Character Name: Sam Cooper
Board Name: Tilly
Character Gender: Male
Character Age: 24
Zoids: Ice Blazer, Gorhecks
AIM Screenname: storchofdoom (alt: shineryuu, thecrimsonliger)
Referred By: n/a

Character Description and History:

Perhaps more of a people person than many Zoid pilots, Sam holds back the more sarcastic half of his sense of humor until he's sure it'll be appreciated. He'd much rather get on someone's good side and talk them into doing something than kick them around. This is likely because he's not exactly imposing and not particularly tall—five foot seven at best. A more operative word might be boyish, especially with the lighter frame and short blond mop-hair. He doesn't particularly mind, so long as it doesn't lead to him getting carded again. (Looking like a teenager has its disadvantages.)

He's also perpetually curious: his interest in Zoids is half for the mechanics, half for the fascinatingly dysfunctional social structure of the battling scene. He might not qualify as the most skilled mechanic, but it hasn't stopped him from taking things apart yet. Besides, it's a good way to meet people, hanging out in the desert with a Gustav that's stalled and spitting gibberish about incompatible drivers. Sooner or later, somebody stops, unable to resist. Not that he's done this on purpose. Never.

That same curiosity is to blame for him leaving home in the first place. Home was nice, home was boring, and on Zi the escapism of choice often happens to be a fast Zoid. His first experience piloting a newly-bought Ice Blazer proved less than successful: it involved nearly running a man down in the desert before learning how to stop via the age-old method of "running into something". Living mecha (especially ones bred for speed and given boosters), it would seem, were more difficult to handle than a car. This just made them more interesting, and some conversation and adventure later he'd gone from wanting to cruise around with pilots to wanting to be one.

The Gorhecks came a few years later, selected for simple balance reasons. "Adorable and stubby and on sale" were not a factor, absolutely not. Blazers are speed and tinfoil; Gorhecks are about the shelling and armor. It was that or specialize, and he didn't exactly feel like collecting Ligers or Genos or things-that-skitters. Zoid preferences, combat styles, those are the things you work out after you've signed up to be a pilot...

Which is what he's done. Well, great.