Andrea Scott

> We have soul. We have passion and a love for living. Those guys are animals. They run on instinct.
>
> Andrea, in Volume IV - "Despair"

Andrea Beatrice Scott is a former U.S. Marine Corps First Lieutenant and F-35A Lightning II pilot. She served as chief planner for the aerial combat and initial airstrikes for the Battle at Washington, D.C. and was instrumental in ensuring Legacy's anti-air weapons were disabled in the opening moments of the fight. Without her help, the eleven UH-60 Blackhawks designated to assault the garrisoned Tortured wouldn't have made it to the fight, and the Unbroken would likely have been overrun in the first minutes of the battle. Her air-to-air combat skills also ensured a sound victory against enemy fighter craft and ultimately allowed the Unbroken an opportunity to win the Vampyre War. After the events of *Despair*, Andrea Scott became the military liaison for the Kane-Hudson Center for New Dawn Vampyrism ("The Center"), aiding Sonya and Eric with any new VMPs seeking to obtain careers in the military and defense sector.

## Bio

Andrea is auburn-haired, short, and fiery with a great deal of respect and dignity for anyone that treats her with the respect she believes she's earned. Andrea is disciplined woman who grew up under the roof of her dual-military parents, Sergeant Major Marshall Scott and Lt. Col. Tiffany (Wagner) Scott. While neither of her parents pressed Andrea to enter military service, she saw her parents as an inspiration growing up and was captivated by the concept of serving the country she so loved. Hearing their stories and exploring her fascinations, Andrea decided that she was going to follow the path of a Marine Corps aviator with the dream of flying the next generation of fighter jets.

On partial academic scholarship, Andrea attended Texas A & M University for mechanical engineering. Starting her degree in 2009, she commissioned into the Marine Corps through ROTC after graduating in 2013. Immediately, she started her assessment and selection process for pilots, which is an arduous and difficult task. She quickly made friends with a classmate, Layla Goss, who had similarly studied aerospace engineering at Penn State University before commissioning. The pair made for an intellectual study and workout pair, and as if anything could separate them, they were both selected as foxed-wing pilots with Layla and Andrea testing at the top of their class, respectively.

Their initial pilot training was also done in tandem with one another; neither would study for a test when one was sick, and both would watch each others' backs when other students made attempts distract them from their studies. Although Andrea was seeing another Marine on base at the time, she quickly realized that maintaining a relationship wouldn't be an option. Both she and Layla were pulled aside after a period of testing, examination, simulated practice, and discussions with their instructors. The Department of Homeland Security, Department of Defense, and FBI each thoroughly vetted the pair in the midst of the Joint Strike Fighter program: the American initiative that led to the creation of one of the most advanced combat aircraft in the world, the F-35 Lightning II. After reviewing their options, they both accepted a proposition to become some of the first pilots in the Marine Corps to receive specialized training on the fighter, as the service was expecting to have full operational capabilities by mid-2015.

Although the USMC used the F-35 "B" variant, a craft capable of vertical takeoff and landing, the specialization that Andrea and Layla were selected for had them in the cockpit of F-35A units, a conventional-takeoff unit meant for runways. While they were both confused as to why they were being trained on the Air Force version of the fighter and questioned where they would be stationed, their training was completed in February of 2015. Andrea grew too curious to avoid asking questions, and at the protest of a more meek and mild Layla, requested that they be informed as to their duty station. In confidence, Andrea was given a briefing by the Garrison Commander of MCB Quantico, who allowed the pair an insight as to their destination. They would fall directly under the United States Air Force's Air Combat Command, reporting to a representative at Quantico who liaised directly with the White House. Their primary mission, it seemed, was homeland defense by way of being prepared for stateside aircraft interception and protection of Air Force One in the case of national emergency. Both women were honored at the role, considering that the initiative had been meant for mid-career pilots.

Unfortunately, they arrived at Quantico in early March of 2015, and had a few short months of peace to themselves while they settled in at their duty station. Test flights were frequent and joyous, but their duties became far more serious and nail-biting after the first signs of the Outbreak began rolling across the nightly news. Just over 18 months after the first news story of a "Vampire outbreak," the term VMP was normalized and the United States borders were officially closed, guarded with lethal force. Although many others at Quantico (including Marine trainees and FBI agents) were relocated to aid in quelling public disturbances or reinforcing humanitarian needs, Andrea and Layla were locked down to maintain one of the foremost defenses of the country's airspace. The rumor mill churned, and although no one had a precise picture of the international situation, many worried that a fear-based response from the international community would encourage an American holocaust. For that reason, there were days that Andrea and Layla were the only two Americans in the country's airspace.

After more than 5 years of cautious vigilance, the Outbreak worsened, killing thousands of people per day and recklessly sweeping through the nation with no regard for human life. Those who survived became Vampyres, and after the virus swept through Quantico in spite of fierce lockdowns and security protocols, both women were glad to see themselves alive. In the chaos of mass death, numbering in the hundreds of millions, Andrea and Layla mourned the shadow of their country and continued to serve a military that no longer existed alongside the remaining survivors.

Ever sentinels, they became leadership figures for many remaining at Quantico and were the head of the resisting force when the Tortured unexpectedly raided the base in 2035. With Legacy using the full might of his shadow army, the takeover happened nearly overnight and gave the inhabitants of the base no chance at fighting back. Imprisoned and keeping her role anonymous, Andrea helped coordinate with the other prisoners, slowly making a plan for their rebellion until the Unbroken assault on Quantico led to her freedom. Jalix immediately recognized her potential, and she became one of the key members of Vanaheim's efforts to rid the world of Legacy.