Post by Andromeda on Oct 10, 2012 19:44:58 GMT -5
ANDROMEDA
- Real Name: Laurel Gand
- Codename: Andromeda
- Nicknames: Laur, Gand, Laura Monel [Human Alias]
- Species: Daxamite
- Gender: Female
- Age: A little into her fifth Daxam Cycle, equivalent to sixteen human years due to Daxam being a giant planet with a much larger/slower orbit.
- Alignment: Legion of Superheroes
- Face Claim: Original Legion Comic "Andromeda" appearance.
- Powers:
- Daxamite Physiology: While similar in many regards to humans physiologically, Daxamites are more highly evolved with a more efficient metabolism and ability to absorb and convert radiation as well as a far denser molecular structure.
Extended Longevity: While Daxamites mature at approximately the same rate as humans; upon reaching full maturity, their body degradation is much more gradual and as such they age slower. Daxamites have been known to live for several hundred years, barring untimely demise.[/b] Daxamites can lift up to well over 100,000 tons.
Low-Gravity Enhancements: Coming from a giant planet with an intensely heavy gravity field, Daxamite's molecular structure is extremely dense, granting them superhuman physical properties in lighter-gravity conditions:
Superhuman Speed: Daxamites can move, react, run, and fly at supersonic speeds in optimal atmospheric conditions and even exceed light speed in vacuum. Their highly-evolved brains allow them to think and process information at the same rate as their movements as well.
Superhuman Lung Capacity: The denser musculature of Daxamites' lungs allow them, at peak, to hold their breath for hours and expel it in hurricane-force gusts.
Superhuman Stamina: Daxamites may have virtually unlimited stamina.
Flight: Daxamites can manipulate gravitons in low-gravity settings to fly through space unaided.[/ul]
Solar Radiation Absorption: The radiation emitted by mid-frequency blue B-class and yellow G-class stars allows Daxamites optimal absorption and conversion; this energy then grants them several additional capabilities:
Enhanced Hearing: Daxamites may pick up on sounds on a vast range of frequencies and volumes as well as over distances that may span the entire surface of small-to-mid-size planets such as Earth.
Enhanced Vision: Daxamites can see down to the microscopic level or into the outer limits of a solar system such as the Milky Way.
X-Ray Vision: Daxamites can see through solid objects.
Heat Vision: Daxamites can directly expel stored solar energy through their eyes in the form of superheated air and concentrated light, ranging from a dispersed wave of fiery heat to a precision laser.[/ul]
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- Military Training: Growing up in a military family, on a military installation, military life is unsurprisingly the majority of Laurel's experience. Her mother especially insisted she learn as much as she could from childhood on and so Laurel has a relatively comprehensive knowledge of basic military routine, structure, strategy, technology, and weapons. She is also a competent hand-to-hand combatant and marksman.
- Weaknesses:
Solar Radiation: Daxamites cannot process the radiation frequencies of orange O-class, white K-class, or blue F-class stars; they will be left simply with whatever reserves of stored solar energy they possess and will gradually deplete those with each exertion of any superhuman capabilities they grant. The radiation of red M-class stars, such as the one Daxam orbits, actively drain solar reserves and will negate those powers almost instantly.
Lead: Daxamites cannot see through lead and, as the substance does not exist on Daxam, have no immunity whatsoever to its poisonous properties. Even a small amount imbibed in any fashion will have permanent toxic effects, weakening and sickening the Daxamite even after their system is clean of it, and can swiftly become lethal if not removed.
Lack of Control: Having only recently left Daxam, Laurel is still learning to control the plethora of rather potent superhuman abilities she suddenly finds herself possessed of and, as a result, does not always use them as effectively as she will eventually be able to with more practice.[/ul]
- Relatives:
Lura Gand
Dol Gand
Lar Gand AKA Mon-El
- History: Laurel's mother was the a commander on one of the orbital space stations of Daxam's planetary military defense grid. She fell in love with a ranking lieutenant and so Laurel was born and raised on the station. While she visited the surface of Daxam a handful of times and had tales of her long-dead ancestor Mon-El told to her by her parents and various cadets alike, Laurel's upbringing was primarily a military one.
Her mother insisted she learn as much of the roles she might serve on the station from childhood and so, though she did do standard studies such as Daxamite history lessons, Laurel grew up a hard-working and studious soldier-to-be. This paid off when, using a diversion to call most troops away from the defense net, Khundish attack fleet attempted to invade Daxam. Barely five cycles old, Laurel was none-the-less well-versed enough to activate and manage the station's defenses and ultimately utterly destroy the Khundish fleet.
When news of this reached the Khundish Emperor, he declared Laurel an enemy of the Khundian empire, to be killed on site and a hefty reward in both riches and station to be awarded to whoever achieved this feat. Fearing for their daughter's safety, Laurel's parents secreted her away to Earth under a false name where the planetary and solar conditions would grant her powers to help her defend herself and give her a greater chance at survival.
The transition was not easy for Laurel however. Her new abilities were brand new and she struggled to contain, much less control, them, often being unintentionally destructive. Moreover, Daxamite society was a xenophobic one, their planet having no immigration policy at all, and Laurel was discomfited by suddenly finding herself surrounded by all manner of aliens. Neither of these factors made attempting to live a civilian lifestyle under covert alias, already a challenging change from the simple and strict military regiment she was used to, any easier.
Not long after she came to Earth, the Legion was formed. Thinking that it would provide an opportunity to train and hone her powers as well as pay homage to her superhero ancestor, perhaps even on such a team grant some familiarity of military trappings; Laurel auditioned to join and was accepted. She even revealed her true identity as scans would have identified her as Daxamite anyway but the official publicly-available data has her listed under her alias as a meta-human to protect both her and the Legion from a Khundish attack.
Brand new to the Legion, she has found herself to have gone from the frying pan to the fire, to use an old Earth phrase, as she is suddenly living quite closely with an even more varied group of alien beings. But the mission statement is uplifting, empowering, and a driving purpose to latch onto after having been forced to abandon the Daxamite military life she was groomed for and never considered an alternative to. And the training facilities are impressive, hopefully enough for her to gain some control. Of course, she's also found the Legion rather disorganized in its initial stages and, rather than having military standards to help ease her in, is more often the voice suggesting the organization or addition of such structure.
- Personality: Laurel is a young woman of strong and well-defined convictions. Her concepts of right and wrong are neither vague, undefined, nor in question and her commitment to maintaining, upholding, and defending the values she was raised with and believes in is one of confident and unwavering conviction. However, some of the more superficial and unstated aspects of life she has always taken for granted have come under fire in her new life. She is still growing used to aliens and learning how to live in a less structured fashion. While fierce and unwavering in her mission and role, Laurel is often mystified by foreign aspects and practices of her teammates and much less sure of herself as a person and individual. While most often displayed merely in a quiet and observant demeanor, Laurel was also raised to be a fighter, has already in her life almost single-handedly killed an entire legion of some of the universe's fiercest soldiers, and can at times be prone to outbursts of violent (though rarely more than superficially physically aggressive) anger when she is made confused or uncomfortable by certain actions or situations.
- Aspirations: Laurel hopes to become as effective and successful a member of the Legion of Superheroes as she was always so confident she would one day be as a member of the Daxam Military. It is also her goal to eventually successfully eradicate the Khund threat to her life, most likely violently but also diplomatically if possible. Finally, in conjunction with that last, Laurel desperately hopes that someday it will be safe for her to go home to her own world and her family.
- Fears: Laurel fears never seeing Daxam or her parents again and, in the same vein, coming under an assault by the Khund's which she is unprepared for and which may end up costing her her life or, worse still, the lives of friends and comrades.
- Alias: Leksy
- Other Characters: N/A
- RP Sample: Nodding steadily, Laurel kept her gaze fixed on Cosmic Boy's face and hoped that her expression and the gesture of assent convinced him she was listening as intently as she wished she could. She caught something complimentary about her audition performance, encouraging given that she'd personally been disappointed with how wild her maneuvers in her body's new physical capabilities had been despite her best attempts to restrain them by sticking to her most rudimentary and thus most well-ingrained combat routines. However, most of his words were lost in the beating of his heart and the sound of clambering machinery within the walls and other hopefuls chattering and practicing just outside. It wasn't always this bad but, in the adrenaline-fueled aftermath of her performance, Laurel was having a particularly difficult time tuning out the distracting range of ambient noises she could now pick up on.
It was with an internal sigh of relief that she realized the Legion Commander was wrapping up his speech and her smile was not completely forced at the though of being able to leave for somewhere more private and quiet. However, it was wiped from her features when the alien attempted to reach over and give her what was no-doubt intended to be an encouraging pat on the shoulder; a lifetime of xenophobia flaring up, Laurel instinctively flinched away. She was at least able to tamp down her reactive alarm and awkwardly mask the motion as a salute before turning and swiftly striding away.
This was not going to be easy. Then again, nothing had been since leaving Daxam and she'd at least gotten in. Prioritize, she reminded herself; the thorough strategist focuses on completing the next objective before responding to more than the rudimentary analytics of those that followed. She'd achieved her mission for the day and at least she'd be able to be herself with the Legion, not only in name but get back to being productive, to having protocols and missions rather than the irrelevant busywork of civilian life on Earth. Crossing the threshold of the Audition chambers' exit, Laurel instantly soared into the sky. Her lips spread into a more innocent and joyful smile this time; this part of her new life and new self she didn't mind one bit.