Subject 5

Project Talon Operational Record

A Report by Richard Key

 His Name
The number five represents many things in nature

and science, not only in the real world, but also in

the world in which 5 lives. To start with, the simple

fact of having a number, rather than an actual name,

represents his birth into a world of conformity and

discipline. It shows us that he never was destined to Figure 1

5s designation is
imprinted on his back, so
be more than another experiment in lab. It also shows that he can be identified
without being conscious,
us the strict order of the military he calls home, but hidden during most
duties.

where a soldier is nothing more than a number,

expendable and replaceable. It gives a since that he is almost non-human,

yet over time the audience would realize that it tells us more about the

world than the character.

As far as the importance of the number 5, it first represents the

five elements in magic (water, fire, earth, air, and metal), used to

describe the environments and creatures of the world. This in itself

creates significance in the character, and for those who realize that this

important tie it can also foreshadow that he has magical blood.

His full designation, EX-5 of 10, can also give us a clue to his

origin. He is obviously not the only of his kind, and the title EX can

give us some clues as well. It stands for Experiment, which can be

figured out fairly easy by those curious enough to analysis his name. The

fact that he is 5 of 10 can also give the sense of imperfectness, in

that he was not the last of whatever experiment his designation denotes.
 The overall idea behind the character being identified this way is an

impersonal factor. Not so much for the audience, but for the world 5 lives

in. The audience can almost feel the pain behind 5s lack of personal

friendship and love. This is the main goal behind the number game behind

his name.

His Exterior
The most significant part of any soldier is his armor, second only to

their weapon. Being the born soldier he is, 5 has both armor and a weapon,

which are two of the most important parts of his appearance. He is almost

never without a weapon, and every mission requires his armor. These

features make it unmistakable that he means business, and that he is not

your average citizen.

In general, 5 is a large, 6 foot tall man. He has a wide stature and,

as you would expect for a soldier, very muscular. When someone first meets

him, it is an overwhelming experience. He is taller and broader than most,

even compared to the soldiers he works with. His size

probably adds to his mythical status among his peers as

well.

5 is also more important, and talented than your

average soldier, which grants him more sophisticated and

unique equipment. His armor is made of an extremely

Figure 2 protective, experimental material, and is painted a grayish

5s armor is built
from the hardest
metals, and plated color, as opposed to the normal green or red of a typical
in design, for
better mobility. soldier. He is also allowed special decals on his armor,

which denote his origin and status in the service. Besides his extras, he
is also required to display his rank on the right arm of the armor, and

his duty, which for him is the Tactical Anti-Magic Squad.

A companion to any set of armor is a weapon, and 5 is no exception. 5

actually carries quite a weapon, which resembles a large rifle. It is with

him almost all of the time, and if not, his trusty side arm is. The black

rifle is partly to intimidate and for function. When not in use, the

behemoth weapon sits snuggly on his back, clipped and ready to go.

Around his waist is a standard issue belt, which carries rations,

small explosives, and other equipment that he may need in his daily

adventures. Matching his armor, most of the time this belt blends in quite

nicely.

5 is first and foremost a soldier, and his appearance is as you would

expect. He has a very correct posture, a strong resolve, and always has a

serious look on his face.

The Surface
Lets take a minute and imagine a world from the movies; A place

where the surface of the planet is nothing more than large deserts, ruined

cities, and dangerous creatures. Now lets take that world, add another

sun, making the count two, then add magic into the mix. This is only part

of the world 5 calls home.

Humans, during their struggle in a long war with the majestic

dragons, have been pushed underground. They live in cities beneath the

surface, fighting to reclaim their once mighty cities. This war has raged

on for generations, and unfortunately the new stewards on the surface have
been able to hold the human race at bay. However, in a culture now run my

military leaders, humans will not give up so easily.

In the middle of it all is a race of beings known as the Magi.

Essentially the Magi are humans with the abilities to use magic, but with

this ability comes a price. The magi are also half dragon, so they are

easily recognizable, and due to the magic ban in human society, they are

unwelcome below the surface. The Magi are really the wildcard, because

they often play both sides, and usually wonder alone on the surface.

The only home 5 has ever known is a

military barracks, under the bright earth

above. He has lived in a small cell, with

nothing more than a bed, computer, and

locker. An efficient way to live, to be

sure, but not a very comfortable one. He

lives with many other soldiers, and their Figure 3

A grim reminder than the once great
cities fell at the hands of dragons, and
daily trips to the surface are the only that the world above is all but
destroyed.
escape anyone has from the tattered society

they live in.

On a planet with two suns, the surface is not only filled with

dragons and Magi, but the environment can play a critical role in the

danger as well. The surface is not only hot, but also filled with endless

expanses of rumble. It is hard to tell when things might begin to fall

apart, or what may be hiding just around the corner. 5s home is this

world of danger and uncertainty.

 In The Beginning
5 was not born to a mother and father, but to a scientist. His

birthplace was not a hospital, but a lab, deep underground, in an area

known as the Restricted Zone. This vast underground network of research

and development is the closest thing to a home 5 ever had.

In a military effort to create a better soldier,

the scientists of humanity came up with the idea for

Project Talon. Not only would this be genetic

experiment, but a training regiment that surpassed all

before it. 5 was the fifth subject in this project, and

is considered the crowning achievement of R&D.

5 had nine brothers from this project, all breed to

Figure 4
5s Project Talon
insignia.
be faster, stronger, and more resilient than any soldier

before them. They had one purpose, to win the war for the surface. Over

the years, these ten comrades became the only family they had.

After years of training, their first missions were at the age of

roughly fifteen. They all made it back from their first one, but that

would not always be the case. By the age of twenty, 5 would be the only

one of the ten left alive. One by one they fell, and even thought his

training was to show no emotion, he still cared more than anyone.

When the last of his brothers died in combat, 5 began a stint as a

lone dragon slayer. He was given the best technology humans had, and used

it to hunt and destroy any dragons he could find. This is when his legend

spread. He was known by not only every human soldier, but every dragon
soldier as well. After years of wondering the surface, he was caught and

brought back home.

His experience gained him a higher rank and a spot on the most elite

force the humans have to offer, the Tactical Anti-Magic Squad. His service

with TAMS lasted for another few years, until he disappeared and his

military records stopped. Although unconfirmed, there are rumors that he

turned rouge and even acquired magical abilities.

Mental Evaluation
5s body has been created and sculpted to me far superior to most

humans, but his mind has been conditioned as well. He can quickly analyze

a situation and often times makes quick decisions that saves lives. He is

not the most intelligent man on the battlefield, but his cunning does give

him an edge.

For any one decision, there are many factors that

come into play with 5. One thing, however, is always

first on his list: survival. Whether it is his troops or

himself, staying alive and getting back is always key.

It doesnt matter how it is accomplished in the end, he

is never stops fighting to keep things going.

Figure 5
His mission is also an important factor, and in Death is a part of 5s
everyday life. The
constant gloom has
many ways tied into surviving. After all, how can you desensitized him more
than most.
complete a mission if you are dead. The mission is his

life, and he believes that he is doing good not only his superiors, but

for all of humanity. Indeed, his missions sometimes are the most
important, but he has been trained to stay alive and complete his mission

no matter what happens.

Moreover, 5 has a strong tendency towards saving others, even more so

than saving himself. He is confident that he can save himself, but somehow

always feels that he must strive to save his fellow soldiers as well. He

is almost reckless in his attempts to bring his comrades home. His said

history of fallen brothers may give him more of a cause to keep trying

than most, but over time his attempts has become more dangerous.

Above all else, 5 is a soldier, and his decisions are always based on

survival, battle tactics, and situational awareness. Often times he wants

to know everything he can about a situation before leaping into it. He

also wants to gather as many resources as well, just to be sure he what he

needs. He is very determined, strong willed, and smart. He is given the

privileges he has because his superiors know he will always get the job

done.

Mission One
So there he was, just fifteen cycles old and already one of the best

soldiers GSI has. It is hard to imagine that someone so young is ready to

be shipped off to the surface, like some combat veteran from long ago.

With think armor and weapon in hand, he boards the skiff along with his

nine comrades.

All he knows is what to do; no other information was relayed to him.

Their mission is to recover a group of soldiers who were shot down. Now is

disarray, the soldiers only have one chance to make it out. 5 realizes
that stakes and only one thing is going through his mind now, his

training.

A light flashes green, they are at the drop point. He was so busy

concentration on his training, he lost track of where he was. Its not a

problem; however, he simply gets up from his seat and moves to the door.

With a loud rush he opens the sliding exit, revealing a long drop to the

surface. With only a few seconds left to jump, he doesnt hesitate to push

himself out.

The rushing air is a new sensation, and the smell is unbelievable.

You could never tell from his face, but 5 was enjoying himself. Enjoyment

aside, he begins to focus on his fall, which worries him little. He and

his brothers are carrying a new self-stabilizing deceleration device,

which will nearly stop them in a free fall. With one button press they are

no longer speeding through the sky, but gracefully gliding downward.

They reach the ground, and everyones first instinct is to find

cover, along with make contact with each other. Once local recon and cover

is established, they begin to move forward.

7, who has been promoted to the leader of the outfit, directs 5 to

move forward and take point. Without a moments hesitation, he takes the

position and begins to scan. After ten minutes of scanning and walking,

the group finally finds the missing soldiers.

The group of soldiers are surrounded by a pair of dragons, and with

rubble blocking them in, they are fighting for their lives. Realizing time

is limited now, 5 signals that he is moving in.

He rushes to the battleground, weapon ready to fire. He jumps and

discharges a powerful blast, which lands square on the head of one of the
 aggressors. 5 lands between the beasts and the

soldiers, precisely where he wants to be. He quickly

lifts his rifle and lets another shot loose, scoring

a mark on the other creature. Both of the majestic

beings are completely still, then with a thud, they

Figure 6 collapse in the dirt.

5 fears no creature, man or
beast.
The soldiers behind him are speechless. They

have never seen someone move so precisely and so fast, let alone a four

foot tall teenager. Not knowing what to say at such a time, they simply

walk up and thank him. In the insensitive fashion of a soldier, 5 simply

nods his head and signals them to keep moving.

With the rescue complete, the skiff returns and returns them safely

to the underground barracks they call home. The first mission is nothing

short of an absolute success, and now it is clear this is just the

beginning of the young groups career.

Audience
A big part of the target audience would be the male

population who enjoy movies and books like Star Wars, Star

Trek, Lord of the Rings, and other sci-fi and fantasy

classics. These offer a gritty, action-packed view of the

future or alternate reality that my 5 fits into.

Typically these people would be males, from Figure 7

The Audience.
adolescence to middle aged, who like sci-fi, fantasy, and post-apocalyptic

type stories. There could also be place for really any male in this
character, simply because 5 in himself is really what most males aspire to

be in most cultures: the best they can be, physically fit, and most of all

powerful. It will appeal to almost any male in my opinion.

It is not hard to realize what kind of person can relate to 5 either.

Anyone who has had a rough family life can relate to 5s younger years as

well. There is much to relate in respect to his lack of family, and

forceful training, especially for those who like to rebel.

I think that the slight more educated crowd could get into 5s back-

story, and more complex views. There is a lot to this character that is

not really experienced when he is in combat or on a mission. These extra

layers take a little more effort and knowledge to really understand and

grasp, which would almost require a little formal training in such

techniques. 5 can be appreciated by the average male, but there are also

aspects that can be appreciated by a more educated person as well.

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