Khloe "Poppy" Vakos

Captain Khloe Anne Vakos

Claudia Christian as Khloe Anne Vakos

Personal

Alias:	Poppy
Age:	36
Features:	Tall, athletic, stoic.
Colony:	Canceron

Professional

Rank:	Captain
Department:	Air-Wing
Position:	SL, VF-154, Black Knights

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"Thou hast the keys of Paradise, oh, just, subtle, and mighty opium!"
- Thomas De Quincey, Confessions of an English Opium-Eater, Part II

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Background

Coming out of the worst ex-felon indentured servitude ghettos of Canceron, Khloe's past is littered with failures characteristic of a youth troubled with gangs, violence, and drug use. Through exemplary dedication and prime example set by her fellow Colonial servicemen and women, she has made something of herself that doesn't come from a needle or a bottle. Stoic, reserved, and fiercely devoted to her duties, there is nothing more important than the Colonial Fleet to Khloe.

+ Show Rough and Tumble Youth

Khloe was born into a stereotypical Canceron mining family, which was always poor and on the verge of financial collapse, strongly contrasted against the rich and the elite tourists. Both the poor and the rich did their exploiting and were exploited, but it always seemed like the mining families always getting the shaft (ha). Her father ran off when she was one, leaving her and her four brothers and sisters to be raised by a single mother who rarely left industrial housing. Nakah Valley's post-slavery subsidized housing was a catch-22: once you resigned yourself to an existence there, it would forever hold you back and never allow you to become more than red-neck miner trash, working or not.

It became clear that the way of the ghetto was shank or be shanked, steal or go hungry, and become someone that's owed rather than owe somebody. Her gang was mostly of teenagers. Khloe dropped out of schooling shortly after her 12th birthday, and got her first gang tattoo. It was all downhill from there for a while.

Narcotics were the way to escape the harsh reality of the worst of the mines, and in Nakah Valley this was no exception. As a teenager Khloe became highly addicted to the home-cooked morphas made from arctic poppies, contins, and cough medicines. At age sixteen she overdosed, ending up in the Nakah Valley Medical Clinic. A social worker approached her during her brief stay, but she yessed him to death; she ended up right back where she was before. Two years later, she OD'd again; dangerously low blood pressure threatened an ischemic stroke, the entire ordeal causing her a great deal of numbness and partial (albeit temporary) paralysis in her lower extremities. This time her experience was enough for her to work at getting clean.

+ Show Getting Clean, Giving Back

Entering a program for methadone recovery and gang extraction, she relocated across the Valley and had her identifying gang marks removed through laser and chemical erasure.

For just over two years, she split her time between the clinic as a volunteer, and as a sanitation engineer and as a junkyard attendant (two state-assigned jobs), staying clean and inspired to help others do the same. Part of her recovery was to find a plan for her life to keep her carrying forward rather than stagnating; enlisting in the military was her next logical step. At age 20, she goes to enlist, but a friend at the charity center encouraged her to take the Officer Candidacy Evaluation instead. By sheer luck, she showed strong aptitudes towards piloting, partly due to a complete lack of fear response to pilot sims as well as high-G stress testing. Through an arrangement with a local politician, the costs of entry and the black marks on her background were waived in exchange for some "become a productive, clean citizen" campaigning. She registered for the Colonial Fleet Academy on the day of her 21st birthday.

The structured environment was good for Khloe. She didn't mind the restrictions and the verbal abuse from her superiors; three squares, a bed, and clean uniforms were far better than the life she had been living. She did well with the athletic components of her training, but struggled with her academics. Her new-found clean living and straight-edge attitude pushed her through, though, and by 2029 she was on her way to flight school. This was far easier than the grueling exams and long practices, as this is what she initially tested for. She had the chops; now it was just a matter of refinement.

+ Show Life as a Viper Jock

In 2031, Khloe's first assignment as an Ensign was to the support carrier Marsyas CEC-198, joining the tiny Viper escort wing that supported the larger Raptor wings aboard. One month after her assignment she was dressed down by the CAG for illegal possession of a switchblade knife; the blade was confiscated by the MPs aboard. Her rationale for having the blade wasn't rational, and more of a slip backward towards old habits (re: shank or be shanked).

A month later, the SL of VRC-42 "The Open Arms" and some of his fellow wingmen were verbally provoking some of the Viper pilots; when it was Khloe's turn to be attacked, some of her old history was revealed regarding her drug problems. When it turned bigoted towards Canceran "slave-criminal miners", Khloe snapped and lashed out at the SL, breaking his jaw in the first five seconds of a much longer brawl. Arrested for striking a superior officer, she was brigged until LT Cidra Hahn came to her aid, providing testimony to CO Meleager Grassleigh regarding the incident. Due to the evidence at hand, Khloe was given an option of NJP with a week's brig time in lieu of a court martial, which surely would've ended up with her drumming out of the uniform. Thereafter, Khloe's callsign became "Poppy" for obvious reasons. After her time in the brig, Cidra and Khloe became something of friends.

Relations between many Raptor pilots and Khloe remained strained for the duration, especially when Cidra was gone during her bereavement leave. Khloe flirts with alcohol abuse during this time, teetering on the edge of falling back into her old habits, but Cidra steers her clear with her newfound, determined outlook.

Early in 2033 the Viper squad aboard Marsyas is thinned even more, and as a final parting shot to Khloe, the SL of VRC-42 arranges for Khloe's transfer to Tau Garrison on Tauron. It's viewed as a death sentence for the careers of troublesome pilots, but the transfer had malicious intent behind it; the SL was overheard saying that it was a "frak off and die" and "good riddance" assignment. Shortly thereafer, Cidra was promoted to SL of VRC-42.

Drawing from the lessons of her friend, Khloe committed herself to making the best ouf of the Tau Garrison assignment. For the next four years, she revitalized the Viper squad assigned there through proposed drills and training, as well as assisting in administration and assets reorganization. She earned a promotion to full Lieutenant for her work. And in 2036, she was assigned to the Battlestar Hephaestus BS-107, as a member of VF-43 "Loose Cannons."

It was aboard the "Stussy" where she met Leyla Aydin. Both women, being stoic and generally reserved, bonded quickly in ways that no-nonsense women tend to: through athletic training, and through violence. Both women were from rough backgrounds, and were fiercely devoted to their jobs. On multiple occasions, the Loose Cannons worked closely with the Helos and Raging Angels in anti-pirate activities, and that's where Poppy earned her reputation as a ruthless and accurate Viper jock. There were good times aboard Stussy, and they came to an end when both Khloe and Leyla transfered to the newly-christened BS-132 Cerberus in 2041.

Immediate Family

+ Show Family

Ernie Vakos	Khloe has no real memory of her father. All she knows is that she's bitter about his absence during her youth, something she's more or less come to terms with.	Unknown whereabouts.
Vicky Anne Vakos	Khloe's mother. Typical trailer trash. Latched on to a dozen different boyfriends after her "husband" ran off.	Presumed dead, Cylon attack on Canceron.
Vance Vakos	Khloe's oldest brother. Miner.	Presumed dead, Cylon attack on Canceron.
Gerry Vakos	Khloe's big brother #2. Miner.	Presumed dead, Cylon attack on Canceron.
Hale Vakos	Khloe's big brother #3. Miner.	Presumed dead, Cylon attack on Canceron.
Candy Anne Vakos	Khloe's big sister. Had big dreams about busting out of the miner slum as a pop star / singer / songwriter.	Presumed dead, Cylon attack on Canceron.

Service Jacket

Tours of Duty

Period	Position	Station	Notes
2025 AE	Recruit	Recruited on Canceron	Entered the Academy on 21st Birthday
6 Years	MIDN / Ensign / Nugget	Canceron	CFA 4 years; Flight School 2 years
2 Years	ENS / Viper Escort	Escort Carrier Marsyas CEC-198	Small squad escort for larger Raptor fleet
4 Years	LTJG / Instructor	Tau Garrison, Tauron	Instructor and logistics administration
4 Years	LT / VF-43 "Loose Cannons"	Battlestar Hephaestus (BS-107)
~7 Months	LT / VF-211 "Checkmates"	Battlestar Cerberus (BS-132)
Current	CAPT / SL VF-154 "Black Knights"	Battlestar Cerberus (BS-132)	Promoted and transferred by MAJ Cidra Hahn

Reprimands

When	Why	Notes
July 2031 AE	Possession of an illegal weapon	Switchblade confiscated by MP. Verbal dressing-down.
August 2031 AE	Striking a superior officer	NJP, one week in the brig. Court martial waived on evidence provided by LT Cidra Hahn.
December 2041 AE	Striking a junior officer	NJP, 48 hours in the brig. Further punishment established privately by MAJ Cidra Hahn.

Who She Is

Typology

According to the Myers-Briggs (Jung) Typology test, Khloe is an INTJ, commonly known as The Mastermind.

Introverted: 56

Intuitive: 38

Thinking: 75

Judging: 78

INTJs apply (often ruthlessly) the criterion "Does it work?" to everything from their own research efforts to the prevailing social norms. This in turn produces an unusual independence of mind, freeing the INTJ from the constraints of authority, convention, or sentiment for its own sake.

You can read a bit more about INTJs HERE. You can take the test HERE.

Physical Features

Duty

Tall and athletic, Khloe "Poppy" Vakos stands with squared shoulders and a confidence that could melt Battlestar bulkheads. Her long brown hair is worn in a single Colonial Fleet regulation braid that ends at her upper back between her shoulder blades. Carefully sculpted eyebrows have an elegant upward angle to them, causing her stern gray-blue eyes to regard the world with an increased cold stoicism and an almost elite air. Rarely smiling, her unpainted lips are typically drawn tightly together in some manner of scowl or rare smirk. A strongly-defined jawline ends on a slightly pointed chin.

Khloe is dressed in a Colonial officer's uniform. The medium blue jacket is tucked into matching trousers, with a black, brass-buckled belt around the waist. A softer, darker blue fabric decorates the shoulders. The black buttons are off-center, running up the right hand side of the tunic. The left breast sports a single button-down pocket, above which are her flight qualification wings. On her left sleeve is the black, gold and white Battlestar Cerberus patch. The pins on her collar show a rank of Captain.

Trivia

• Khloe doesn't drink, doesn't smoke, doesn't eat meat. It's a wonder she derives any enjoyment from life at all.
• Khloe is fair with a pistol but she prefers hand-to-hand combat. Especially with knives and switchblades, although blades are illegal to brandish in the Colonial Fleet.
• Khloe has a "thing" for knives and sharp implements. What that "thing" is, is left to the imagination.
• On Khloe's back, above her left shoulder blade, is light scarring from when she had a tattoo removed years ago.
• In the rare time Khloe allows herself downtime, she's often found in some forgotten corner of the ship with a sketch pad and some pencils. She never lets anyone see what she sketches.
• When tired or run down, Khloe has a habit of scratching at her left arm, around the inside of her elbow.

Jukebox

+ Show Soundtrack Tabs

Sober

i don't wanna be the girl who laughs the loudest
or the girl who never wants to be alone
i don't wanna be that call at four o'clock in the morning
'cause i'm the only one you know in the world that won't be home

aahh, the sun is blinding
i stayed up again
oohh, i am finding
that's not the way i want my story to end

i'm safe, up high, nothing can touch me
but why do i feel this party's over
no pain, inside, you're my protection
but how do i feel this good sober

i don't wanna be the girl who has to fill the silence…
the quiet scares me 'cause it screams the truth
please don't tell me that we had that conversation
when i won't remember, save your breath, 'cause what's the use

aahh, the night is calling
and it whispers to me softly, "come and play"
aahh, i am falling
and if i let myself go, i'm the only one to blame

i'm safe, up high, nothing can touch me
but why do i feel this party's over
no pain, inside, you're like perfection
but how do i feel this good sober

i'm comin' down, comin' down, comin' down
spinnin' round, spinnin' round, spinnin' round
looking for myself, sober

i'm comin' down, comin' down, comin' down
spinnin' round, spinnin' round, spinnin' round
looking for myself, sober

when it's good, then it's good, it's so good, 'till it goes bad
till you're trying to find the you that you once had
i have heard myself cry, never again
broken down in agony, just trying to find a friend

i'm safe, up high, nothing can touch me
but why do i feel this party's over
no pain, inside, you're like perfection
but how do i feel this good sober

I'm Not Afraid - NSFW

i'm not afraid to take a stand
everybody come take my hand
we'll walk this road together, through the storm
whatever weather, cold or warm
just let you know that, you're not alone
holla if you feel that you've been down the same road

(Intro)

yeah, it's been a ride…
i guess i had to go to that place to get to this one
now some of you might still be in that place
if you're trying to get out, just follow me
'll get you there

(Verse 1)

you can try and read my lyrics off of this paper before i lay 'em
but you won't take this thing out these words before i say 'em
cause ain't no way i'm let you stop me from causing mayhem
when i say 'em or do something i do it, i don't give a damn
what you think, i'm doing this for me, so fuck the world
feed it beans, it's gassed up, if a thing's stopping me
i'mma be what i set out to be, without a doubt undoubtedly
and all those who look down on me i'm tearing down your balcony
no if ands or buts don't try to ask him why or how can he
from infinite down to the last relapse album he's still shit'n
whether he's on salary, paid hourly
until he bows out or he shits his bowels out of him
whichever comes first, for better or worse
he's married to the game, like a fuck you for christmas
his gift is a curse, forget the earth he's got the urge
to pull his dick from the dirt and fuck the universe

(Hook)

i'm not afraid to take a stand
everybody come take my hand
we'll walk this road together, through the storm
whatever weather, cold or warm
just let you know that, you're not alone
holla if you feel that you've been down the same road

(Verse 2)

ok quit playin' with the scissors and shit, and cut the crap
i shouldn't have to rhyme these words in the rhythm for you
to know it's a rap
you said you was king, you lied through your teeth
for that fuck your feelings, instead of getting crowned you're
getting capped
and to the fans, i'll never let you down again, i'm back
i promise to never go back on that promise, in fact
let's be honest, that last relapse cd was "ehhhh"
perhaps i ran them accents into the ground
relax, i ain't going back to that now
all i'm tryna say is get back, click-clack blaow
cause i ain't playin' around
there's a game called circle and i don't know how
i'm way too up to back down
but i think i'm still tryna figure this crap out
thought i had it mapped out but i guess i didn't
this fucking black cloud still follows me around
but it's time to exercise these demons
these motherfuckers are doing jumping jacks now!

(Hook)

i'm not afraid to take a stand
everybody come take my hand
we'll walk this road together, through the storm
whatever weather, cold or warm
just let you know that, you're not alone
holla if you feel that you've been down the same road

(Bridge)

and i just can't keep living this way
so starting today, i'm breaking out of this cage
i'm standing up, imma face my demons
i'm manning up, imma hold my ground
i've had enough, now i'm so fed up
time to put my life back together right now

(Verse 3)

it was my decision to get clean, i did it for me
admittedly i probably did it subliminally for you
so i could come back a brand new me, you helped see me
through
and don't even realise what you did, believe me you
i been through the ringer, but they can do little to the middle
finger
i think i got a tear in my eye, i feel like the king of
my world, haters can make like bees with no stingers, and
drop dead
no more beef flingers, no more drama from now on, i promise
to focus soley on handling my responsibility's as a father
so i solemnly swear to always treat this roof like my daughters
and raise it
you couldn't lift a single shingle on it
cause the way i feel, I'm strong enough to go to the club
or the corner pub and lift the whole liquor counter up
cause I'm raising the bar, i shoot for the moon
but i'm too busy gazing at stars, i feel amazing and

(Hook)

i'm not afraid to take a stand
everybody come take my hand
we'll walk this road together, through the storm
whatever weather, cold or warm
just let you know that, you're not alone
holla if you feel that you've been down the same road

Shattered

shattered, by delain

engaged in a memory
engaged in a prison of guilt
surrounded by reproach
and everybody knows

(chorus)

she flies over town in white shades
but you're left behind
with a thousand troubled minds
you cannot speak; you're blinded by your grief
she flies over town in white shades
and guides every step
but still you feel alone
'cause angels don't come home

as the sky is clearing
you clear your mind
hide all mirrors not to see
what the morphine couldn't hide

shattered faces on the floor
your broken mask serves you no more

(chorus 2x)

Black and Silver

black and silver, by xandria

i am amused
you seem to love me
but be reserved
before you huff me

i'm used to winners
i need the fame
and if you touched me
you'd be my shame

your childish dreams are all in vain
to me your kind is all the same

a starlit sky
of black and silver is my core
my last goodbye
makes you want me even more
for silver is my fame
black is my name

i am a queen
and if you creep
i'll push my blade
still-water-deep

i am a dream
a fairy-tale
your endless quest
your holy grail

thanks so much for your confusion
i will be your lost illusion

deep inside
the silver shines as black as can be
my disguise
the wolf among the sheep, you want me
to me your kind is all the same
to me your kind is all the same

Calm Like A Bomb

calm like a bomb, by rage against the machine

feel the funk blast,
feel the funk blast,
feel the funk blast,
a yo-yo-yo-yo-yo-yo-yo, check it out yo-yo-yo
i be walkin god like a dog
my narrative fearless
word war returns to burn
like baldwin home from paris, Uh
like steel from a furnace
i was born landless
yes its the native son
born of zapata's guns
stroll through the shanties
and the cities remains
same bodies buried hungry
but with different last names
the vultures robbin' everything
leave nothing but chains
pick a point on the globe
yes the picture's the same
there's a bank, there's a church, a myth and a hearse
a mall and a loan, a child dead at birth
there's a widow, pig, parrot
a rebel to tame
a whitehooded judge
a syringe and a vein
and the riot be the rhyme of the unheard

what ya say? what ya say? what ya say? what? (x4)
calm like a bomb
(ignite ignite ignite ignite ignite ignite)

this ain't subliminal
feel the critical mass approach horizon
the pulse of the condemned
sound off [the colonies'] demise
the anti-myth rhythm rock shocker
yes I spit fire
hope lies in the smoldering rubble of empires
yes back through the shanties and the cities remains
same bodies buried hungry, uh-huh
with different last names, uh-huh
the vultures robbin' everyone
leave nothing but chains
pick a point here at home
yes the picture's tha same
there's a field full of slaves
some corn and some debt
there's a ditch full of bodies
the check for the rent
there's a tap, the phone, the silence of stone
the numb black screen
that be feelin like home
and the riot be the rhyme of the unheard

what ya say? what ya say? what ya say? what?(x4)
calm like a bomb
(ignite ignite ignite ignite ignite ignite)

there's a mass without roofs
there's a prison to fill
there's a [colony's] soul that reads post no bills
there's a strike and a line of cops outside of the mill
there's a right to obey and a right to kill
(x2)

---

On the Grid

Known Associates

Air Wing

	Lieutenant Psyche "Bubbles" Devlin: Bubbles and I started off on the wrong foot. It's those irritating pink sheets, I think, and her general disregard for military protocols. But, she's not a bad person, nor is she a bad pilot. And she's so… girly. Feh.
	Ensign Alex "Decoy" Devlin: Unimpressed with him so far. He's a better stick than most nuggets, I'll give him that much. I do not like the idea of coddling nuggets, newly married or not. Frak him. Gods, frak him. He hasn't even done anything to piss me off lately and I just want him to show a shred of emotion when I'm in his face, screaming at him.
	Lieutenant Wade "Drips" Duncan: Drips is an able Viper pilot and I'm glad to have him back in the rotation. He's a straight-shooter. I like that. No questions, just answers. He's a definite "how high" on the way up, and that's my kind of officer. He's also proving to be a voice of reason, lately… this I need. I've come to rely on him more than I'd care to admit.
	Lieutenant Andrea "Hosedown" Demarcos: Raptorball. Triad. She has very strange notions as to how pilots should be spending her time. Unfortunately, the CAG likes Raptorball, and now I owe Splash because of her. And if I catch her in my locker again, the next time I beat her ass won't involve boxing gloves. Frak her, you hear me? FRAK HER. I'm so sick of her manipulative crap that's thinly disguised as reaching out. She just wants to be a merry prankster and make me miserable.— Seems she's turned it down from 11 with that new… old… hair color. We'll see how long it lasts.
	Lieutenant JG Linus "Pens" Bran: Leyla abused him verbally. I abused him physically. Ask him about the time he lost a bet about "dry erase markers".
	Lieutenant Pallas "Spiral" Ellinon: A drunk, and a boor. He represents everything I used to be; he is a constant reminder why I can't slip into old habits. Although, what he gave me… I should just get rid of it.
	Lieutenant JG Thomas "Splash" Malone: Luckiest son of a bitch that I know. If he flies a Viper as good as he plays Triad, then he should make Top Gun any day now.
	Lieutenant Leyla "Sweet-Pea" Aydin: Sweetiepea and I have frakked up more piwates and more illegal mining operations than you can stamp on a Raptor hull. She taught me six wonderful words: "Fly it like you stole it."
	Lt. Colonel Cidra "Toast" Hahn: I knew Cidra before her husband died. She knew me before I had made a commitment to be better… to be more like her. We've both drawn inward and become sharper, more focused soldiers. We are as a blade, tempered by grief. Something's changed lately with Cidra. I can't put my finger on it. I hope she figures it out before she ends up getting killed. Whatever it is, she's been less… mental. More like her old self. I've missed our talks. Never mind, I find out that she's got the veneer of a Gemenese priest but the morals of an Aerilon farmgirl. Her judgment is questionable, at best.

Deck

	PO Andreas Damon: Painfully cheerful.
	Apprentice Dave Wright: This kid thinks he has what it takes to become a Nugget. He's so desperate for tail, it hurts. I think, in the end, he'll be too distracted by getting women to swoon over him to even make it through the first week of Midshipman's training. He so much as looks at me wrong again, there won't be anything left of him to put in the brig.

Marines

	Sergeant Eleftherios Constin: About six inches and over a hundred and fifty pounds on me, and I could still kick his ass. He's got miner blood, and that makes him A-okay.
	Captain Corrath O'Hare: One of the few buy-the-book officers that I can say nothing bad about. It's a shame I mostly know him through my time in the brig.
	Captain Natalie Vandenberg: Short, feisty, another fellow Canceron with tylium in her blood. She knows me from somewhere. I have to admit, there's something familiar about her face, and her name. Whines about how her life didn't turn out the way it should have… boo-frakking-hoo. Maybe I owe her an apology. We're developing a strange friendship. Romance, even. I'm not sure where this is going.

Recent Logs

PHD #540: EVENT - Wild Blue Yonder
(burke event hydra kar khloe logs malone npcs trask two)

PHD #529: Sitting in a Tube
(kar khloe logs social)

PHD #490: EVENT - Article 106a
(ciro constin event jenkins khloe logs madilyn north sofia vandenberg)

PHD #477: Lovey-Dovey
(khloe logs social trask)

PHD #473: What About The Children
(khloe logs social vandenberg)

PHD #471: Emotions and Psyche
(khloe logs social wade)

PHD #459: Know Yourself
(khloe leyla logs social)

PHD #458: Cheerleaders and Sharks
(keenan khloe logs social)

Gallery