Kar "Mantis" Rogers

You get the noisy ones, you get the smart ones, you get the quiet ones, you get the not-so-smart ones. Kar is one of them quiet and smart ones that make up this world.

Coming from a long line of naval officers, his future was pretty much set even before he was born. It was only after his birth and through his growing up that it became evident of where exactly his future lie.

In the box office of a Viper.

He used to be with the Mighty Lions, now he's been transferred to the Black Knights. He might not talk much, and seem to keep to himself, but out there in a fight, he'll watch your back.

Background

"He who has a 'why' to live, can bear with almost any 'how'."

— Friedrich Nietzsche

Born in May 2017 to parents Quentin and Tia Rogers of Picon, Kar was to be their one and only child, though not from lack of trying. Coming from a family of Military Officers, he was set from an early age to follow the footsteps of his ancestors.

Even though he came from a rather wealthy family, Kar’s parents brought him up to be an honest and modest child thanks to they themselves being very down-to-earth people. His mother was a piano teacher at a local high school, whilst his father was, at that time, a Colonel in the Colonial Fleet.

At the age of 17, Kar enrolled into the Colonial Fleet Academy. Despite being smaller in stature than most of the boys his age, he passed the physical tests and was listed as having an “above average level of both fitness and reaction skills”. Both of which would carve his future path into Flight School.

And that it did. After graduating from the Academy with a Degree in Physics with a Major in Astronomy, he went straight on to Flight School. With his instructors realizing his high levels of reaction and his good fitness levels, it was clear that Kar was set to the Viper pipeline. His passing marks in the PFT sealed the deal. He graduated in 18 months with the callsign “Mouse”.

Kar was assigned to the Battlestar Hyperion and it was there he served for the remainder of the Hyperion’s service. When the Hyperion was retired in 2041, Kar was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant Junior Grade, got transferred to and joined the Mighty Lions Squadron of the newly commissioned Cerberus. It was there his callsign was changed to "Mantis" thanks to his silent bearing, yet ferocious strike when it came to his piloting (also because there was already a Mouse at that time, god bless her soul).

Being a quiet person and keeping to himself quite a lot, Kar has only just recently come into the light as a new transfer into the Black Knights. And this is the chapter of his life we start in.

Born on the 26th of May 2017, Kar Rogers is the only son of the late Quentin and Tia Rogers of Picon. He was considered a small baby, weighing in at around 5 pounds at birth. Despite being small however, he was a healthy baby and healthy too was his mother when she gave birth. A problem free birth all in all, as the doctors put it.

In his early years, Kar enjoyed the balanced love of both his parents despite his father being a ranked naval officer. Quentin would always manage to find a way to make time for his one and only son, and Tia, well, she got maternal leave until Kar was old enough to be entrusted with day-care. Once he reached that age, his mother returned to her love of teaching. Teaching music that was.

Coming from a long line of naval officers, his family was what most would categorise as "well-off". Supported by both his parents' incomes, the young Kar found himself being sent to the best school money could buy. His father wanted to have the best education that was available and throughout his school years, Kar proved himself to be quite the intelligent and diligent student.

He was well-liked amongst both his teachers and his peers. A very down-to-earth boy and one who used to never shy away from people, nor be afraid to make new friends. At least not during these younger years of his life.

The young Kar passed through his schooling with high marks, and after graduating high school at the age of 17, he promptly enrolled into the Colonial Fleet Academy. Something that he always dreamed of doing, and that his family was proud of. He would be following the family line of service, and more importantly it was his choice. Never once did he feel it was forced upon him.

There at the Academy he studied for a Degree in Physics, and in his 2nd Year, he chose to take a Major in Astronomy. He even started for a Minors in Astrophysics, but didn't complete the credit requirements for the Minor title. During his Academy years, he proved himself more than capable both physically and mentally, as well as academically. After 4 gruelling years of study, Kar Rogers graduated (with Distinction) with a Degree in Physics, Majoring in Astronomy in 2037.

Quentin Rogers was, at one stage, a distinguished Raptor pilot who served in the first wars. Seems like that same blood runs through Kar's veins as he found himself applying for Flight School. In his mind, he too wanted to become a Raptor pilot, just like his father. It was not to be. The results from his PFT did not get him into the Raptor pipeline. Instead it got him sent into the Viper pipeline. Viper pilot. Even with his brains, it was his high level of fitness as well as his amazing reaction times that drew the attention of his instructors.

Admittedly at first, Kar was a little disappointed. His mother showed her concerns for her only son, but she still supported him. His father too had his reservations, knowing much of his son's character. Even so, they always supported him in whatever he chose to do. And knowing he had his parents approval, Kar gave it his all. Despite not being his first choice, he soon found himself studying deep and training in the finer points of being a Viper pilot.

It was during flight school that he earned the callsign "Mouse". Due to his smaller stature and that old saying of: "Quiet as a mouse"

Mouse graduated Flight School within 18 months, with above average results. He wasn't the best of the best, but he was definitely up there. Immediately after graduating Flight, he was assigned to a Viper Squadron on the Battlestar Hyperion. There he joined as a "Rook" fresh out of Flight. And there his callsign stuck.

It was during his time on the Hyperion that an incident caused an obvious change in his character and bearing. The loss of a good friend and squad-mate would change him forever. Kar became reserved and retreated more to himself. Not to say he was anti-social, but he never talked as much after the incident, and seemed to carry a more mature and serious air about him. His new callsign "Mantis" followed soon after.

When the Hyperion was retired in 2041, Kar was transferred with recommendations to the newly built Battlestar Cerberus. He was promoted and assigned to the Mighty Lions. And has been with the squad since launch, all through Warday, and all that's happened since.

Now he finds himself transferred into the Black Knights, Cerberus' primary Viper Squadron and possibly the most famous in the Colonial Fleet, complete with the Evocati too. Only time will tell what this new chapter in his life holds for him…

"Never interrupt your enemy when he is making a mistake."

— Napoleon Bonaparte

Service Jacket

Tours of Duty

Period	Position	Station	Notes
2034	Midshipman	Colonial Fleet Academy	Enrolls in Academy
2037	Ensign	Colonial Fleet Academy	Graduates with Degree in Physics, Majoring in Astronomy
2038	Ensign	Colonial Flight School	Enrolls in Flight School - Viper Pipeline
2039	Ensign	Colonial Flight School	Graduates with Adv. Cert in Vipers Mk VII
2039 - 2041	Ensign	Battlestar Hyperion	Rookie Viper Pilot
2041 - current	Lt JG	Battlestar Cerberus	Viper Pilot

"Victory goes to the player who makes the next-to-last mistake."

— Chessmaster Savielly Grigorievitch Tartakower

Profile

"A narcissist is someone better looking than you are."

— Gore Vidal

Physical Features

Overview

At 5 feet 7 inches, Kar isn't exactly the tallest male officer you’d see walking around. Despite his small stature though, it’s obvious that he keeps in shape. Kar’s hair is a very dark brown (easily mistaken for black) in colour and kept to a respectable length with sideburns that run level with the bottom of his ears. His dark brown eyes seem quite gentle yet alert to his surroundings.

He stays clean-shaven for the most part, though the very light shadow of his shave tends to define his smooth jawline. Most would say he keeps a rather serious expression on his face, though that’s probably just the way it is. Of course on rare occasions one might see a little smile touch the corner of his lips.

On the Grid

"In the End, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends."

— Martin Luther King Jr.

Known Associates

Air Wing

	LTJG Thomas "Splash" Malone	One of the first few pilots of the Knights I met after I got transferred into the Squad. Seems like a decent guy. Look forward to flying with him
	CPT Khloe "Poppy" Vakos	Absolute hard-ass of a Squadron Leader. As she should be. Not sure if we started off on the right foot. Though apparently everyone starts on her shit side anyway…
	LT COL Cidra "Toast" Hahn	The CAG. Never really had the chance to have a fully decent conversation with her before. Never really felt the need to. She liked to fly Raptor with the Lions, and I remember those times. She's a good CAG. Approachable for sure.