Sierra Kay

Second Lieutenant Sierra Kay, callsign Echo One, is an experienced New Atlantean marine currently serving as the leader of the special operations squad Echo Team.
== Biography ==
=== Early Life ===
Born to a Velconi military family, Kay was raised with the intention of serving in the Imperial Army. As such, she was taught to fight and shoot from a young age, often accompanying her father on recreational hunts. Kay grew up mostly on Venture, but toured with her mother on the VSS Ares II for a year when both her parents were deployed.
Kay's father was killed when the VSS Augustus when the ship was destroyed during the insurrection on Niomos. This only furthered her motivation to join the military. She enlisted as soon as she reached the age of nineteen.
=== Second Irin-Velconum War ===
Sierra Kay began her service in the Imperial Army during the opening stages of the Second Irin-Velconum War and was immediately deployed to the front lines, serving on board the VSS Dragoon. Her first experience in the field was the seizing of Caledonia Colony in early 3006. Throughout the first half of the war she fought on Sorolia (3006), Octavia IV (3007), Carthage Station (3007) and Xinjia (3008); her actions in the last awarded her a promotion to Corporal and a Planetary Defence Medal.
Escaping the Dragoon’s destruction above Monus Hans in late 3008, she was assigned to the VSS Vindictive Justice and retained her field promotion to Staff Sergeant. She took part in several boarding actions as well as the attacks on Tokunaga Colony (3009) and New Damascus (3010) before being recalled once the war ended.
=== Hierarchy War ===
Following the war, Kay was given the rank of Master Sergeant and awarded a Distinguished Service Metal. She returned to Venture and served on the local planetary reserve for three years and gained a promotion to Sergeant Major in that time. She was posted on the planet during the Hierarchy attack on Venture in 3013.
Her heroism on Venture earned her a Protector of the Empire Star, the highest honour awarded to a soldier in the Velconi Imperial Army. With Venture fallen, Kay was immediately diverted to the defence of Earth, but when she arrived in the system, the joint human forces had already surrendered.
=== Under New Atlantis ===
Sierra Kay later accepted an officer’s commission into the New Atlantean Armed Forces and was posted on board the NAS Invictus, flagship of the newly established 1st Fleet. She commanded the Invictus’ Delta Platoon and participated in the Reborn Crisis, earning her an Achievement Medal.
Kay was one of the officers who remained loyal when the crew of the Invictus went rogue. The lieutenant was deployed to the NAS Relentless and partook primarily in small-scale raids against criminal elements during that time. In early 3016, the Relentless was dry docked at Monus Hans for extended retrofits, and Kay was transferred to the NAS Mantis.
She led the Mantis’ Alpha Platoon, which acted as the vanguard during the boarding of the rogue ISS Apollo in mid-3016. The platoon suffered heavy casualties but completed the mission. Subsequently, Kay was selected to lead a Special Operations Team under the personal command of the Sai’Gan.
== Equipment ==
While the members of Echo Team are trained with (and often make use of) a wide variety of weapons, each member carries their own, often modified set of preferred weaponry.
=== Kay's Designated Marksman Rifle ===
Kay wields a custom IDF98 Designated Marksman Rifle issued to her by the Sai'Gan. The weapon is equipped with an A-4 Tracking Scope, which can lock on to targets, allowing extremely precise shots. It also possesses the capability to carry and switch between different varieties of ammunition using a digital switch lever. Other attachments include a silencer as well as a stun device. 
Category:Characters