Author Note: This is going to be a background information thread for the character mf_luder from the "Voyages of the Penelope and the Yydryl" thread. That being said, this may be in no particular order or make much sense to those who are not familiar with our journeys. I'll do my best to slap a date structure on and make it as understandable as possible. Enjoy!


Earth, Sector 1
2305

Outside of the Earth Capital city of Centrum, the sprawling metropolis of the United Earth Federation Academy lies, surrounding by a mountain range and a lake. The large academy grounds serve as a hub for people from all around Earth and from the closest sister worlds of the Earth Federation. The academy was situated with massive learning halls and coed dormitories, holding at capacity 3000 students per class years with a total of six class years training at a time. The place was always abuzz with activity, no matter the time of year.

On a desk situated near a full-sized bed, in a room located on the second floor of building 2501, an alarm clock blared to life, shrieking its warning of time come present to all that would hear. This alarm clock was composed of a dented black casing with three of the digital numbers barely flickering to life as it drained some of its power to sound its shrill alarm. A groggy hand reached out from beneath a wrinkled blanket and snatched at the clock a couple of times, missing each time. Finally, the hand found its target and wrapped around the clock. The clock then found itself hurtling through the air toward a familiar spot on the wall across the small room. It slammed into the minor dent in the wall and sputtered into quiet.

Quiet that lasted for about 15 minutes.

Several loud, pounding knocks sounded from across the room at the main door. The pounding continued, unabated for twenty seconds.

mf_luder rolled over to get out of bed, got tangled in the sheets and fell to the floor, the group of actions working to compound the throbbing in his head. He pulled himself up and felt a wave of nausea sweep through his body. He shuffled through the dorm, past the table with about 20 empty liquor bottles on it and empty food containers. He reached the door and yanked it open. Vlad was standing there, in his uniform.

"Well, lad. You just gonna mop about in there all day or were you planning on graduating?" He smirked.

Luder's eyes shot wide open and he cursed.

"#! That's today!" He turned from the door and sprinted back through the room to his area.

Vlad followed luder in and shut the door behind himself. He eyed the bottles on the table and chuckled.

"We had one hell of a party last night, didn't we, comrade?" He plopped down in the sofa and picked up a magazine.

Luder yanked his uniform on as fast as possible and tried to steady himself from vomiting all over the floor in his bedroom. He finished putting his boots on and hurried back out into the living area.

"Yeah. I think I drank more whiskey last night than we have since I got here." Luder walked up to Vlad and shook his head.

"What?"

"I feel like hammered hell in a bottle." Luder said.

"Not my fault. Theresa's the one to blame. The whole thing was her idea, remember?"

Theresa Jackson had been the one sole affection of mf_luder's since about three weeks out from joining the academy. She came from the area of the former United States called Texas. They had met purely by chance, running into each other outside of a bar called "Afterburn." outside of the Academy grounds. Luder was already pretty buzzed off of nine or ten jack and cokes and was following Vlad to another bar to continue the process of forgetting class that day. She came from around a corner and nearly knocked him down, apologizing furiously. Luder laughed and told her that she was going to come with him and Vlad to make up for it. Things just kicked off from there.

"Yeah, I remember. You weren't too helpful in the whole doing something a little less crazy side of the house either. We need to jet if we're going to make it on time."

Luder and Vlad headed out the door to graduation.......

Luder meets Theresa Jackson
2302

It was about three weeks after arriving at the Academy and Luder was still getting a feel for his classmates. He was driven to join the ranks of the science majors and try for a posting on a research vessel, but something deep inside was telling him this was not the path he needed to take. That inner voice eventually took on the corporeal form of Vlad. Vlad was working his way through the command program and told luder quite candidly one day that if he wanted to make a real career for himself, he'd do the same. Luder really didn't know what to think of that advice, if to think anything of it at all, but he took Vlad to be an honest guy.

"Luder, I know of this place you and I have to go tonight. It's a little dive about two miles from here where the spirits are potent and cheap. What do you say?"

Luder was stressed out from mid-terms and the loss of his previous girlfriend, Sayala.

"Sure. What time?" Luder asked.

"Let's be there at nine tonight."

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The bar was like any of another fifty or so luder had been to in his time in Centrum, except this one played rock exclusively and had an ample supply of Jack Daniels in stock. Vlad didn't know it, but luder felt like he was at home in this place. It seemed they had gotten there a little early for the usual night life to kick in, so luder ordered a jack and coke and queued up a game of pool to play with Vlad. Patrons started to pour in around ten or so, and by that time Vlad had drank about seven double shots of vodka and Luder was finishing up his eighth jack and coke. Luder loved it when Vlad got drunk because the Russian in him really stuck out.

"Comrade, ve must go down ze street to dis little place I know that makes excellent drunk food!" He put his arm around luder and started toward the door.

Luder laughed and sucked down the rest of his drink, putting the empty glass on a table near the door as they headed out.

The streets were crowded as it was a weeked and many people were moving about, going between the various bars and nightclubs to relieve the pressures of their normal lives. Luder was listening to Vlad ramble on about something or other when he felt someone slam into him, nearly pushing him over and out into the street. He cursed and righted himself. He turned to face his assailant and saw.... an angel.

She was about five foot seven with dark brown hair cut shoulder length, falling around her slender face. Her blue eyes were accented with a dark eyeshadow and thin eyebrows. She appeared to be somewhat athletic and very attractive.

"I'm so sorry, please forgive me. I didn't see you there." She said, peering up into his eyes. Luder looked at her for a moment.

"Where are you headed in such a rush?" luder asked.

"Home."

"Home? The night just got started out here.

"I know, but my date was a complete waste of time..."

"Come with us." Luder said.

"What?!"

"Come with us. We won't bite. We're going to someplace up the road to eat and finish getting drunk. You're more than welcome to hang out. Besides, you did nearly just kill me." Luder gave a lopsided grin.

"Fine. I'll come with you two. But for only a few hours."

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A few hours turned into a few years. After that night, Luder and Jackson were an "item" around the academy and managed to get classes together whenever possible. Luder found that she had an intense love of football, even though he hated sports but also shared his passion for gadgets and computers. The two were nigh inseparable.