Rena Lancaster

IC Information
Full Name:	Renalle Lancaster
Gender:	Female (She/her)
Species:	Newtype
Age (Birthdate):	20 (August 22, 0076)
Hair Colour:	Ash Blue
Eye Colour:	Brown
Height	5'6" (1.68 m)
Job:	Kakapo Squadron Commander
Homeland:	Winter Wonderland
Awakening:	3
Primary Unit:	YF-25A Prophecy A-type
BGM:	Engage the Enemy - Xenoblade Chronicles OST
OOC Information
Origin:	Original Character
Factions:	Londo Bell
Player:	Tex

Renalle 'Rena' Lancaster is an up-and-coming pilot who serves in Londo Bell. As a war orphan who moved to the Winter Wonderland resort colony in Side 1, memories of the suffering and destruction caused by the First Neo-Zeon War motivated Rena to join Londo Bell and work for the colonies within the auspices of the Earth Federation. She is friendly to a fault, prone to overworking herself, and has a reputation for being reliable. After the death of her commanding officer, she was promoted to the commander of Kakapo Squadron, which includes several friends from home on its roster. Now, she is trying her best to look out for her team, but she is also trying to find a way to make the Federation and the Earth Sphere better. So far, she has found more questions than answers.

Background

Prior to UC 0088, Rena resided in a colony caught in the frontlines of the First and Second Neo-Zeon Wars. She does not discuss the specifics, except that she lost her parents in the events of that war, and was adopted by her aunt and uncle, Ingrid and Duncan York. They also had an adopted daughter from a Neo-Zeon Cyber-Newtype program, Eight York.

The Yorks, with their niece, moved to Winter Wonderland: a Side 1 resort colony, appealing to wealthy Earthnoids, wealthy Neo-Colonists, and very wealthy Spacenoids. There, it would always be winter and could always provide a winter getaway. The Yorks, as scientists, took on a well-paying job that involved cloning reindeer and other animals to meet the image that the colony maintained. They enrolled Rena and Eight into school.

Considering the memory of her parents, Rena refused adoption into the York family. She became best friends with Eight as they grew up, because Eight's personality broke the resolve to maintain a respectful distance down. They might not have been family, but they very quickly became best friends. The fact that both had considerable empathic abilities as Newtypes helped.

In school, Rena met more of the friends that would come to define her life: Minae, Anita Rosetta, and Arriety Hearne. Along with Eight, she became close to all of them, forming a tight knit group of friends that would see her through the good times and the bad.

She began to take an interest in her social life at school. Helping people, some part of her decided, became a way to bring something good into the world. She spent a lot of time tutoring and volunteering, developing a reputation as being very reliable. She started participating in her high school's student council. This was reinforced in UC 0093, when the Axis Shock occurred.

In her last year in school, Rena became class president. It was a bright and happy cap-off to the best years of her life. She felt a sense of accomplishment -- and teachers, aunts, uncles, and friends alike wondered where she might go. They were all shocked when she announced her intention to enlist in Londo Bell. Her aunt and uncle tried to stop it, but she was too old to be denied. They were even more shocked when Eight joined her.

Her training and initial aptitude tests showed something that was no great surprise: her reflexes and Newtype abilities made her an excellent pilot. She was assigned to Kakapo Squadron, a Mobile Suit team based out of the Clop-class cruiser Ra Mari. Eight served as a communications officer on the Ra Mari. The commander of Kakapo Squadron, Bailiwick Ultrasound, became her mentor.

Lieutenant Commander Ultrasound was a skilled commander and ace pilot from the Gryps and two Neo-Zeon wars. He served in AEUG before joining Londo Bell. He taught Rena about being a pilot. He also taught her that spacenoids could fight in Londo Bell to help the Federation -- that working with Earthnoids could undo things like the Titans and build understanding. Understanding, he said, mattered far more than promises of revolution and bloodshed. Rena internalized that; it fit with her own desire to help individuals and it gave her a stronger sense of purpose.

Several months later, fate led them back to Winter Wonderland. Kaiju attacked the colony and their unit responded. The casualties were severe: the commander of the Ra Mari died in the fighting, with Eight becoming Acting Captain. Arriety, caught in the fighting, was protected by Bailiwick -- but he gave his life to defend her. The bloody aftermath left the squadron and the crew stunned.

Rena was promoted from Ensign to Lieutenant, and assigned to be the commander of Kakapo Squadron. This came with a host of stresses, as her friends ended up in Londo Bell and also assigned to Kakapo Squadron. She looked at the ways they suffered -- the things they had to give up -- and decided she had to protect them, come what may.

Phase 1, Turn 1

Rena encounters the Sleeves and learns that they are hunting for Laplace's Box. Her personal issues with Neo-Zeon remain in the background during these early conflicts and affect her judgment.
Rena meets Guy Shishioh and Renais Cardiff, who Bailiwick Ultrasound knew. She tells them the bad news about his passing. She also learns some of the danger of Triple Zero.
Eventually, Rena gets her hang-ups together enough to start dating Eight York instead of avoiding the issue clumsily. She still manages to be a bisexual disaster about this and other matters of the heart.
She forms a deeper friendship with Anita Rosetta. With the help of Anita and Eight, she begins to realize that she wants to reform the Earth Federation into something more noble, more equitable, and more democratic. She isn't sure how to do this yet.
She encounters Yuliana Dispersal, both as herself and her Celestial Being cover identity, "Verdiska." She forms a rather intense rivalry immediately after Yuliana destroys her Mass Production-type Nu Gundam, because she has to fill the void somehow.
Rena develops an OS for variable fighters and begins piloting a customized YF-25A Prophecy.

YF-25A Prophecy A-Type

YF-25A Prophecy A-Type

Unit Information
Unit Type:	Prototype Variable Fighter
Developed From:	YF-24 Evolution
Height:	15.59 m
Cockpit:	EX-Gear cockpit
Armor:	SWAG energy conversion armor
Known Operators:	Londo Bell
Known Pilots:	Rena Lancaster
Armaments
Fixed:	1 x Mauler RÖV-217C coaxial 12.7mm beam gun, 1 x Pinpoint Barrier System, 1 x standard forearm shield, 6 x wing-mounted hard points
Handheld:	1 x GU-17A Gun Pod, 1 x Beam Saber

The YF-25 Prophecy is a developmental prototype of the VF-25 Messiah. It served as the testbed for the EX-Gear System and is equipped with an AI that assists with flight controls. The YF-25A variant incorporates an OS developed by Rena Lancaster. The "A" standards for "Active Mass Balance Auto-Control" (AMBAC) movement, in a layers-deep consolidation of acronyms. This occasionally gives Rena a headache.

The Lancaster Adaptive Operating System automates the movements of the variable fighter to enable AMBAC movement. This allows it to be controlled much more like a Mobile Suit than a variable fighter. At present, this system is a prototype; Rena is often troubleshooting some issues and has yet to make it suitable for mass production, but this is one of her goals. The OS also enhances control of the pinpoint barrier system, to allow for increased use of melee maneuvers.

The YF-25A has a customized load out. While it uses the standard gatling gunpod and pinpoint barrier system, Rena replaced the standard knife with a beam saber and a recharge rack, mounted in the shield. It also carries missiles, including AIM-18L Interceptor missiles (for air-to-air and space-to-space engagements) and RRM-14 reaction missiles (for heavy bombardment).

Dozoo Degwa Standings

Side 1 Regionals Tournament, UC 0090: 3rd Place
Side 1 Regionals Tournament, UC 0092: 2nd Place
Side 1 Regionals Tournament, UC 0093: 6th Place
Side 1 Regionals Tournament, UC 0094: 1st Place
Federation International Tournament, UC 0094: 4th Place
Londo Bell Intra-Service Tournament, UC 0095: 2nd Place

Relationships

Name	Group	Comments
Eight York	Londo Bell	"Octo... we've come a really long way. I know I'm not easy to deal with. But I'm glad you believe in me. I'll try to get us through this. Together. Even if you drive me crazy doing it, Octo."
Arriety Hearn	Londo Bell (Kakapo Squadron)	"I'm glad we've decided to stay with each other. We still have a lot to figure out, but... I'm confident we'll get there, Ah-ri."
Anita Rosetta	Londo Bell (Kakapo Squadron)	"Annie! I'm glad you're my friend. You keep me moving. Even if you're way too cool for me. It confuses me, sometimes."
BC-001 Minae	Londo Bell (Kakapo Squadron)	"I'm really glad you're here. Especially for Ah-ri. Even if I'm still not sure what to make of you, some days."
Callisto Diana	Londo Bell (Kakapo Squadron)	"It's good you're with us... but I've wondered where you came from. And I know you're even angrier than I am at them."
Guy Shishioh	NERV (GGG)	"I'm glad you're back, sir. I'm sorry it's me, not him, that's here to help you."
Renais Cardiff	NERV (GGG)	"You're so cool. It's sad how you came back... but you're here, now!"
Riddhe Marcenas	Londo Bell	"It's a tough spot to be in, but I'm glad that you're on our side."
Sheryl Nome	Civilian	"I'm glad you were cool about me making an ass of myself. Who knows, maybe we'll be friends?"
Riika Sheder	ZAFT	"I get why you're angry... but I still had to try to stop you. I wish I had a better answer."
Verdiska	Celestial Being	"No! I don't know why you said that the world is like this... but I can't accept that!"