High Crane

* **Name:** *Hokhá Wakataha* “High Crane” (Birth name unavailable)
* **Position:** Owner and manager of High Crane Salvage and Repair
* **Metatype:** Wican (*Homo sapiens nobilis*)
* **DOB:** 3/4/2011, Heart Mountain Re-education Camp, Heart Mountain State Park, Wyoming (now Awaxaawéhehtáa, Wahpetonwan CF, Oceti Sakowin)
* **Education:** Self-Educated
* **Family:** Magaskawee “Grace High Crane” (wife, *deceased*), First Flowering 'Flora High Crane' (daughter, *deceased*), Strong Swimmer 'River High Crane' (son, *unknown, poss. Aztlan?*), Kimimila 'Kimi High Crane' (daughter-in-law, *unknown, poss.Aztlan?*), Josephus High Crane (grandson, FRFZ), Samantha High Crane (granddaughter, location unknown)

For over forty years, High Crane Salvage and Repair has been an institution in both the Elyria-Swansea neighborhood of the Sioux Sector of Denver and also in the Denver Shadows. And High Crane himself (H.C. to his friends) has also been an institution.

Born (under a different, Anglo name, although that’s been since lost in one of the Crashes) to a full-blooded Lakotah woman in the “Re-education camps” set up for Natives by the government of the old USA in the first days of the Awakening, he doesn’t remember much about those days and talks even less, all he will say is that ‘Mom went in and I came out. Alone.’ He’s also said that he found his records by looking for medical transcripts. After all, in those days, being born an elf was a ‘birth defect’.

He emerged from that background hard and self-sufficient. It also left him with no time for ‘Anglos’ and Humans (strengthened by losing his wife during the Night of Rage, and losing his daughter at the Renraku Arcology Shutdown). And growing up during the chaos of the Awakening did nothing to give him faith in institutions. And a tolerance, even preference for off-the books work. “The Man is the Man” as H.C. always likes to say.

This attitude is much of why, after his son and his wife left for Aztlan leaving him to raise his grandchildren Jo and Sam, he not has never spoke to or sought out the wayward son, but to this day refuses to even acknowledge his existence. And people in the area KNOW that bringing up the subject is a darn good way to get your teeth kicked in by an elf still in his physical prime.

Combine that kind of a background with a talent for machines and the work ethic that can only come from starvation, and its not hard to see why he’s become one of the go-to outlaw mechanics in the FRFZ, with a specialty in big vehicles (Semi-trucks, T-Birds, Vans etc). He takes payment in cash, certified credsticks and trade, never an account. Combined with top-notch Matrix security, H.C. has made himself a favorite with Denver’s robust smuggler community. He’s managed to build up quite a thriving practice in those circles through pretty much only word-of-mouth over the decades. He even does business with ‘Anglo’ smugglers and is a regular at local shadow watering hole ‘The Hardpan’.

It is known that H.C. has a gift for languages and speaks at least five fluently. But don’t expect to hear any of the non-native languages (especially English or Sperethiel) back from him. In fact, while he understands plenty, its a rare day you’ll hear a word from him that isn’t idiomatic Lakotah.

**Return to: Kirin**