Albert Steiner is a player character played by Commissar Farzi.

Albert Steiner
Species & Gender:	Human Male
Date of Birth:	Pre-YE Current Age: 78
Organization:	Independent/Iron Company
Occupation:	Technician/Grandmaster
Rank:	Sentinel
Current Placement:	None

=Preferred Plots: Whoever is willing to hire him, so long as the work is honest and pay good.

Before his internment within the Warden, Steiner was a stocky man, 5'4 in height and weighing in at approximately 150 to 160 lbs. With bright red eyes, brown hair and pale skin and possessed a deep, booming voice. These days, he is little more than a withered husk sustained within stagnant life-preservation fluids by technologies almost forgotten outside of the archives he possesses, his voice the distorted tones of a speaker unit.

A gruff, seemingly self-serving demeanor combined with a sense of self-sacrificing and dedication to duty was a constant source of irritation to those around him during his time in the Company. This personality often leads to him working harder than most, if just so simply so he could continue to perform his role within the unit whether he advances in rank or not.

In terms of Encounters with Albert are often off putting, treating most of the people around them with a general indifference/low-level hostility. His past relationships-were mostly at a professional level, allowing little in the way of personal conversations, aside from some small talk-this is made even more so, as the armored frame of his Warden is quite intimidating. Though to those that manage to earn his friendship tend to keep it. It is also known he despises falsehoods as well as.

In battle, Steiner is of headstrong, bearing the brunt of the enemy's attention with no fear of death or pain-safe in the confines of his machine. Steiner both before and after internment was often seen after battles or during downtime in the Company scrapyard kludging together whatever device he can in his spare time from whatever salvage he could find.

When alone, Steiner is often confronted by the bitter memories of his company's downfall, and wonders what could've been done to avert the disaster. While he is known to be incredibly reckless in battle, he is not easily angered, but once angered it takes a long time for him to become calm again, and he does not forgive nor forget.

In his home universe, Albert Steiner was born around 35 B.Y.E, aboard a trade vessel known as Fair Valley's Hope, to a pair of crew members known as Ferdinand and Alexis Steiner. During his early childhood, he spent much of his time aboard the craft, helping both of his parents who worked as maintenance technicians. It was during this time that he developed his knack for machinery, often cobbling together odd gadgets to show his parents. While it was not an easy life, it was better than most.

Unfortunately this would eventually end when the Fair Valley's Hope was attacked by marauders when he turned seven. While the security teams put up a valiant fight, they were eventually overwhelmed. Steiner's parents were killed after having hidden him in the ventilation system.

With the ship having been badly damaged in the attack, and much of the supplies being pilfered-the pirates left the vessel a dead hulk, with systems almost completely non-functional. Steiner's story might have ended here, whether by malnutrition or disease, as over the course of six weeks he was forced to eat the dead as his food supplies had run out with in the first few days.

His luck however, would change for the better after a passing vessel spotted the hulk. When the boarding party had begun its sweep of the vessel-having found the bodies of a number of the crew began to check for survivors. Finding a half-starved Steiner after a brief chase, the party called it in-thus began his life anew as a ward of the mercenary band known as the Iron Company. Relocated to their world of Hephaestus I, his life in the Company was not the easiest-as it was expected that every member of the company was contribute-from the youngest to the oldest.

By age 12, Steiner was very nearly thrown out several times due to disciplinary issues-mainly due to his theft of scrap components-but, a Forgemaster-(The Company's Equivalent of a Chief Engineer) by the name of Alexei Durnov discovered his knack for machinery after having examined one of the devices made out of the stolen salvage, and offered him a choice; he could continue down this road and very well find himself cast out to fend for himself, or apprentice under Alexei and further his talents without having to resort to theft.

From that point forward, while his general attitude-a quiet, introverted personality, perhaps due to the mental scarring of what happened aboard the Hope-improved little, and if anything evolved into the cold, professional demeanor that he became known for even as his skills grew. Fearing that his apprentice may end up turning his skills to a much darker purpose without something to anchor him as the record of his misdeeds often saw him isolated from the various other apprentices and smiths, Alexei impressed upon him what the Company called the Tenants of Iron-a code of conduct that drew from the old codes of chivalry that the ancient knights of distant earth once adhered by-honesty, loyalty, courtesy, etc, as well as emphasizing self-discipline.

While not the Tenants did not have the effect that the Forgemaster had hoped-the emphasis on honesty, loyalty and discipline stuck with him, and would shape who he would eventually become. By eighteen, his drive and work ethic had seen him placed on maintaining the Company's Dragoon walkers-a combination of piloted machines and individuals who through the use of cybernetics piloted their mechs after suffering grievous injuries in the line of duty, but still wished to serve on.

While many suspected that Alexei may have had a hand, including Steiner himself in where he was placed, he nevertheless continued to work hard-ensuring that he proved that he belonged where he was in spite of the resentment of some of the older techs who had worked most of their lives to get where they were as only the best were given the privilege of maintaining the machines. Over the next seven years, Steiner would find himself shipped off as the Company took various contracts and assisted in keeping not only the mechas running, but assisting where he could-earning the grudging respect of many of his peers.

During one such contract-a detachment consisting of himself and some 50 others, were sweeping for xenolife under contract on a backwater planet known as P-4503-A, dubbed the Rock by the colonists who lived there, when the starport he was stationed fell under heavy attack by pirates outfitted with what was at the time top notch equipment. With reinforcements not due for several weeks and their current forces insufficient to combat them, every available man was pressed into action.

Finding himself on the front lines along with his comrades, Steiner found himself often being forced to make makeshift repairs to the Company's equipment while engaged in combat. After nearly eighteen days of fighting, their remaining forces numbering around forty combat capable troops, with some support from what was left of the local militia numbering some thirty plus a number or refugees-had been pushed to the brink by the time reinforcements had arrived to.

Unfortunately, the battle, and by extent the planet had been lost, and the situation had become an extended holding action. As the pirates pressed their attack, determined to capture the port and its vessels intact, Steiner stepped into the controls of one of the remaining mechs-its pilot had been killed by a sniper moments earlier-and attempted assist with a holding action as the shuttles containing their wounded and the refugees attempted to take off.

Unfortunately, while his actions were valiant-fighting with a ferocity beside his brothers in arms that he had not known he was capable of, they were too little too late-most of the shuttles had been disabled and the landing zone was becoming to hot for any further runs as the enemy had set up heavy anti-air defenses.

In an uncommonly brave, and at the time, uncharacteristic act, Albert volunteered to attempt to disable as much of the enemy anti-air defenses as possible, or failing that, cause enough trouble to drive the enemy back. With little support and a machine already on its last legs, his mission was only a partial success-he managed to accomplish his objective-sowing enough chaos to provide a window for the few remaining transports to flee-he could not disable their anti-air, and was eventually laid low as anti-mech weaponry raked him over.

Nearly a week later, he woke, crippled and wounded-with much of his vitals damaged and hooked up to a heavy duty life support machine-his comrades had managed to drive the pirates off long enough to retrieve him. His actions had managed to save over two hundred people, including the refugees-and thus he was awarded the rank of Sentinel-a title that while held no command, was given to those who had distinguished themselves and was offered a choice-his injuries would leave him unable to function even with cybernetics without extensive care and would likely remain an invalid for the rest of his life, but would be given the honor and care due to him-or could be integrated within a specially built mecha known as a Warden. For him, it was no choice.

He barely survived the process, his body very nearly rejecting the implants needed to both keep him alive and operating the machine. After nearly two weeks, he 'awakened', when many thought him dead, or at least a vegetable. His world became the cool rush of the fluids inside his life support unit, his senses the various cameras and sensors inside the dragoon. From then on, he would continue his role as a technician, his Warden fitted for the role.

This would go on for five years, with him occasionally being kitted out for combat and providing support in the field, and during this time a schism was developing between the various members of the Company due to a particularly low intake of new recruits and a stint of bad luck that had cost them several contracts-while he and a few others were aware of this-they thought nothing of it. This would eventually turn out to be a mistake Steiner one day awoke to alarms and weapons fire.

Emerging from the bay he was being kept in, he was surprised when what he had assumed to be a friendly dragoon launched an attack on him. After fending off his attacker-he would later learn what had happened-dissatisfied members after exhausting all other options had attempted to initiate a coup. Steiner, having been woken by the commotion had come into the middle of the renegades attempting to hijack some of the combat vehicles and mechs to aid in their rebellion located at the base he was stationed at. Enraged by their betrayal, he fell upon them much like he had the pirates who had nearly killed them. Unfortunately, the worst was yet to come.

If he had woken sooner, he might have perished before he knew what was going on; the rebels finding stiffer resistance than expected resorted to WMDs in hopes of destroying those who were still loyal to the old company; unfortunately, this was not as successful as they had hoped. As the battle dragged over the course of several weeks, Steiner had found himself pushing his machine to its limit.

As the loyalists defense disintegrated and began to prepare an attempt to flee Steiner went down the archives, and in an attempt to preserve as much of the Company's knowledge as possible, he constructed a powerful black box, integrating it into his mech and downloading as much of the database as possible, purging the archives afterwards then physically destroying as much as he could after.

Unable to fall back towards the original retreat point, Steiner fled through a series of underground tunnels towards a bunker that housed a small, space capable vessel. Unfortunately, shockwaves from the conflict, indicating another wave of WMDs being unleashed upon the surface traveled down, collapsing part of the bunker and nearly burying the starship as he took off.

After coming across a group of scavengers and bartering passage with the now almost dead craft, Steiner wanders to this very day, selling his services as a technician, clinging to old tenants and vows to dead men, becoming ever more isolated as he has come to realize that he is truly alone.

Over the years, as his systems have degraded and his mech being refitted via ad-hoc repairs, jury-rigging and lack of proper facilities, Steiner has found himself in the Star Empire of Yamatai after a bad jump left him stranded when the trade ship he was on suffered a critical malfunction and left him badly damaged and leaving the crew dead. After floating for several days, with no idea where he was and him having shutdown in order to try and conserve power and try and keep failing systems from getting any worse, he began to pick up scattered comms traffic and sound of something docking. Scavengers possibly. He powered up his systems and prepared for the worst.

When a group of what looked like soldiers enter the bay he was in, they stopped-apparently they hadn't been expecting a mechanized walker here, let alone one that was active. Steiner, in bad shape despite several days of the Warden's self repair systems doing their best to fix the damage, decided that diplomacy was the best option here. Calling out, he asked that they identify themselves. After learning that they were soldiers of something called the Star Army , he Identified himself as a member of the now destroyed Iron Company, and that any assistance would be appreciated.

It was during this time that he learned that the Star Army was actually from another universe entirely, and given that he had really nowhere to go at the time he asked if he could come with them when they returned to their home universe.

In YE 42, the last few weeks have been trying for him as he lacks any real purpose so has been traveling the planet. After several misadventures, including causing a disturbance at the Star Army recruiting center he began to seek passage to the NDC at a local bar in Ternifac.

At some point, whether before or after trying to get to the New Dusk Conclave, Steiner was spotted during the Liberation of the Scrapyard System and the Battle of Glimmergold after fixing a freighter known as the Stonewall. After fighting his way down the surface and blowing up an anti-air battery; the crew of the Stonewall with a little persuasion were convinced to follow the fleet after Steiner convinced the captain, one James Reinhart, of the salvage and what it would do for his reputation.

Glimmergold was not kind to the old Sentinel or the ship that had brought him there. After nearly being destroyed in a fight with Kuvexain infantry when the freighter found itself being swarmed-Steiner, whether through stress or madness found himself having a conversation with his old master when the Stonewall took a direct hit to the bridge. Managing to recover long enough to repair himself and the ship, reciting his old oaths as they fought their way free. Once repairs were completed, the Stonewall took him back into the fray, coming to the aid of the YSS Yukikaze. Shortly after managing the repairs to the beleaguered ship, the group managed to escape with a fair amount of salvage, along with some that Steiner managed to gather up himself.

However, after the battle it should be noted that Steiner began to question the inhabitants Kikyo sector after the use of planet crackers on the Kuvexain worlds-he had left the devastated galaxy of his home universe; granted by accident-figuring himself to be free of no-holds-barred fighting that many warlords and factions practiced. Nevertheless, he simply chalked up to them being pushed to their breaking point in the conflict and sought to bring it to a swift end.

After the battle, Steiner is currently running an Anti-Mecha course on Yamatai outside of Ternifac.

Steiner Disappeared shortly after taking a contract with the NDC during an exercise with the Ravenaca's Watch and had not been heard from until YE 44, where he returned to the Sector with an Unknown Number of Soldiers and Civilians, but whether or not this is an Ill-Omen has yet to be determined.

Steiner's Skills

Battlefield communications have always been vital, an in Steiner's role as a battlefield technician, knowing where you need to go is just as important as fixing things, as well as being able to cut through interference and enemy jamming

Steiner has extensive knowledge on nanofabrication, as well as conventional construction methods as there were times that nanofabbers were not available or impractical when in the field, such creating earthworks and the like.

While not a cutting edge engineer with his creations, he is able to generally create work arounds or simple machines that can help get a job done quickly, primarily in the form of drones.

Despite being a technician, Steiner has seen some combat as not all of his ventures were peaceful, nor necessarily maintenance related. He is skill with plasma, bullet, battlefist and warhammer.

Steiner has extensive experience piloting his Warden into both battle and working around the confines of a ship. He also has limed experience in piloting spacecraft.

As technician, Steiner knows just about everything to keep a ship, vehicle, mecha-you name it-fixed, or jury rigged enough to last long enough till you're able to get it repaired.

Steiner has extensive knowledge of xenowildlife, traditions of the Iron Company, and the black box he carries is a wealth of technical data.

Albert Steiner is connected to:

• Alexis Steiner (Mother, Deceased)
• Ferdinand Steiner (Father, Deceased)
• Alexei Durnov (Mentor, Deceased)

Steiner's Inventory:

• Warden Technician Mecha
• Iron Company Black Box
• Ship ticket
• Candles
• Parchment
• Stamp with the Iron Company Seal on it
• Fountain Pen
• Ink w/Inkwell

Stuff Won From the Salvage Giveaway

• Sword Polishing Cloth
• PRISM Inert Organic Storage Unit
• Expensive Shirt
• Civilian Car(Big cat hover car, Ultra Luxe)
• Expensive Novelty Attire(Given to a Neko after acting as a ground guide for him)

Stuff Salvaged from Glimmergold as he was leaving

• 1 KIN Troop Transport
• 12 KIN power armors of varying condition
• 3 KIN fighter, with one being mostly intact
• 16 Aether Rifles
• 5 Beam Sabers

Steiner currently has 6000 KS.

In the case Commissar Farzi becomes inactive:

• Can this character be used as an NPC by a GM or FM? No
• Can this character be adopted after I've been gone for a year? NO