Jeriko Hyke

Pict capture of Colonel Jeriko in the midst of combat.

**Jeriko Hyke** is an Anti Armour colonel in the service of Inquisitor Gregorious Cynhard of the Ordo Xenos. He serves as an anti armour specialist, where he puts his Sigurdian pattern combi-plasma caster to good use as he destroys xenos vehicles wherever they appear. Formerly a part of the Carnius Ashstriders and put they equipment and tactical calm to good use, though also take aspects of the Sezharan Redemptors into his fighting style as he cut down xenos opponents with his chainsword.

## History

### Early Childhood

Jeriko Hyke was born on Carnius Central in the factory city of Cineburg that was located in the northern Hemisphere of the planet. His parents were both workers in the city's central manufactorum which produced the majority of the planet's energy as well as many of it's heavy armaments. As the older sibling, he spent a good chunk of his time looking after his younger sister and studying in the city's main school. What free time that he did have, he spent adventure seeking and having fun as most young men do. One notable event during this time was when he and a few friends supposedly hitched a ride on a cargo ship that was headed to Sezhra Prima and spent a day with the locals before going home. Though, his childhood was mostly uneventful and he left school with average grades.

### Service to the Ashstriders

Though many of his friends were content with going into a job within the planet's many factories, Jeriko wanted something more. Always a thrill seeker and adrenaline junkie at heart, Jeriko would enter the ranks of the Ashstriders as soon as he was old enough. Joining the ranks of the Carnius Ashstriders at the age of 18. Something that would shock his parents, and many of his friends, as it is more common for factory workers to go to the Ashstriders as a twisted form of holiday or leave. To go into the Ashstriders straight off the bat is considered taboo. Though it is generally accepted that most of the Forge’s workers will have at least served one term (roughly 4 years) within the planet’s guard force. To serve two is an odd occurrence and three is the mark of desperate times. To serve 4 terms however, it is to mark you a ghost. A ghost who has long since died, and has found their home more on the battlefield then the factory grounds of Carnius.

Jeriko would serve his first term, quickly climbing up the ranks and becoming popular with the lower ranks as a daredevil lieutenant who pushed his people into glory through the muzzle of their weapons. Though he was somewhat unpopular with much of higher command as his style of fast paced combat was so opposed to how the Ashstriders committed themselves to war. However, the young man was popular and produced results that they couldn't deny and so he stayed. After an extended term (lasting 5 years rather then the standard 4), Jeriko would return to Carnius for about roughly a month before he signed himself right back up again.

It was during the first half of his second term that he would meet Sergeant Maria Lezpeta on a Mining World that needed to be brought into imperial compliance. After making the mistake of betting with a Redemptor over alcohol consumption and getting a bike ride for it, the two would become very *very* close friends. With her battalion often being assigned to Jeriko's regiment, the two crossed paths often and camp rumours would surge about the two's relationship. Though the rest of Jeriko's 2nd (slightly shorter, 3 years rather then the 4 years) term would go without major incident, with him being promoted to Captain by the time he became 26. He once again spent about a month and a half on both Sezhra and Carnius before he jumped right back into the Ashstriders.

It was during his third term, at the age of 29 that he truly became a legend to the lower ranks and even more of a pain (if that was even possible) to high command. While fighting on the hive world of Marfold Prima against the Blood Pact, a singular chaos knight (a knight despoiler) showed up. Having been fighting an embittered and prolonged war, supplies had been running low and so the regiment lacked an exact hard counter against the recently arrived traitor. With battlefield desperation quickly taking hold as the odds seemed against entirely against them, Jeriko would opt for a complete hail Mary (it should also be noted that Jeriko was likely high off of pain meds having lost his left eye a week earlier). He would use the company's damaged Chimera to basically ram the knight at full force while it was mid step as it was being laid in by all sides with a combination of las and plasma fire. And somehow, despite all the odds that it really should have failed, it somehow worked. The Knight would topple over onto it's front, crushing the damaged Chimera as Jeriko and his squadron scrambled out of the way. As it attempted to get up and adjust it's ion shield, Jeriko and his friends would lay into the cockpit with plasma and melta fire; cooking the pilot within his own throne mechanicum. For this act of seemingly suicidal bravery, Jeriko would be promoted to Colonel of his regiment and gifted a chainsword. He would name the Chainsword "Luck" and this time high command just decided to keep Jeriko within the regiment rather then send him back. Making it his 4th term and forever considered a ghost on his own homeplanet. And though high command could not understand Colonel Hyke, many of the younger ranks and the Redemptors absolutely loved him for his bravery and leadership.

### The Inquisition

By the age of 31, Jeriko's regiment and Maria Battalion would be sent to quash a colony of T'au sympathisers. As everyone was training for the upcoming battle, Keriko did note the form of inquisitor Gregorious watching them. Though he paid him no heed as he focused on getting ready his men for the incoming battle. This resulted in Maria's training run on him, where she absolutely floored him within 20 seconds. After this run, and lots of laughter on both his part and his men, he would lead a small squadron on a destroy mission where his forces would sneak up onto a nearby enemy compound and destroy a number of the sympathisers's tanks before return back to base undetected. The mission went without a hitch and minimal casualties.

The next day as Jeriko was planning out the next day's offensives, Jeriko would be informed that the inquisitor had summoned him. He would arrive into the man's billet alongside Maria and would be informed that he would want both of them in his retinue. Jeriko would accept the role with pride though was regretful that he would be leaving the regiment who he had lead with unceasing loyalty. He would say his goodbyes before joining the inquisitor as his anti armour gunner. And so for 7 years, he has served the inquisitor with quite literally everything he has. He also remains on much more casual terms with the inquisitor thanks to Maria though remains forever respectful.

## Appearance

Jeriko is most often seen in the standard orange overcoat of the Ashstriders, mimicking the uniforms often worn in their factories, though his is most often seen smeared with soot or covered in oil spillage. His trousers are made of a thick and rough material, with padding upon his knees to avoid rub rash. On top of all of this, he wears heavily modified carapace armour that still keeps it's metallic sheen. Though his has a lot of modifications after his long years of service. He most often has his weapon's power pack upon his back and goggles pressed into his forehead if he's not using them. Though he also has a dark blue scarf hung around his neck, likely a gift from Maria.

Physically, Jeriko is very much easy on the eyes. A handsome looking fellow, despite his many battle scars, he is decently built after lugging the heavy weaponry that his job requires. His tan-ish skin is often smeared with soot much like his clothes, which often covers most of his scars. Though his bionic left eye is hard to miss, after he lost it to a shrapnel injury. His brown hair is shoulder length and is most often tied into a pony tail behind him though he keeps his beard mostly shaved.

## Personality

Jeriko is most often described as amicable and charismatic though can be described as reckless by some from his homeworld. One could describe him as a born leader, as he is compassionate to people's plights though also knows when to put his own emotions aside for the sake of a mission. Calm and discipline is the name of the game for many Ashstriders and he has such a thing in spades. Despite everything that he has been through, he remains joyful and calm as he goes into most situations. However, he does have a reckless streak that is fuelled by both his adrenaline junkie and adventure seeking side, which can lead him into getting more dangerous then he necessarily has to and more often or not leads him to getting hurt. Though this is usually controlled when he is outside of combat.

## Abilities and Traits

As a baseline human, he doesn't have any special abilities aside an incredible streak of luck that even he cannot really explain. Though in terms of abilities, he is an expert marksman and can score hits with his caster that many would struggle with. Most often these blows are kills as soon as they meet engines and so he is also an expert on vehicles, knowing not only how to pilot them but also destroy them. He's also a brutal melee combatant thanks to his time alongside the Redemptors and often can knock down his human opponents with a few blows.

## Equipment

### Armour

* Heavy Carapace armour, heavily modified after years of service

### Weapons

* Sigurdian pattern combi-plasma caster, spewing both plasma and melta
* Las pistol
* Chainsword "Lucky"

## Relations

### Friends/Allies

* Inquisitor Gregorious
* Colonel Maria Lezpeta
* Ordo Xenos
* Carnius Ashstriders
* Sezhran Redemptors

### Rivals/Enemies

* Xenos
* Chaos

## Quotes

### By: Jeriko Hyke

"*If you told me last week I would be driving a chimera at a knight, I would have laughed. Now, I'm just hoping this buys us some time lads.*"
—Colonel Jeriko Hyke when being asked what he's doing on Marfold Prima.
"*Maria, please no-for the love of the God-Emperor-Damn it. Well, I'm not waiting for vengeance, FIRE AT WILL!*"
—Jeriko after Maria's battalion charges after the opponents.
"'**"**
—
### About:Jeriko Hyke

"*He was born on Carnius and yet he acts like a Sezhran...got the mind of one of us, and yet the heart of a Sezhran...Emperor damn it...*"
—Jeriko's superior officer on his promotion to Colonel
"'**"**
—