Sandra Kelso

Full Name: Sandra Meredith Kelso
Maiden Name: Vandstone
Race: Human
Current Age (2200): 38
Date of Birth: 2162
Gender: Female
Height/Weight: 180cm / 80.7kg
Eye/Hair Color: Blue / Blond
Origin: South Africa, African Union, Earth
Current Residence: Roman District, Elysium Colony
Marital Status: Married to Eric Kelso
Allegiance: Systems Alliance, Her Family
Political Orientation: Terra Firma (Unofficial, Moderate Supporter of Human Supremacism)
Occupation: Marine, Systems Alliance Navy
==Military Information==
===Basic Info===
Affiliated Organization: Systems Alliance Navy
Rank: Major
Proficiency: B5 / T6 / K5 / N7 (Certified 14/8/2193)
Occupation: Commanding Officer, SSV Ain Jalut
Class: Vanguard
===Equipment===
Weapons: M-14 Tigershark, N7 Submachine Gun, N7 Sniper Rifle, N7 Pistol, M71 Socarr Shotgun, Omni-Blade
Armor: Kassa Fabrication Aegis Body Armor, N7C Collapsible Helmet, Leg Ordinance Pack
Biotic Implant: L6n
Biotic Amp: Serrice Council Savant Custom (Cerberus Perseus Sav-CX)
===Service Record===
2184 - Graduated from SANA, Promoted to 1st Lieutenant, Assigned To SSV Lansing
2186 - Promoted to Staff Lieutenant
2190 - Discharged from Systems Alliance Navy Due to Family Needs
2193 - Re-Commissioned in the Systems Alliance Navy, Graduates N7 Program, Assigned to SSV Ain Jalut
2194 - Promoted to Lieutenant Commander, Assigned as Executive Officer of SSV Ain Jalut
2197 - Promoted to Staff Commander
2199 - Promoted to Major, Assigned as Commanding Officer of SSV Ain Jalut
===Personal Commendations===
-Turian Nova Cluster
-Systems Alliance Navy Cross
-Systems Alliance Navy Distinguished Service Medal
-Marine Corps Expeditionary Service Medal
-Purple Heart
-Prisoner of War Medal
-Combat Action Ribbon
===Operation Commendations===
-Second Battle of the Citadel
-Operation Red Wing
-Operation Four Score/Third Battle of the Citadel
-Operation Rosetta Stone
-Operation Zealot
==Biography==
===Early Life===
Although she was born a Spacer en route back to Earth, she was raised in a middle-class suburb on the outer areas of Johannesburg, South Africa. The second-youngest of four children, Sandra's more masculine attitude stems from her being raised with three other brothers. Her grandfather was a former Private First Class from the Alliance Navy's marines and often spoke good of it. As Sandra regularly visited her grandparents she was exposed to a lot of pro-Alliance talk.
A shift in her life changed after an incident at a football game where she kicked the ball hard enough almost to injure another kid and caused the ball to rupture and deflate. It was at first thought to be just a bad ball or she packed a powerful leg, but Sandra also felt something unusual within her, and a doctor's visit saw an invite from specialists of the Systems Alliance Jon Grissom Academy where they confirmed the presence of some latent biotic abilities. Through the South African government, Alliance Navy personnel were requisitioned to provide some biotic training to Sandra which would last another few years.
Her constant exposure to members of the Alliance Navy, and some negative outlooks on her status as a biotic, prepped her mentally for seeking to join the Navy. After finishing grade school she entered the Systems Alliance Naval Academy to study Economics. Initially her parents were very reluctant to allow their daughter to take on an occupation in the military, much less the Alliance Navy. She had brought it up two years before her graduation from grade school. But after making the case her parents relented.
===Academy===
Driven by patriotism and a desire to see the frontier of space, she sought possible positions inside special forces. During her time in the Academy she actively trained in the Marine Corps' Martial Arts program. She showed much promise, becoming a 1st degree black belt by the time she graduated in 2184. Her academics put her high enough to leave the Academy with a 1st Lieutenant rank. She was noted for her devotion to cause and a serious demeanor.
Though while her academics put her within the upper tier of her class, it was not without some complications. There were a few incidents in exercises of equipment malfunction. In one case, on Titan's Fort Charles Upham, a lizard line safety harness broke while her training squad was scaling a cliff. Had it not been for her being attached to other squadmates, she could've been killed. In another case during a live fire exercise her assault rifle refused to fire. A defective component in the trigger mechanism broke, jamming the weapon. She had the component switched out, but afterwards on a range exercise the weapon jammed again - same part, again defective.
It was in these she got a hushed nickname of "Bad Luck Vandstone" from some of her fellow classmates.
===Post-Mass Effect 2===
Her first posting was on the cruiser SSV Lansing. She served on it for a few years before deciding to help raise a family with her husband, Eric Kelso - a Navy pilot. They were married and almost instantly pregnant, necessitating Sandra's transfer to an area outside of forward deployment or ship duty. For a time she took on a position to help train other marines at the naval bases on Elysium where her husband was stationed. She carried the pregnancy through giving birth to a daughter they named Madison. Although Sandra recovered and was able to return to duty, she decided to end her time in the marines to help raise her daughter while Eric continued as a pilot.
However, much like other biotic users in Alliance society, she found it difficult to find work in the private sector that didn't have her starting anywhere but the bottom rung of the ladder. Eventually she grew frustrated enough that really the only job offers that still looked appealing was the Navy. In mid-2193 she rejoined the corps passing the N7 training program and taking a position as a marine officer on the stealth frigate SSV Ain Jalut while her husband ended his years as a distinguished pilot to seek civilian work. Following a particularly hairy operation against Eclipse mercenaries where the Executive Officer was severely injured, she took over the XO position.
Recent years have solidified her resolve as she's fought geth, GEARS, Kenu mercenaries, THANTALIS terrorists, Bacalou Skulls cultists, and Confederate soldiers. It is also in the last few years where she received her facial scars and was treated for a number of other injuries. When the Confederacy of Terminus came for the Galactic Peace Conference, Sandra was pushed forward to handle Alliance military security at the conference and was promoted to Acting Major. Although the operation ended with a number of Alliance soldiers killed in a major terrorist attack, she was commended for her actions and was promoted to full Major. An inquiry into a mission against the Bacalou prompted Captain Jeremiah Reed, then CO of the Ain Jalut, to resign his post and pass command to Sandra.
Despite a major achievement in Operation Coal Miner and achieving the Brevet rank of Lieutenant Colonel, she still continues to serve as the Ain Jalut's commanding officer. Months later after "Operation Zealot" her rank was reverted back to Major. To this day her various actions over the years have made her an invaluable member of the Systems Alliance Navy.
Although her official specialization is considered "Vanguard", at times she's demonstrated above-average biotic power and control that puts her above most other combat biotics. As with her abilities she's at times tinkered with some techniques such as using a Warp to act as a sort of barrier and using an incomplete Charge to move seemingly at light speed. None of these have been perfected to replicable training methods both due to the dangers and physical requirements. Her biotic powers also began to outgrow the limits of her L5n implants, necessitating surgery to install L6n implants.
===Post-Mass Effect 3===
-TBD-
Category:Characters