Solomon Thurston

Back-Up Firepower of the Fangs of Shale Pack
1st Lieutenant Bravo Company
Black Eagles Battalion

Description


~An All-American hero: Sol stands tall with the pride and measure of an accomplished and victorious soldier. Care is taken in every aspect of his appearance and his features and musculature are chiseled and sturdy. His brown hair is cut short, though allowed a bit of modern style. Lively brown eyes evaluate the man’s surroundings as he marches into view. His hands are tucked into dark khakis’ pockets. A Polo shirt embraces his upper body, buttoned up to the collars. A small gold pin clasps to the left breast, shaped like the American bald eagle, except painted black. Well-polished shoes tread the ground without fear or pause, as if prepared to conquer it all. Solomon comes across like his namesake: wise, strong, unafraid, and inspiring. The reliable, good old boy, is here to save the day.~

OOC: Appearance 2; Pure Breed 2

“If you run away, you are aiding and abetting the enemy! If you run away, I will kill you!”

History


Youth

Solomon Thurston, or “Sol” as his folks nicknamed him, entered the world in 1974 screaming his war-cry even then. So his father told him, at least. Sol was born and raised in the suburbs of Kansas City, Missouri. His parents were well-off enough to afford a decent home for he and his older sister. His dad was not surprised when Sol demonstrated a hungry interest in war and soldiers from a young age. Sol watched every “army show” on T.V., played with action figures, and saw every war movie with his father. It only felt right, since his dad fought in and survived Vietnam.

And the boy was also into healthy activities. He played little league baseball in grade school, track and field in high school, judo on the side for a few years, and (of course) joined the ROTC. In his early teens, he was presented with his first hunting rifle. He and his dad every year went into the woods for a few days. Sol didn’t always get a kill, but he enjoyed the time in the woods with his father and occasionally friends very much. Then again, it could have just been the pleasure of holding the rifle with the anticipation to shoot something and shed its blood. Sol wasn’t a sadistic boy. He just felt the call of the wild and never understood quite why.

So Sol graduated from high school and prepared to move onto a career in the Army (he got basic training out of the way in the summer the year before). That was when his dad told him of the family’s legacy. Werewolves. Get of Fenris. Sol respected and loved his father like no other, but he tried so hard not to laugh. That is, until his dad showed him a secreted family photograph of an “uncle”…in a terrifying form. Even in the still photo, Sol felt his heart stir and belly twist in both awe and fear. By those instincts alone, he knew his dad wasn’t lying or gone nuts. With that knowledge, Sol took his leave from his family to begin Ranger training.

Rangers

By mid 1992, he had completed the several months of special training. By mid ’93, he was shipped off to Somalia to help deal with that mess. Black Hawk Down? He was there. Sol remembered that nightmarish urban fighting, and recalled the thrill of both terror and glory. The sensations mixed into a wild, ferocious hunger to kill and protect his comrades, his surrogate family. In the back of his mind, Sergeant Thurston logged just how many Somalian militants he shot in that intervention and on that most fateful day especially. His personal casualty hits numbered over 60. Sixty men, Solomon realized, in less than sixty days.

After Africa, Solomon returned home and to Georgia to finish his enlistment as an assistant drill sergeant. He enjoyed heckling the new recruits quite frankly, and pushed himself as much as he pushed them to stay in shape and on key. But only a few weeks before he was ready to re-enlist, he received a strange letter. The letter was an invitation to a special ops corps: the Black Eagles. It noted that Sol came recommended from his father and that Sol’s outstanding military record and “family heritage” accorded him a place in the corps’ ranks. The letter advised him not to show or tell his fellow soldiers of the invitation, as the Black Eagles were top secret. Any such blabbing would be futile and discredit Sol at the same time.

Black Eagles

However, the warning was unnecessary. After careful consideration, Sol answered the letter that “Commander Gerald Schwartz” wrote. He accepted the invitation. When his army enlistment ended, he was sent a flight ticket to Montana to begin his Black Eagle training in their secret base there. Not long after he arrived, Solomon learned of the special corps’ truth. They were not a government division, but in fact a paramilitary organization made up of the best of the best. He also learned that more importantly that the division involved only Kinfolk of the strongest Garou Tribes. There Solomon learned more of his true heritage, and quickly came to adapt his patriotism to Grandfather Fenrir instead of Uncle Sam.

In 1999, Sergeant Solomon Thurston was at combat-ready status for the Black Eagle’s Bravo Company. And he soon saw action again. His company commander, Colonel Wells, accepted a security consultation mission for the Get of Fenris near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The Thunders of Mjolnir were hitting a Pentex industrial site on the outskirts of the city accused of dumping in the river, but avoided prosecution a month prior. Pentex suspected “eco-terrorism” and stepped up security. So, so did the “terrorists”.

After arming to the teeth with high quality weapons -- including “anti-werewolf” ordinance just in case -- Solomon and his platoon, led by Captain Vance, flew to Pittsburgh. They met up with their Tribemates and allies and accompanied them into the woods near the river and industrial base. As the Garou prowled forward, the Black Eagles set up perimeter security posts by squads. Solomon had command of his own squad due his sergeant rank (which was due his prior military experience).

Unfortunately, the Garou underestimated just how much Pentex would step up their security. As Mjolnir’s Thunders encountered and fought through heavy resistance to plant their explosive charges, two separate enemy bodies fell upon the Black Eagles. A First Team, which was less experienced than the Black Eagles but made up for it with a couple of freak show fomori, and a small pack of Black Spiral Dancers both attacked the Black Eagles from the front and behind.

Sol still wasn’t quite sure how the first few minutes went down. It was night-time in the woods. Everything was a blur of muzzle fire and screams from teammates and over com-links. Solomon himself screamed, wild eyes on shadowy targets just beyond the trees. But he was rewarded with screams and blood. The commandoes and werewolves tore into each other with fang and claw and rifle. Grenades went off here and there.

Then the first wave of the assault faded down. Solomon immediately demanded damage reports. Of 15 crack commandos, 5 were dead and 3 wounded. Lieutenant Ulster, field commander, was among the slain. As soon as he heard that, Solomon’s instincts took over and he took charge. Before the enemy could regroup, he ordered the second and third squads in a flanking maneuver while he led his squad in a daring charge. He answered the vile Dancers’ catcalls and whoops with a wild roar of war-fervor. The werewolf allies proved to be the First Team’s bane, for the Dancers failed to terrify the Black Eagles…and their noisy craws only drew the Black Eagles’ fire. As the Pentex soldiers attempted to mount a defense against the charging commandos, Solomon heard friendly fire cut his enemies all down from behind. The battle was won. As the Black Eagles regrouped and tended to their casualties, they heard the coup de grace. A half mile away, the industrial site exploded in a massive fireball. That was the signal. The Black Eagles withdrew to a clearing in the woods and a stealth helicopter with Captain Vance airlifted them all out of the hot zone.

Back in Montana, Solomon was commended for his valor and quality in battle. His fierce poise and inspiring bravado had led the Black Eagles to success. He had turned an ambush against overwhelming odds into an amazing victory. Commander Schwartz himself was there to pin a medal on his chest and promote him to 1st Lieutenant. Sol gladly accepted it all.

And over the next few years, Sol continued to serve the Black Eagles well. He guided the men in his command to success after success. He participated in reconnaissance missions, security consultation, hostage crises, and more. He fought in America and abroad alike. He wasn’t promoted again, but he knew he had some time to go and to prove himself again. Like Commander Schwartz, Sol drives himself hard and expects the same of everyone else.

Furlough

Nonetheless, even war heroes need a break. In 2003, Solomon received his first long-term off-duty furlough. Of course, it was always under the staple that he could be called back to action as soon as necessary. But unless a massive operation demanded his attention, Sol was content to enjoy a few months to himself. So naturally, Sol went home. He had not visited home since leaving a decade before. He embraced his parents warmly, thanked his father for the Black Eagle recommendation, and became determined to meet and impress his Garou relatives in the local area.



Significant Other


While on furlough, Solomon visited his family in the Kansas City area. And he thought it'd be a great idea to start checking out his familial roots more thoroughly. So he ran into the Skald, Leena Karsten, in 2004. After a few dates, the two hit it off. Lee found him strong and steady and not at all too chauvinistic. The man finds himself quite completely wrapped up in the leggy college professor…sometimes literally! But Sol now pines only for Leena. In fact, he impregnated the Skald. On March 19th, 2005, Leena gave birth to an auspiciously heralded child: a Trueborn Ahroun boy! The Sept marked their son, Erik, for the glory he would one day exhibit. And the lucky parents were likewise honored. Clearly, their pairing was meant to be, ordained by Gaia herself. Solomon can look forward to many many years of his Leena. Marriage is also likely on the horizon despite the dangerous lives both Fenrir folk follow.

Leena

Weakness
Pride


Simply put, Solomon's militant pride will probably get him killed someday. Though he's much more tolerable in a civilian setting, when it comes to combat, only fellow Black Eagles could stand being around him. And that's because they're just as bad.

Likelihood of Corruption

Average.

Solomon's fairly ignorant of the dangers of Banes and demons and such. But he has an excellent moral base, so if he falls to corruption, it will take a lot of pushing. On the other hand, it'd be that much longer a topple.



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