Captain Francis Pancake

## Basic Info

"I've spilt too much blood, but I'll answer to every shot I took because I kept my men safe."

Name: Francis Pancake

Race: Human, Vaulter

Faction: The Legion

Equipment: Shock Trooper Ballistic Armor, Custom Legion Issue Stryfe Semi-Automatic sub-rifle, 5 chamber revolver, Multi barrel sidearm, Legion Issue Firestrike

Player: Matt Pancake

## **Description**

Captain Pancake is the leader of the 137th Legion Scout Regiment currently stationed within Grayfell. He works for the safety of all who reside within the wooded town and wants the locals to thrive. Rejecting the Legion’s racist policies, Francis not only respects mutants for their natural abilities, but accepts them into his rank with meaningful duties. He feels death should be used in situations with no other option and prefers diplomacy, as it results in better relations for both sides. The lives of his men mean more to him than his own and he would do anything to make sure they survive.

## **Background**

Francis was born the the central vault of Chicago. Being one of the earliest opened vaults, the city surrounding the vault doors had already begun to grow into a prosperous metropolis. Francis grew up in Chicago with his mother and father, a mighty Legionnaire Sergeant. His father would tell him stories of the “mighty turtle that spews fire and lead” that the legion was in control of, as well of stories of the savage lands he had visited on his deployments. The stories amazed Francis, who wanted to grow up and become his father, as most little boys do. When Francis’ father failed to return from deployment, his mother became abusive and neglectful. Fearing for his own safety and looking at the world with wide eyes and an adventurous spirit, Francis ran away from home at the age of 10.

After about a year of traveling, Francis came upon a group who pledged to protect the small boy. The catch Francis faced was that he was required to kill for them to prove his usefulness. Francis spent seven years within the gang of grifters before he his morality took hold of his conscious. At the age of 18, Francis defied his order to kill a young girl his own age. He killed the entire group (approx. 9 people) in order to save the girl, Anya, whom he later would fall in love with.

    The pair traveled together before Francis was able to find consistent work in a small town where he and Anya would start their family. Francis did various jobs, including mercenary work, salvaging, escorts, repairs, and maintenance for the locals and tourists of the town (This includes a mission to open a vault that ended badly. Francis will rarely mention this). During an escort mission taking place in his mid-twenties, Francis’ caravan was stopped by a squad of Legionnaires. When the Legionnaires opened fire on the group, Francis moved the civilians to a safer structure and engaged in a 4 day long firefight. After destroying one of the Legion’s last few Apache helicopters, Francis was captured and held prisoner until speaking with General Christopher Key, who offered him a place in his Department of Expansion in order to repay his debt. With concern for the lives of his wife and newborn daughter, as well as his own, he accepted the position in the 137th Scout Regiment.

### **Military Service**

Beginning his service at the sergeant rank, Francis led a team of marksman under Commander Ryke. Francis rose through the ranks quickly, committing acts of valor and bravery. His progress impressed the Brass, and Francis met with High Commander Star. It was during this meeting that Francis realized the prejudice values of the Legion. While leaving the meeting with Commander Star, a group of rebels shot down the helicopter and Francis protected Commander Star until reinforcements arrived. Francis was rewarded with a set of Shock Trooper (Star’s private task force) armor and a promotion to Second Lieutenant.

At the beginning of the Northern Expansion, Francis suggested the tactic of diplomacy to promote the Legion’s belief of a perfect society to the locals. Military tactics were used exclusively for hostile gangs and grifters, whom the Legion bastardized using propaganda. Francis began his feud with Commander Ryke due to the racism and lack of concern for the troops they led. When a warring grifter gang raided the post and kidnapped Francis’ wife, Ryke denied Francis the chase and let the grifters run free. Francis, taking the newly-transferred Officer Hanke, went AWOL to find the grifter camp where his wife and several other captives were held. Upon finding the camp, Francis ordered Hanke to retrieve backup while he continued scouting. Inside the camp, Francis found his wife beaten, tortured, and begging for the pain to end. Francis, knowing she wouldn’t survive the lacerations or loss of blood, released her from this life and proceeded to give the pain he now felt to others within the camp. By the time Hanke returned with more troops, all that remained of the camp was ashes of tents and Francis finishing off the remaining grifters by execution. Because of his previous acts of valor, General Key pardoned Francis for his absence.

The final straw with Ryke was during the spread of a disease contracted from foreign grifters. Outpost regulations required respirators to prevent the spread of the disease, and after a fight with her father, Francis’ daughter ran from the house without a mask. When she didn’t stop as requested, Ryke ordered the soldiers to gun her down. Despite their objections, Ryke fired upon the girl himself and left her to bleed out in the middle of the streets. Later the night, Francis walked into Ryke’s office and put several rounds into the man’s stomach, leaving him to bleed out. During the investigation, the troops within the regiment, loving Francis’ leadership more than Ryke’s, vouched for him. The case was written off as self defense and Francis earned the promotion to Commander.

The 137th Regiment was put in the lead of General Keys’ new operation, Wild West. The regiment was to head southwest to Kasm and gain control of the land in the name of Commander Star, but after several months of travel, Francis’ men were unable to complete the journey. Resistance, Famine, and even radiation laid waste to all but himself and Lieutenant Hanke. Upon Arriving in Grayfell and finding the leader of the major syndicate, The Family, Francis was ordered to remain there and assist locals. He received his promotion to Captain, a few new recruits, and extra supplies to set up an outpost.

## **Timeline**

* September 29, 2289 - Born
* June 2296 - Father doesn't return home
* February 7, 2299 - Run away from home
* October 18, 2299 - Join Fallen Brotherhood
* June 2308 - Kill Fallen Brotherhood and save Anya
* November 23, 2308 - Begin career as prospector
* June 15, 2314 - Hold off Legion Regiment
* June 17, 2314 - Offered place and protection for family within Legion
* July 24, 2314 - Trained as scout and placed as sergeant within the 137th
* December 9, 2318 - Anya dies in grifter raid of Legion town
* February 29, 2319 - Stephanie dies by Ryke's hand
* March 1, 2319 - Kill's Ryke in his office at 2:00 AM
* March 15, 2319 - Investigation on death of Commander Ryke, Francis suspended
* March 22, 2319 - Pardoned by General Key and High Commander Star
* April 3, 2319 - Takes control of 137th Scout Regiment
* October 2322 - Victory at NordStuhl over Blackgate Psychos. Base taken and science outpost set up
* December 2322 - Key moves Base of Operations into Nordstuhl, making it the stronghold of the Department of Expansion
* May 2323 - Operation Wild West begins
* November 22, 2324 - Francis sets up Grayfell Outpost
* December 6, 2324 - Promoted to Captain of Legion Division 137DOE