, even if his career would be over. In the ensuing struggle between Rathbone and Morgan, Rathbone got the upper hand, subduing her in a sleeper hold. Unfortunately, he slipped, crushing her windpipe and killing her.
Rose Morgan is fondly remembered by Marcus Rathbone and most pilots who trained under him. Despite her loyalty to the Empire, she is memorialized as a friend and teacher, whose accomplishments in the field of aircraft safety saved many lives.
