Maria Burnett

== Maria Burnett ==
"You won't shoot me?"
"Pretty tempting, but seeing as if I get captured, you're my only token." -Wei Zhi and Burnett
Maria Burnett is an American Marine soldier and member of the Burnett Family. She is a major protagonist in The Seaboard Element. Like her brother, Brian Burnett, she is known for her tactical intuition and combat skills. Still a teenager at the time of the Great Collapse, Burnett had grown with the post-Jinan world. Like her older brother, Burnett is people-oriented while also being able to think in creative ways, giving her an edge on those against her.
Burnett first saw fighting in the Battle of the Big Indian, as well as witnessing the death of her ex-boyfriend, Anthony Krauss. The major defeat and bloodshed caused her to double-down in her personal efforts against Seaboard, as well as rectifying her strength. Subsequent battles such as her intervention in the Battle of Chibonhold only solidified this image of her.
== Early Life ==
Born on 10 August, 2001 in State College, Pennsylvania, Burnett was the younger sister of Brian Burnett. She lived for a time in the city while her father, Jack Burnett, transitioned from his career as a professional mix-martial artist to a welder. At some point, the Burnett family moved to Selinsgrove, most likely for the father's work.
Described by herself as being sheltered, Maria was raised in a very different manner than her older brother, who was often away from home and not looked after. She hadn't had any romantic relationships, had few friends, and rarely left the household outside of school prior to the Great Collapse. Maria was more forgiving of her father than her older brother, as shown in their reunification during Operation Brass Predator.
More academically focused than her older brother, Maria stayed in high school until she was sixteen in twelfth grade when the education systems were suspended in the end of 2017. During the initial stages of the Jinanvirus, Maria stayed with her mother and father. Because the relationship between her father and brother, he was prohibited from visiting, even during the difficult times. The isolation from others caused Maria to fall into a depression, without any activity in her lifestyle. In the stagnation, her hopes of leaving were met when her brother came to retrieve her. She came with him to stay at the Wald residence, where Brian Burnett believed she would thrive better.
== Life During the Great Collapse ==
Initially pleased to be away from the chaotic environment of her home, she was thrusted into a dramatic mix the first day she was at the Wald residence. Burnett, knowing police were nearly useless in the Jinan world, hoped those around her would ward off the gang of men clashing with them.
After a violent confrontation between Jason and Kyle, Maria realized things wouldn't be as smooth as she'd hoped. When Brian had returned, as did the gang of rival friends. Anticipating their return, while Brigitta Wald and her husband were away camping, Maria helped stage a defense. Failing to deescalate, Kyle Wald was forced to kill Jason with a rifle. In the ensuing shootout, Kyle Wald was shot in the lung. Maria and her brother, his girlfriend and Wald all sprung an escape into the woods. Ill-prepared and without proper clothing, they were unable to travel far even if Kyle was. Eventually, he lost consciousness, being airlifted away by Seaboard personnel. Maria, Brian and Emily then wandered, but had a hard time continuing.
Eventually, Brian detached and found the Krauss residence, who returned to help find Maria and Emily. The three then accompanied Nathan Krauss and his son, Anthony, back to their ranch. They stayed their, beginning to live on the property in refuge. Krauss, having already contracted the Jinanvirus, was unconcerned with their viral status. As the three stayed in the house, Anthony Krauss took a keen interest in Burnett- despite a seven year difference, and being seventeen. While Brian and Nathan Krauss grew active together, especially in repelling the enemy group, Maria clung to Emily and Anthony. Not versed in relationship skills, she was unsure of Anthony. After some days, the three settled in, Brian began to become suspicious of Anthony's interest in his little sister. Despite this, he refrained from causing a dispute because he didn't want to cause strife between Nathan Krauss and them, or be kicked out. After his reluctantly to interfere, and Maria's fear of being assertive with Anthony, she was raped. She was later gaslit into believing it was simply rough sex, a rather normal thing- which she believed.
When Anthony and Brian found Kyle Wald once again, Wald and Brian Burnett were injured. Retreating to base, Wald found his way over- turned against the rival gang with whom he spent time. Pitching a final defense together, the rival group kept Justin Harlem and his wife Brigitta Wald as captives. The group was initially in a defensive bind, but was able to secure the upper hand, only after the death of Brigitta Wald. Maria stayed out of the fight, as her older brother tried to keep her safe among the chaos.
Following the attack, Jayden and Lily, and all of the others, merged into a solid unit- however, Wald left them, with no memory or emotional connection. In the months after, Burnett became involved in an official, yet highly abusive relationship with Anthony Krauss. She helped around the property, but otherwise stayed in a depression of relative isolation.
== Emergence in Juniata ==
As Burnett continued to live on and help around the Krauss ranch, she continued to be subject to a relationship with Anthony Krauss that she didn't fully understand. While living on the ranch, Maria struggled with her relative lack of skills, but was eager to learn and adapt to the lifestyle. She learned many essential skills from Emily Allen, who Burnett began to see as a role-model. As Nathan Krauss and her older brother began to take trips outside of the homestead, Anthony Krauss became the de-facto leader as an adept hunter and marksman. Emily Allen slowly became the matriarch of the household, being valued for her skills on the property. At the same time, Burnett began to learn firearms skills from her boyfriend.
Eventually, Burnett and her boyfriend ventured to the county center to meet with the mayor, Donovan Young. She did not like the mayor, and felt uncomfortable by what she saw as his advances. This caused Burnett to cling to Anthony Krauss even more. While near a river in town, Burnett met a man by the name of Ron, who claimed that Young was not the real mayor and that he had a lot to hide. Burnett took this to heart, growing concerned about the de-facto county leader. As Nathan Krauss and her older brother ventured away for longer periods, Burnett and Emily Allen grew closer, with the latter being concerned about having a child in such a remote place. At a later time, Maria found the burnt down house of the former mayor, confirming that he was locked and killed in a house fire. She was discovered by the local authorities, and returned to her ranch. Following this, Burnett and Allen devised a plan to expose to take Anthony's truck, find proof of Donovan Young's foul play, and drive to Harrisburg to expose him. This also served to pry Maria away from her abusive relationship that concerned Emily Allen.
After helping get Tony Krauss drunk, Burnett and Allen escaped in his truck. They drove to the the county town hall late at night, where Burnett broke in to find any evidence she could. While searching the mayor's computer, she found out that he was communicating with Seaboard officials about the integrating the county into Seaboard's domain. However, she was discovered by Donovan Young, who attempted to rape her. As she was overpowered, Anthony Krauss saved her by killing the mayor with an ax. The two were arrested and put in a holding cell. Following the death of the mayor, Sheriff Peter Boone became the impromptu county leader.
Without any word from her older brother, her and Anthony Krauss became desperate. At the same time, she became disillusioned with her boyfriend, realizing to the fullest extent who he was and how he manipulated her. Anthony Krauss, realizing there would be no way to have a fair trial, agreed to a trial-by-combat with the Sheriff. They fought outside the town hall as Maria and other residents watched, and while Krauss was valiant at first, he was defeated shortly after. Before being killed, the fight was interrupted by the unexpected arrival of Kyle Wald and Jorge Ramos. Wald insisted on fighting the sheriff himself, and after pushing further, Boone agreed. Wald was able to defeat the much older Sheriff, though he spared his life. After the battle, the group returned to the Krauss ranch.
Not long after, the ranch was overtaken by the corrupt authorities, who captured everybody present, including Burnett. This came as Nathan Krauss and Brian Burnett were returning to the county to take control over the area from the illegitimate authorities. The clan was held hostage in a rural church, however, Wald was brought by county deputies to what they believed to be a Seaboard unit. When it was discovered it was in fact a detachment of Marines from Harrisburg, Wald broke free. Together, him and Brian Burnett returned to the church and helped take out enemy targets and free their family. Maria Burnett warned her older brother that his significant other, who had just given birth, was taken hostage. Following this, Allen was killed by Peter Boone. Her death was a major shock to the entire clan, and affected Maria as she looked up to her and felt somewhat without direction after her death. Burnett and Wald later located Harper Brooks and her younger sister, who were without support. The two joined the clan at the Krauss ranch, where they helped take care of the young newborn.
== Independence and Enlistment in Marines ==
As time passed, Burnett matured quickly as she realized it was her quickest way to independence and strength. Tony Krauss had disconnected himself from her, and the two agreed to separate until they could both find out what was right for them. While Kyle Wald became active elsewhere, Burnett began staying in the city frequently, hoping to spark social connections that were often futile. This happened as her brother continued on missions under the eye of Colonel Krauss, leaving her and the others without a central leader figure except for Harper Brooks.
Burnett eventually went downtown to attend a speech made by Governor Parrish, hoping to find out about the status of her brother and Krauss' force. Though she didn't meet him directly, Parrish's daughter, Nova, did take an interest in Burnett. The two shared a mutual connection in Nathan Krauss and Parrish's father. Burnett hoped to spend more time with a wider group, and befriended Parrish, knowing that at home she'd inevitably attract herself to Anthony Krauss again. While spending time with Parrish, the two quickly bonded while out later at night and exchanged a kiss. They were found by authorities who informed them that they were violating curfew. Burnett returned to Parrish's apartment, sleeping separately from her complicated friend as she weighed in what things with the governor's daughter meant for her. She soon embraced her relationship with Parrish, however, finding it much more two-sided than her previous one. Unexpectedly one day, her brother returned after being temporarily sent back due to an injury in Vermont. He briefly lashed out at her after discovering her relationship with Parrish due to his complex views of her father.
When Brian Burnett was slated to depart again, Maria, fearing for the stability of the territory, insisted that she joined her brother's unit. After exhausting his willingness to resist her, Burnett went with the unit north. As the war grew dire and the Catskill Offensive began, Burnett joined the reserve forces, believing that she'd be every bit as skilled as her older brother. Burnett's training was cut short as Nathan Krauss made an executive decision to push south through the Big Indian forest to break Seaboard's blockade. Burnett was placed in a rear flanking group, and despite her less vulnerable position, her squad was killed or dispersed and she was separated from them during the Battle of the Big Indian. She fled without direction, but eventually came upon Anthony Krauss, who was fighting from a vantage point alone. Burnett was stunned by his display as he cut down many troops, but was finally shot from a troop behind. Burnett was quick to kill the troop, then rushed to Krauss. She was able to have a final conversation with him as he died, an event that would forever resonate with her. Burnett was found, but due to her lack of weapons and grieving, a squad of trailblazers took pity and let her leave. She ran until she collapsed from exhaustion, only to be found from the remains of a Marine squad that was now led by Angela Ellis.
After the battle, she regrouped with the unit and her brother was more than relieved to find out she was safe. Burnett was quick to meet up with Colonel Krauss, though she struggled to put into words what happened to his son. She would admire his perseverance in dealing with his command despite such a grave loss. Following the battle, Burnett didn't wish to repeat the same mistakes and began to train rigorously with her brother. While at a mobile camp, Burnett met now Sergeant Ellis again, thanking her for saving her life. The two became entangled in a no-strings relationship, despite official protocol. Ellis and Burnett bolstered one another's training, though the Sergeant often downplayed her skills.
As time went on, it became clear a formal retreat was impossible. After Colonel Krauss abandoned his post, Major Bolt took charge. The group was attacked soon after at Sodus Point, and during the battle, Burnett fled with Ellis, but not before seeing Captain Gonzales frag Bolt. The two bonded while attempting to regroup with the remains of the routed force near Rochester, NY. After being taken in at a church, the two eventually did regroup with the diminished forces. After a argument over leadership, Burnett revealed that Gonzales killed Bolt in attempt to take command and redirect the units out of cowardice. Sergeant Ellis backed this. As the Captain realized his situation, he tried to kill Maria Burnett, only to be shot first by her older brother. The group made a brief investigation but did not take any further action against the Burnett siblings.
After their failure to return to Harrisburg, the contacted Canadian military stationed in Toronto began an evacuation protocol to bring Appalachian troops over Lake Ontario. Burnett was joined by her brother in this retreat, and after a rough transition, they were settled into temporary base housing on the outskirts of Toronto. It wasn't long after that other members of their clan, including Kyle Wald, were able to join with them. As Burnett was able to catch her breath, she distanced herself from Ellis, though the two did still see one another from time to time.
== Life During Appalachia's Annexation ==
Burnett was well aware of her brother's plan to attempt a coup against the Appalachian President Elaine Cocklin. She was in Camp Matamor at the time with contingency plans for her family's safety in the event that something did not go as planned. When her brother's plans failed, Burnett initially believed he may be dead. She struggled to take charge with the family group, but was able to gather those with her with the intention of retreating south into Confederate territory, where she hoped they'd be safe. At the same time, SAACC Naval Lieutenant Mike Jeon caught wind that Abel Clark was responsible for Burnett's capture and that Brian Burnett was still alive. Jeon delayed Maria Burnett's departure, going with his corporal Ricardo Emerson and SAACC Sergeants Bryanna Sandoval and Savanna Voland in hopes to spring Burnett free. Maria stayed back with Kyle Wald to protect her daughter and niece all the while Jeon's attempt to reacquire her older brother failed.
After this, Jeon split, and with Sandoval's sustained wound, she vouched to stay with him. Burnett wished to quickly return to Harrisburg and regather with the rest of her familial gang. However, authorities had already caught wind of this. Sergeant Leonardo Evans was able to keep them off her tracks, but it prevented her from being able to regroup with the rest of her clan. Burnett, her daughter and niece, Jayden Harris, Kyle Wald, Savanna Voland, and Kyle's former stepfather Justin Harlem traveled together south. After being tagged by mercenary Matthew Castillo, he and his gang were able to split Wald from the group before attacking them in northern Maryland in Appalachia's fringe territories. Though Wald returned as the attack took place, Voland was wounded and Jayden Harris was killed by Castillo.
Burnett and Wald led the remaining group to Culpepper, Virginia, dissatisfied with and worried about their remaining clan in Harrisburg, including her girlfriend, Nova Parrish. However, the team recuperated at the a homestead belonging to Savanna Voland's extended family. The night they arrived, Burnett, who felt vulnerable and without direction, redirected her emotions and wish for guidance to Kyle Wald. The two slept together before Burnett confessed her love for him despite her active relationship. After this, they shared a tight bond, even when Voland's uncle alerted the CSA authorities to their presence. To their surprise, the CSA authorities, including General Wright and Major Patterson, were rather pleased if not opportunistic about Burnett and her clan. They hoped that with their status and help, they may contribute to the systemic annexation of Appalachian counties now occupied by Seaboard. Wald was extremely resentful of Wright and the CSA, and thus, warned Maria Burnett not to engage with them. Despite her initial concerns, Burnett agreed, seeing it as a better alternative than the ongoing Seaboard occupation.
After a meeting in Virginia, Burnett traveled with Wald, who she saw as a guardian protector and lover, to York, Pennsylvania, to speak with the commissioners of the county that had remained neutral during the growing political affair. To Burnett's surprise, it was former Appalachian head of security and mob boss John Kelley who absorbed the power of the county's commissioners. After a short fight, Burnett, Wald, and Voland, who was taking aim from afar, eliminated Kelley and the rest of his group, thus allowing the county to be ceded to Confederate authority. After this, resistance was minimal in southeast Pennsylvania. By June, the CSA was able to capture Harrisburg due to the strong opposition the majority in the city had to Seaboard's occupation. Burnett went with other SAACC units to secure the capitol, but they were unable to apprehend President Cocklin.
Following the leadership change, Burnett hoped to lay low and focus on her children, which had begun to show severe emotional symptoms from their time surrounded by combat. She returned to her girlfriend without divulging the nature of her relationship with Wald. He, on the other hand, was still insistent on his fighting and trying to break her older brother Brian from Seaboard custody. Maria Burnett was rather unopinionated and iterated that she wished to stay out of it. She proceeded to have her hair dyed blonde and rejected Wald's offer in assistance in requiring Brian Burnett. After Wald left for his mission, Leonardo Evans came to Burnett, requesting her help again. She finally agreed hoping it would be the last thing she'd do, seeing it as necessary to make up for the guilt on her mind. During Wald's extraction, he failed and was mutilated. While helping him escape, Evans was shot and killed, and Burnett believed Matthew Castillo had been the one to do it.
Following this, Burnett grew extremely emotional and somewhat resentful of Wald, who she believed was disturbing everything she had worked for. Wald took a step back in her life and weighed his options. Burnett, realizing that there was still a price on her head, worked with SAACC commanders to lure any potential hunters away from her loved ones. She went with them to Ohio on a trip to meet Great Lake President Wei Zhi, and there, Seaboard affiliated assassin Yun attempted to kill her and Bryanna Sandoval. Yun was captured, but Burnett insisted that she survive and stay in their custody due to the value she presented. After a standoffish discussion with Wei Zhi involving both parties where the Confederate forces refused to surrender Yun, Maria Burnett departed with her and the team to Pittsburgh. During this time, she began to indulge in alcohol and uppers copiously, all the while discovering that she was pregnant. This sent her into further distraught, as the CSA had imposed a ban on production and sale of birth control products and a total ban on abortion procedures. She was obviously unable to have an abortion in Seaboard territory and doubted her ability to have one in the Great Lake States, where it was legal.
When Burnett returned to Harrisburg, she caught Wald attempting to depart without word. There, she informed him that she was pregnant with his child. Despite this, Wald, who felt he was inadequate for her and the child that he refused to believe was his, left. Around the same time, Nova Parrish broke up with Burnett after catching on to her adultery. Left without direction and apparent purpose, Burnett tried to force her way back into military involvement with the SAACC team her brother formerly commanded. She soon discovered that Brian had escaped during Wald's attempt to free him, though not in the way intended. She knew little more. Burnett returned to Pittsburgh, questioning Yun further in the aftermath of the industrial bombing conducted by Seaboard. She stayed there for some time, leaving her children to be cared for by her family and ex-girlfriend. As her weariness about the CSA grew, Burnett hoped to assist Sandoval in intercepting possible encrypted communications between the Great Lake States and the Confederacy. This led to a confrontation with Vanguard Prestige mercenaries Marco and Daniela Perez, who were quickly defeated after her, and then Kyle Wald's, sudden arrival.
After this, Burnett and Wald stayed together again in Pittsburgh. She was able to get Wald to agree that it was her child, but she doubted that she could rely on him and made it clear that if she could find a way to terminate her pregnancy, she would. The knowing that Wald wouldn't be there for her even though she felt she needed him sent her further into a downward spiral. Lieutenant Jeon picked up on this, and because he felt she was his responsibility as, made it clear that she couldn't stay with his unit any longer and demanded she return to her civil responsibilities. At the same time, Burnett found out that her brother was working with a group known as the Liberators. She coordinated with Savanna Voland and Bryanna Sandoval, who intended to join Burnett in a secret mission with the Liberators that became known as Operation Parable. Kyle Wald attempted to dissuade her from going along on this mission, but Burnett was insistent, and thus Wald decided he'd join her as well to try and keep her safe.
Nearly a month later, the team went north and was able to infiltrate the Seaboard Capitol joined by Paul Coleman and Yun. Once there, Maria Burnett was relieved to see her brother safe and well. They quickly had a heated argument about her going along, which ended in the older brother and Lieutenant's acceptance due to the fact that they had already assumed their roles. Burnett went with her older brother as Kyle Wald split up to pursue his own agenda. Though her experience was limited compared to her older brother's, it outshined that of many of the Liberators and the defending Peacekeepers, which led Burnett to be a prominent part of the mission. As Sandoval and Voland left to the ninth floor, the others converged on the tenth above, hoping to secure certain technological prototypes. They faced increased resistance though, and once the team was able to get to the prototype laboratory, they found out the technology they set out to acquire had since been removed. Despite this, Kyle Wald, who linked back up with them, did modify supercomputer Jethro's coding to their advantage.
While quickly cornered by Seaboard forces, Burnett and the others were confronted by the Seaboard Chairman. He had one of his lead scientists brought up, who was revealed to be the real Kyle Wald, to Burnett's horror. After her older brother attempted to kill the Chairman, SP-S011, who they previously believed to be Wald, fought Brian Burnett. At the same time, the younger sister helped the others pull back and find another exit amid the chaos, although she hoped to stay and regroup with her brother. As they retreated to the lower levels, still without sight of her brother, the Liberators began to demand that they leave without him. Burnett held out, though the arrival of a heavy sentinel complicated this. She used an EMP charge previously unused and modified by SP-S011, and using it, was able to temporarily stun the heavy sentinel. Eventually, Brian Burnett did reappear, albeit in a wounded, ravaged state. They siblings quickly departed with their allies and regrouped briefly at a meeting point in the Northwest of the state.
== Return to Civil Life and Politics ==
After returning to Harrisburg, she tried to lean on her ex-girlfriend emotionally, but Nova Parrish was deeply conflicted about this. She made it clear that she still cared deeply for Burnett and wanted her in her life, but could not continue in the way that they had before. At the same time, Burnett found out that the Confederate leadership had begun a probe into the discipline of Lieutenant Brian Burnett, her, and others in the SAACC unit. Maria Burnett was quickly cleared of charges as the month and a half long general court-martial became centered on Brian. While this was underway, Nova Parrish moved away to New Orleans, leaving Burnett without her company. When Brian Burnett's case was completed, and he received an honorable discharge with conditions, the older brother grew angered and blamed his younger sister. The two briefly fought after an argument, and Maria Burnett was hit in the abdomen by her brother. This event led to her cutting him out of her life for nearly two years.
Maria's daughter, Karuna, was born in June, 2022. Her second child, Antonio, was born on 14 Feb 2026, in New Orleans.