Payload F A S E R I P Res Pop Ex 20 Ex 20 Gd 10 Ex 20 Gd 10 Rm 30 Rm 30 Rm 30 Fe +2 Health: 70 Karma: 70 Origin: Like most of his fellows on the GI Joe team, Payload is not super-human, though he may make you think so at first glance. While he has no special powers, he has a staggering array of high tech gear produced by the American government. And hey, he's an astronaut! Known Powers: (none) Limitations / Enhancements: (none) Equipment: the Defiant: one of the few astronauts with the skill to fly it, Payload is the pilot of this massive vehicle. A master fighter pilot and astronaut, Payload can easily put the Defiant through its paces. This vehicle is described in its own entry. Sidearm: though the idea is to fight the enemy from his spacecraft, you never know when things aren't going to go as planned. Payload can fire a single shot from this weapon to inflict Typical (6) Shooting damage, or Good (10) Shooting damage when firing a semi-automatic burst. Space Suit: when he has to 'step out' of the Defiant, Payload will usually be seen in his space suit. He typically wears it while flying anyway, just in case, but it's not always totally sealed up unless he's on a walk. Payload's space suit has these capabilities: * Environmental Independence: Payload's helmet has a built in oxygen rebreather, which helps to avoid carrying a bulky supply of pressurized, breathable atmosphere along for the ride. This device works at Amazing (50) rank for air (two day supply). * MMU: this oversized backpack, a Manned Maneuvering Unit, allows Payload to roam around while in space (when outside his craft, at least). It allows Feeble (2) ranked flight while in vacuum - not fast, but it's better than drifting. * Resistance to Cold and Pressure Variance: a self-sealing, pressurized suit, Payload's uniform offers him Monstrous (75) protection against these damage forms, a necessity when working in the cold, hard vacuum of space - if you want to last a while, at least. Quirks: (none) Talents: Aerial Combat: not only can Payload fly most any air or spacecraft, but he can fight with them, too! While he is engaged in aerial or spatial combat, Payload may roll combat FEATs wielding his vehicle (whether offensively or defensively) at a +1 CS to the applicable rank. Astronaut: the thing Payload has trained for all his life, this talent represents his mastery of various skills applicable to functioning in space, whether in near-earth orbit or beyond. He can operate most space vehicles, navigate the void, and perform maneuvers in variable gravity. Guns: an essential portion of his Air Force training, Payload has learned how to fire most conventional firearms with ease. Whether he's wielding a standard, semi-automatic, or fully automatic rifle or pistol, Payload may do so as though his Agility was +1 CS in rank. Martial Arts type B: as a part of his basic training in the Air Force, Payload was taught how to defend himself outside of an airplane - and without a gun. When unarmed, Payload may attack an opponent with any maneuver he likes (punches, kicks, etc.) at his Fighting score +1 CS. Military / United States: Payload is a long time member of the Air Force - it takes a while to make it to Colonel, after all. As such, he knows the SOP like the back of his hand, and can function in a military environment without even thinking about it. Piloting: before they'll let you operate their spacecraft, the Air Force generally requires you to learn how to fly conventional airplanes. Payload is an old hand at the use of fixed- and rotary-winged aircraft, and attempts Control FEATs while doing so at a +1 CS. Contacts: Payload is a long-time member of the Air Force who has made his way onto the GI Joe team. In addition to the Joes, he has numerous contacts in the Air Force, as well as at NASA, who he almost flew Space Shuttles for before he was pulled in to operate the Defiant. Costume: Payload's first GI Joe uniform is actually a space suit! His suit is primarily white in hue, a padded and bulky affair to protect him in space. It is accented with white boots and gloves, a white domed helmet with a gold visor, orange padding on the arms and legs, and a silver chest plate. Personality: Payload has felt an overriding need to make it into space since he was a child, and has bent his every waking moment towards getting there. Now that he actually can fly into space with some frequency, he's as giddy as a school child every time a mission comes up for him. Real Name: Mark Morgan Jr., Grade O-6 (Colonel) Occupation: astronaut, fixed wing pilot Legal Status: citizen of the United States with no known criminal record Marital Status: single Alias(es), if any: none Group Affiliation: GI Joe, the Star Brigade (GI Joe sub-group) Height: 6' 1: Hair: light brown Eyes: brown Weight: 190 lbs Other Distinguishing Characteristics: Payload wears a thick moustache at all times. Story: Payload grew up in Cape Canaveral, where he watched every rocket launch the government attempted. Watching each wide-eyed through the hurricane fences, Payload imagined himself riding rough shod on each space shot, and determined that he was going to space some day. While some have said that Payload has his heads in the clouds, his focus is far beyond them; he's not absent-minded, so much as focused like a laser on his ultimate goal. Unlike most folks who claim to want to be an astronaut, you see, Payload actually worked towards that end. Joining the Air Force as a general matter of course, he flew three tours over southeast Asia to 'pay his dues', immediately signing up for the astronaut program upon his return to the States. You can only imagine his elation when he was accepted into the thing. Of course, Payload didn't wind up flying the Space Shuttle like he'd expected; oh no. As it turned out, a military program with a nigh-unlimited budget gave Payload an offer he simply couldn't refuse: they wanted him to fly a top secret, military-minded spacecraft instead. Reveling in the chance to not only fly to space often - much less in a craft that hardly anyone knew about - Payload couldn't sign up fast enough. This program was the GI Joe team, of course, and Payload would be flying aggressive missions in space against Cobra craft. An experienced fighter pilot already, this didn't seem like too bad a deal. The instant he and his team were ready, Payload was indeed shuttled off into space, his first mission being the rescue of a normal Shuttle that Cobra was attacking - to destroy it's advanced satellite payload. This mission a success, Payload proved beyond a shadow of a doubt that the Defiant spacecraft - and the later Crusader - were effective and necessary tools in the fight against international terrorism the likes of which Cobra was inflicting all around the world... and beyond. In fact, when the Joes built a more formal unit, the Star Brigade, Payload was one of the first fellows drawn into it. Naturally, he was more than happy to go into space with his teammates, using all his experience in life to date in the protection of freedom. After the Joes disbanded for the first time, in 1994, Payload presumably cycled back into the standard astronaut pool at NASA, what with his extensive experience in orbit. However, should the Joes need him to fly one of their own spacecraft again, he'd likely jump at the chance. * 1989 VARIATIONS * Equipment: the Crusader: one of the few astronauts with the skill to fly it, Payload is the pilot of this massive vehicle. A master fighter pilot and astronaut, Payload can easily put the Crusader through its paces. This vehicle is described in its own entry. Costume: Payload's second GI Joe uniform is another space suit! It is primarily white in hue, a padded and bulky affair to protect him in space. It is accented with orange boots and gloves, an orange domed helmet with a mirrored visor, blue padding on the arms and legs, and an orange chest plate. * 1993 VARIATIONS * Equipment: Knife: should he have to cut a line or even a Cobranaut on the job, Payload has started carrying a blade with him on missions. Built from Incredible (40) m.s. materials, it can cut through things of up to like m.s., or be used to inflict Edged Attack damage in melee. Laser Pistol: his primary sidearm while in space, this directed energy weapon has proven to be Payload's friend time and time again. He can fire this device to inflict Good (10) Armor Piercing Energy Damage with each deadly blast - and it has no kickback, like his other guns! Machine Guns: should a ray-shielded target require a lead solution, Payload can use these weapons to inflict Typical (6) Shooting damage when firing a single shot, Good (10) Shooting damage when discharging a short burst, or Excellent (20) Shooting damage when firing continuously. Quasar Gun: when machine guns and sidearms are simply not enough, Payload breaks out this big guy. This curiously named device can launch a rocket-propelled projectile at a target, though it only has one round loaded at a time. Said rounds have these characteristics: C S B Damage Ex 20 Mn 75 Ex 20 Rm 30 Edged Attack Costume: Payload's third GI Joe uniform is actually a space suit! It is primarily black in hue, a padded and bulky affair to protect him in space. It is accented with green boots and gloves, a green helmet with a mirrored visor, chrome wrist and leg bands, and a silver and green chest plate. * 1994 VARIATIONS * Equipment: Knife: should he have to cut a line or even a Cobranaut on the job, Payload has started carrying a blade with him on missions. Built from Incredible (40) m.s. materials, it can cut through things of up to like m.s., or be used to inflict Edged Attack damage in melee. Laser Pistol: his primary sidearm while in space, this directed energy weapon has proven to be Payload's friend time and time again. He can fire this device to inflict Good (10) Armor Piercing Energy Damage with each deadly blast - and it has no kickback, like his other guns! Machine Guns: should a ray-shielded target require a lead solution, Payload can use these weapons to inflict Typical (6) Shooting damage when firing a single shot, Good (10) Shooting damage when discharging a short burst, or Excellent (20) Shooting damage when firing continuously. Quasar Gun: when machine guns and sidearms are simply not enough, Payload breaks out this big guy. This curiously named device can launch a rocket-propelled projectile at a target, though it only has one round loaded at a time. Said rounds have these characteristics: C S B Damage Ex 20 Mn 75 Ex 20 Rm 30 Edged Attack Costume: Payload's fourth uniform is actually a space suit! It is mainly black in hue, again a padded and bulky affair to protect him in space. It is accented with blue boots and gloves, a black helmet with a mirrored visor, gold wrist and leg bands, and a silver and blue chest plate. His fifth GI Joe uniform is also a space suit! It is primarily white in hue, a padded and bulky affair to protect him in space. It is accented with black boots and gloves, a blue helmet with a blued visor, chrome wrist and leg bands, and a silver and red chest plate.