Post by havlockvhett on Nov 15, 2010 23:52:34 GMT -8
Name: Franz Jorg Cooper (Americanized for the convenience of interaction, retains his given “Kupper” on official documents)
Aliases: Lucky Locke or just Locke, from his service in The Great War. (Used by his wife, former comrades, and certain Pinkertons under special permission.) Standard unkind appellations for a German serving in the War, mostly ignored. Hans Showalter, the alias he used to join the War early, still occassionally used for undercover work.
Age: 25
Build: A lanky 6'1”, Franz carries most of his height in his legs. Though slim, a broad set of shoulders give him an air of solidity and under well cut jackets can give the illusion of an extra thirty pounds.
Origin: Neuwenz, Germany. A small village in the country around Koblenz in Rheinland-Platz.
Occupation: Pinkerton. (They were hired out to do everything from Detective work to Guardsmen. Essentially wet works men with a reputation for being honest and on the government side of the law.)
Eyes: Pale green with hazel flecks.
Hair: Thick and curly dirty blonde locks refusing to stay still under even the strongest of gels, he's given up and wears it loose but closely shorn and always cut well short of his collar, even when time and resources necessitate that he attend to the matter personally, in all of that methods unfortunate ragged glory.
Scars: Missing the two outer fingers in his left hand, both cut off flush with the palm, the line is clean and surgical, it will be obvious to the trained eye that they were amputated. The back and remaining fingers are peppered with scars from the same incident. (From his service in the War, a shrapnel wound that was aggravated by both frostbite and gangrene, he nearly lost the entire hand but convinced his doctor to risk only taking the two mangled fingers. He made a full recovery and regained full use of the rest of the hand.) A two-inch line on the inside of his right thigh. (Also from the War, a bullet graze that healed without incident.) A tattoo of the number 49, a half-inch square in thick, black gothic numbers on his right shoulder blade, and an 89 done in the same style on his right shoulder blade.
Fur/Markings: His fur is usually sun-bleached, and always a few shades darker than his head-fur. Thin and wiry, it provides little protection from the elements and can make the sensitive cat itchy. His colouring is uniform, even through his constantly twitching tail.
Attire: Day-to-day he tends to favor white and very light charcoal grey suits.
His favorite: A white one button suit, black or dark green silk undershirt, matching white high tops, and either a silver diagonally chalk pinstriped tie or one in plain, rough white muslin. (Those are his Official Business ties, worn for meetings with superiors or business partners and interviews with subjects likely to be particular about that. He has two speakeasy ties if he feels like it: a bright, bi-plane cherry red and the coolest sky blue he could lay his hands on) He prefers white stockings, the kind you can pull all the way up to your ears and as thick as he can get, his toes get cold. Somewhere, he has a matching fedora with a black band, but if forced the best he will do is a grey-and-white newsboy cap, that he will inevitably have to return for after forgetting it everywhere he goes in a single night. just not one of nature's hat men.
A bit of a fuss about the particulars, he has red tile cuff links with silver borders when he's clubbing, black diamond tiles with cherry wood borders when casual and polished stainless steel squares, with crosshatching split into four small squares when he's on business. A white silk kerchief is tucked in his jacket pocket at all times, with a stylized 'R' picked out in gold thread and hidden on an inside fold.
In gentelman's clubs, his jacket tends to get shed quickly and he enjoys dancing the night away in his best green shirt, cherry cuff-links and a powder grey vest with his white pants and holster, no bracers. If he's really enjoying himself, his favorite tie ( the rough muslin) is undone past two buttons on his collar, one of which is undone itself.
Franz keeps his clothing fairly well, his cuffs are starched and his shoes are clean, but he's got no superhuman ability to keep them that way. His collar tends to skew just a bit to the right and his cuffs are slightly worn. Though generally neat, he's not compulsive and see most of his clothing as expendable.
Accessories: Carries a pound sterling silver coin in his inner, right breast pocket and wears the key to his first flat in Bonn around his neck on dog-tag chain.
WOC: .44 Smith & Wesson Special in a shoulder holster under his jacket (which is cut to accommodate) for a left-handed draw and fire. Walther Model 5 in his right ankle holster, with custom modified grip for ease of firing with his bad hand. Capable with a knife but will not carry one unless he knows he's walking into a fight, in which case he retains the use of his service dagger.
Appearance: I have no idea what to put here at all. I think it's already been covered. The guy he's based on: oi56.tinypic.com/2nldagl.jpg
Personality: While Franz does like attention, he doesn't want to be in the spotlight everywhere he goes. He prefers tight-knit groups, in which he is either a leader or valued consultant. The war molded him into a man that is able to take life as it comes at him, with all it's fast-paced joys and crushing disappointments, but on the downside he doesn't take to "down time" very well. He enjoys honest, forthright men with rough edges and more than a drop of black humor. A daredevil, Franz does a pretty good job of confining that to his job, and is rarely reckless in his adventures. While not having the patience to be a craftsman himself, he appreciates individuals that are, whatever their trade. He believes that to gain anything, you have to be willing to risk something of equal value to the prize you're seeking. He also takes strict discipline well, when handed out by someone he views as his superior either in experience or tactical acumen.
Franz has a difficult relationship with his past. Not naturally prone to brooding, or to reflection he finds fault in himself that he can't hold onto things that he thinks are important enough to remember. His temperament and mind are always urging him to move on, move past, live for the moment and the fight that is now and to stop dwelling in the past.
While he earns his keep and intends to live in the US for the foreseeable future, he still considers himself to be a German, and has kept his citizenship to reflect that.
Special skills: An ace pilot, he also has a good feel for most things mechanical. He might not be able to tell you what's wrong, but he has a natural nose for when something is going to give up the ghost. He's not a traditional sharpshooter, but in the middle of a hectic, running fight he's an absolute crack shot. On the subject of his job, he's an average detective, what pushes him ahead is his relentless tenacity, and that damn luck of his, which is something between the gods themselves reaching down and arranging fate to his benefit and a sixth sense of what plan is going to go sour and where to step when it counts.
Weaknesses: A workaholic, he will ignore his own health, the health of others (both emotional and physical) in the pursuit of his given mission. He is also very mono-maniacal, he will pay attention to one thing at a time, to the exclusion of all else. While this can be an asset in his line of work, it also makes him miss seemingly tangential details and causes most of his personal relationships to suffer, due both to the unpredictability of when he will have time for them, but the attention which he demands out of them when he is focusing on them. Once his trust has been given, he is fanatically loyal and is impossible to convince of the dubious character of any friend, to the point they could shoot him and he would be sure they had a perfectly reasonable explanation, and would be asking for it before assuming something as heretical as their betrayal or possible dishonesty in gaining his trust. One would hope nature compensated with an excellent judge of character, he had no such luck. He is prone to give such trust on whims and snap decisions, what he calls “instinct” and others might call “bloody minded stupidity”.
Fears: Heavy fog makes him shake badly, and if forced to be out in it he will lash out violently, and depending on how long he's been exposed, with an increasing lack of discrimination for the difference between friend and foe. Large explosions and structure fires affect his breathing and temperament, but he can keep himself mostly under control and remains able to discern what is reality and what are unpleasant memories. His worst nightmares involve him freezing to death.
Likes: Despite his service in the war, he retains a love for flying and will go out of his way to indulge it. He's also fond of trinkets, and will collect odds and ends in his pockets. He is also prone to stealing fresh flowers and wearing them in his lapel. Franz also developed a taste for Robby Bennets while in Chicago (a local take on a popular drink, he'll explain it when he has too. In addition to the 6 tsp gin, 2 tsp lime juice, 2 tsp Angostura bitters, you add 2 tsp of rum and a tsp of lemon. Shaken over ice and served as a cocktail.) Franz is at his happiest dancing to a little upbeat jazz or curling up next to a fire and listening to the latest radio drama out of his native country.
Dislikes: Anyone with a cough of any sort, he will take it as their personal failing for a duration of the illness and refuse to be in their presence, unless work dictates otherwise, in which case he will attempt to silence them through an application of extreme public disdain. Driving, when possible he walks, but when necessary he will pull paperboys off the street rather than drive one of those unwieldy monstrosities himself. He detests the cold (slightly nippy is acceptable, even exhilarating, it's when things start turning blue) with an unholy fervor, and will bundle up like an Eskimo against it.
History:
1900
(Jan. 15) Born. First son of Johannes and Maria Kupper. Both are potters, his father is also am amateur farrier. A sister preceded him by two years.
1906
(December 3) Younger Brother Kurt born, catching a cold that will haunt him for all of his short life.
1907
(Jan. 15) Despite Kurt's continuing weak health, it is decided he will be given a Christian name. Franz begs to be allowed to chose, his mother allows it, making it his birthday present in an already lean year. Franz chooses Kurt, and is delighted when his baby brother smiles.
1914
(April) Younger Brother Kurt finally succumbs to pneumonia. Franz will write to him for the rest of his life, unable to bear the thought of a world without his younger companion.
(June) Attempted to join the Wehrmacht, lying about his age. Fails.
1915
(May 13) Drags a drunken airman out of a puddle in Bonn, steals his papers. Joins the Luftstreitkrafte under the name of Hans Showalter. His commander thinks he is 19.
(July 2) Completing his rushed basic training at the top of his class, he is shipped off to Jagdstaffel 6. His records claim he is a decorated pilot, he has flown once, but he can feel the aircraft in his bones. Head stuck firmly in the clouds, it will never come back down
(September 17) Shot down for the first time, finds himself behind enemy lines. Jasta 6 takes little time to mourn the loss of a talented young fighter.
(October 3) Returns to own lines. Will spend a month covalescing and recovering from his wounds, almost loses his right hand to gangrene, begs the doctor to only take off the broken fingers. Once amputated, the hand begins to fully heal. (Awarded the Verwundetenabzeichen (Wounded Badge))
(November 15) Is finally returned to Jasta 6. With missions scrapped for the near future due to incliment weather, his return is celebrated. His commander and fellow wingman have both been shot down during his abscence, the commander is dead, his wingman crippled for life.
1916
(Feburary 18) After the loss of another leader, he is asked to serve as squad leader, four men are placed under his command. He remains a Warrant Officer
(April 19) Wounded in dog fight, resulting in the scar on his right inner thigh.
(May 14-June 29) Falls in love (re: hormones) with one of his wingman. The affair is messy and obvious, but ignored and lasts until Josef is KIA on the early morning run of the 29th. He is the squad's first fatal casulty since he took command)
(September 9) Is shot down for the second time, this time within German lines. Returns to his unit on the 12th. Their commander says he kept his plane reserved, calling him Lucky Locke. The nickname sticks. A mechanic paints it on the side of his plane in bright red. Franz smiles and takes a picture to send home to his mother, it will be the last one she receives during the war.
(December 21) Raven-Squad (Valkyrie's sister squad) loses another commander, the third of the month. Franz writes his little brother "I feel as if I've aged thirty years. The men around me are cold and somber and I feel their mood in my bones. I can feel grey beginning at my temples. It has been a long year. For the first time, I wish I had stayed home to watch you grow."
1917
(May 23) Shot down for the third and final time, he finds himself in no man's land. An English officer drags him back to their trenches, presuming him to be one of theirs, mistaking the Union Jack he tacked up as a trophy for his allegiance. Is held for three days in appalling conditions. (27) Is left to die in a Mustard attack. Crawls back to his own lines after killing his guards and his interrogator, his voice is a complete loss for an entire month. (Rewarded the WB, cast in silver. Rewarded Iron Cross when the maps he stole from his interrogator prove useful)
(June 10) After a short leave he is returned to Jasta Six. He chooses an Albatross D.III which would serve him for the rest of the war.
(June 24) Jasta 6 is combined with Jastas 4, 10 & 11 to form Jasta 1, what will become famed as the Flying Circus. Immediately takes a liking to von Richtofen and gives him his die-hard loyalty.
(July 6) Awarded the Pour le Merit after leading a sortie with three improvised squads of grounded pilots (some for rest, others because of wounds) in aid of the rest of Jasta 1 during a prolonged engagement with the RAF
(September 24) Is finally promoted to Second Lt. and given command of the Jasta 6 Squadron.
(Dec 25) Captures an English pilot attempting to escape, shot down nearly a week ago the man is near starving. The squadron takes him in in the spirit of the holiday. He is released at the stroke of midnight and allowed to try his luck with the rest of the German line. Gives Franz a pound sterling in exchange for a kiss.
1918
(March 28) Receives news that his father died, in August of the preceeding year. Their relationship being largely formal, Franz mourns little.
(April 21) von Richtofen dies. Franz mourns the loss of a good man, mentor and friend, but approves of Reinhard as a more risk-driven commander.
(July 10) Hits 40 Offical kills. Swords are added to his Iron Cross.
(August 16) Drunk and maudlin, has a heart-to-heart with Udet. In a bid to go home, confesses he lied about both his age and name. Ernst admits Franz has him on one thing, he never lied about his name, but Ernst is two years his Junior. They form a fast friendship that will endure for the war, but is remembered only on Christmas thereafter.
(September 14) Mutiny discussed and voted against. The Flying Circus will serve the remaining months of the war with honor and gallantry.
(September 23) Hits his last confirmed kill, setting his record at 49. His passionate but friendly rivalry with Voss is balanced by the official record going to Franz, but their private tallies having Werner up by two (91 to 89). While doing his personal decaling work he privately wonders when his patient devotion will be rewarded with a death of his own.
(October 30) The Flying Circus is grounded after flying one final sortie against the RAF, they acquit themselves brilliantly.
(November 11) Armistice. Jasta 6 dines alone, silently and falls into ill sleeps.
(December 9) Officially transferred away from Jasta 6. Entrusts his men to Udet.
1919
(Jan 1) Returns home. His sister is married, her husband wounded and limping from the Eastern front. Their little boy's name is Kurt. He leaves and refuses to speak to her until the very end of his days.
(March 4) Restless and fully recovered from his service, he travels to Bonn in hopes of finding work as a mechanic.
(March 16) Meets a former RAF pilot with clear blue eyes and minus a pound sterling. They agree to share room and board, an arrangement that lasts two months. Unable to watch Germany's decline, he begs his Englishman to take him home. He declines, but puts his friend in touch with an American named Cecil Lively, working for the Pinkerton Detective Agency.
(April 3) Begins working for Cecil, traveling throughout Germany on cases. Most are to ascertain the status of war dead and to reclaim personal tokens. His mild celebrity as one of the Flying Circus serves him well.
(July 26) Boards a ship to America on plans for an extended case, tracking down a man supposedly fled to California. In order to remain relatively incognito, he resumes regular use of his given name.
1920
(April) Applies for a visa extension, which is granted.
(Nov) Is officially hired as a Pinkerton.
1922
(Jan 15) Entranced by Chicago, he buys an apartment on the Loop that he intends to become his permanent home.
(March 3) Meets Sgt. Robert Troy at Navy Pier, both men are jumping at the fireworks but refuse to leave. They share a drink, from Troy's flask, then six more at a Speakeasy for gentleman of a certain character. Troy is a regular, and given his police status a highly prized customer. Franz becomes a mild celebrity again, especially when his membership in the Flying Circus is discovered. He finds he enjoys the attention.
1923
(May 17) Troy marries Elizabeth Tanner, Franz is his best man. They continue their affair.
(June 16) The Troys move into the adjacent apartment, Rob and Franz remove the locked door between the two rooms with a small ceremony with champagne and Elizabeth's best shortbread.
1924
(Jan 15) Samuel Troy is born, Franz is made his godfather.
1925
(Aug 29) Receives news via telegraph while in Baton Rogue that Sgt. Robert Troy was shot in the line of duty, caught between two rival gangs of moonshiners. He makes the return trip in thirty two hours flat. Robert dies of complications two weeks later, his wife is with her parents, taking care of little Sam. Franz is by his bedside, Robert dies with a clear conscious and feeling loved.
(Sept. 20) Marries Elizabeth Troy. They agree to continue her Arrangement with Robert. He makes an excellent father.
(Nov. 14) Arrives in Felidae, backtracking one of the gunmen from Robert's murder.
Love Interest: Although married with a kitten, he has an Arrangement with his wife. She is allowed whatever friends she chooses while he is away, so long as little Samuel is well cared for, and he is allowed to cavort with other gentleman of a certain character provided he is discreet and a good father. Still coping with his recent bereavement, Franz isn't interested in anything beyond a pretty pair of eyes and an evening's distraction, but then people have a habit of sneaking up on his heart when he's not looking.
Quotes: “Indeed.”
Theme Song: Stroker's Theme - Charlie Daniel's Band www.youtube.com/watch?v=LD6AzxeHmVI&feature=related
With Hon. Mentions:
Still in Saigon - Charlie Daniels Band www.youtube.com/watch?v=SOfrnKqk3zw
C'est La Vie - Bob Seger & The Silver Bullet Band www.youtube.com/watch?v=hDle0aVv13o
Snoopy vs. The Red Baron - The Royal Guardsman www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oxzg_iM-T4E&feature=related
Code: -code removed by admin-
Aliases: Lucky Locke or just Locke, from his service in The Great War. (Used by his wife, former comrades, and certain Pinkertons under special permission.) Standard unkind appellations for a German serving in the War, mostly ignored. Hans Showalter, the alias he used to join the War early, still occassionally used for undercover work.
Age: 25
Build: A lanky 6'1”, Franz carries most of his height in his legs. Though slim, a broad set of shoulders give him an air of solidity and under well cut jackets can give the illusion of an extra thirty pounds.
Origin: Neuwenz, Germany. A small village in the country around Koblenz in Rheinland-Platz.
Occupation: Pinkerton. (They were hired out to do everything from Detective work to Guardsmen. Essentially wet works men with a reputation for being honest and on the government side of the law.)
Eyes: Pale green with hazel flecks.
Hair: Thick and curly dirty blonde locks refusing to stay still under even the strongest of gels, he's given up and wears it loose but closely shorn and always cut well short of his collar, even when time and resources necessitate that he attend to the matter personally, in all of that methods unfortunate ragged glory.
Scars: Missing the two outer fingers in his left hand, both cut off flush with the palm, the line is clean and surgical, it will be obvious to the trained eye that they were amputated. The back and remaining fingers are peppered with scars from the same incident. (From his service in the War, a shrapnel wound that was aggravated by both frostbite and gangrene, he nearly lost the entire hand but convinced his doctor to risk only taking the two mangled fingers. He made a full recovery and regained full use of the rest of the hand.) A two-inch line on the inside of his right thigh. (Also from the War, a bullet graze that healed without incident.) A tattoo of the number 49, a half-inch square in thick, black gothic numbers on his right shoulder blade, and an 89 done in the same style on his right shoulder blade.
Fur/Markings: His fur is usually sun-bleached, and always a few shades darker than his head-fur. Thin and wiry, it provides little protection from the elements and can make the sensitive cat itchy. His colouring is uniform, even through his constantly twitching tail.
Attire: Day-to-day he tends to favor white and very light charcoal grey suits.
His favorite: A white one button suit, black or dark green silk undershirt, matching white high tops, and either a silver diagonally chalk pinstriped tie or one in plain, rough white muslin. (Those are his Official Business ties, worn for meetings with superiors or business partners and interviews with subjects likely to be particular about that. He has two speakeasy ties if he feels like it: a bright, bi-plane cherry red and the coolest sky blue he could lay his hands on) He prefers white stockings, the kind you can pull all the way up to your ears and as thick as he can get, his toes get cold. Somewhere, he has a matching fedora with a black band, but if forced the best he will do is a grey-and-white newsboy cap, that he will inevitably have to return for after forgetting it everywhere he goes in a single night. just not one of nature's hat men.
A bit of a fuss about the particulars, he has red tile cuff links with silver borders when he's clubbing, black diamond tiles with cherry wood borders when casual and polished stainless steel squares, with crosshatching split into four small squares when he's on business. A white silk kerchief is tucked in his jacket pocket at all times, with a stylized 'R' picked out in gold thread and hidden on an inside fold.
In gentelman's clubs, his jacket tends to get shed quickly and he enjoys dancing the night away in his best green shirt, cherry cuff-links and a powder grey vest with his white pants and holster, no bracers. If he's really enjoying himself, his favorite tie ( the rough muslin) is undone past two buttons on his collar, one of which is undone itself.
Franz keeps his clothing fairly well, his cuffs are starched and his shoes are clean, but he's got no superhuman ability to keep them that way. His collar tends to skew just a bit to the right and his cuffs are slightly worn. Though generally neat, he's not compulsive and see most of his clothing as expendable.
Accessories: Carries a pound sterling silver coin in his inner, right breast pocket and wears the key to his first flat in Bonn around his neck on dog-tag chain.
WOC: .44 Smith & Wesson Special in a shoulder holster under his jacket (which is cut to accommodate) for a left-handed draw and fire. Walther Model 5 in his right ankle holster, with custom modified grip for ease of firing with his bad hand. Capable with a knife but will not carry one unless he knows he's walking into a fight, in which case he retains the use of his service dagger.
Appearance: I have no idea what to put here at all. I think it's already been covered. The guy he's based on: oi56.tinypic.com/2nldagl.jpg
Personality: While Franz does like attention, he doesn't want to be in the spotlight everywhere he goes. He prefers tight-knit groups, in which he is either a leader or valued consultant. The war molded him into a man that is able to take life as it comes at him, with all it's fast-paced joys and crushing disappointments, but on the downside he doesn't take to "down time" very well. He enjoys honest, forthright men with rough edges and more than a drop of black humor. A daredevil, Franz does a pretty good job of confining that to his job, and is rarely reckless in his adventures. While not having the patience to be a craftsman himself, he appreciates individuals that are, whatever their trade. He believes that to gain anything, you have to be willing to risk something of equal value to the prize you're seeking. He also takes strict discipline well, when handed out by someone he views as his superior either in experience or tactical acumen.
Franz has a difficult relationship with his past. Not naturally prone to brooding, or to reflection he finds fault in himself that he can't hold onto things that he thinks are important enough to remember. His temperament and mind are always urging him to move on, move past, live for the moment and the fight that is now and to stop dwelling in the past.
While he earns his keep and intends to live in the US for the foreseeable future, he still considers himself to be a German, and has kept his citizenship to reflect that.
Special skills: An ace pilot, he also has a good feel for most things mechanical. He might not be able to tell you what's wrong, but he has a natural nose for when something is going to give up the ghost. He's not a traditional sharpshooter, but in the middle of a hectic, running fight he's an absolute crack shot. On the subject of his job, he's an average detective, what pushes him ahead is his relentless tenacity, and that damn luck of his, which is something between the gods themselves reaching down and arranging fate to his benefit and a sixth sense of what plan is going to go sour and where to step when it counts.
Weaknesses: A workaholic, he will ignore his own health, the health of others (both emotional and physical) in the pursuit of his given mission. He is also very mono-maniacal, he will pay attention to one thing at a time, to the exclusion of all else. While this can be an asset in his line of work, it also makes him miss seemingly tangential details and causes most of his personal relationships to suffer, due both to the unpredictability of when he will have time for them, but the attention which he demands out of them when he is focusing on them. Once his trust has been given, he is fanatically loyal and is impossible to convince of the dubious character of any friend, to the point they could shoot him and he would be sure they had a perfectly reasonable explanation, and would be asking for it before assuming something as heretical as their betrayal or possible dishonesty in gaining his trust. One would hope nature compensated with an excellent judge of character, he had no such luck. He is prone to give such trust on whims and snap decisions, what he calls “instinct” and others might call “bloody minded stupidity”.
Fears: Heavy fog makes him shake badly, and if forced to be out in it he will lash out violently, and depending on how long he's been exposed, with an increasing lack of discrimination for the difference between friend and foe. Large explosions and structure fires affect his breathing and temperament, but he can keep himself mostly under control and remains able to discern what is reality and what are unpleasant memories. His worst nightmares involve him freezing to death.
Likes: Despite his service in the war, he retains a love for flying and will go out of his way to indulge it. He's also fond of trinkets, and will collect odds and ends in his pockets. He is also prone to stealing fresh flowers and wearing them in his lapel. Franz also developed a taste for Robby Bennets while in Chicago (a local take on a popular drink, he'll explain it when he has too. In addition to the 6 tsp gin, 2 tsp lime juice, 2 tsp Angostura bitters, you add 2 tsp of rum and a tsp of lemon. Shaken over ice and served as a cocktail.) Franz is at his happiest dancing to a little upbeat jazz or curling up next to a fire and listening to the latest radio drama out of his native country.
Dislikes: Anyone with a cough of any sort, he will take it as their personal failing for a duration of the illness and refuse to be in their presence, unless work dictates otherwise, in which case he will attempt to silence them through an application of extreme public disdain. Driving, when possible he walks, but when necessary he will pull paperboys off the street rather than drive one of those unwieldy monstrosities himself. He detests the cold (slightly nippy is acceptable, even exhilarating, it's when things start turning blue) with an unholy fervor, and will bundle up like an Eskimo against it.
History:
1900
(Jan. 15) Born. First son of Johannes and Maria Kupper. Both are potters, his father is also am amateur farrier. A sister preceded him by two years.
1906
(December 3) Younger Brother Kurt born, catching a cold that will haunt him for all of his short life.
1907
(Jan. 15) Despite Kurt's continuing weak health, it is decided he will be given a Christian name. Franz begs to be allowed to chose, his mother allows it, making it his birthday present in an already lean year. Franz chooses Kurt, and is delighted when his baby brother smiles.
1914
(April) Younger Brother Kurt finally succumbs to pneumonia. Franz will write to him for the rest of his life, unable to bear the thought of a world without his younger companion.
(June) Attempted to join the Wehrmacht, lying about his age. Fails.
1915
(May 13) Drags a drunken airman out of a puddle in Bonn, steals his papers. Joins the Luftstreitkrafte under the name of Hans Showalter. His commander thinks he is 19.
(July 2) Completing his rushed basic training at the top of his class, he is shipped off to Jagdstaffel 6. His records claim he is a decorated pilot, he has flown once, but he can feel the aircraft in his bones. Head stuck firmly in the clouds, it will never come back down
(September 17) Shot down for the first time, finds himself behind enemy lines. Jasta 6 takes little time to mourn the loss of a talented young fighter.
(October 3) Returns to own lines. Will spend a month covalescing and recovering from his wounds, almost loses his right hand to gangrene, begs the doctor to only take off the broken fingers. Once amputated, the hand begins to fully heal. (Awarded the Verwundetenabzeichen (Wounded Badge))
(November 15) Is finally returned to Jasta 6. With missions scrapped for the near future due to incliment weather, his return is celebrated. His commander and fellow wingman have both been shot down during his abscence, the commander is dead, his wingman crippled for life.
1916
(Feburary 18) After the loss of another leader, he is asked to serve as squad leader, four men are placed under his command. He remains a Warrant Officer
(April 19) Wounded in dog fight, resulting in the scar on his right inner thigh.
(May 14-June 29) Falls in love (re: hormones) with one of his wingman. The affair is messy and obvious, but ignored and lasts until Josef is KIA on the early morning run of the 29th. He is the squad's first fatal casulty since he took command)
(September 9) Is shot down for the second time, this time within German lines. Returns to his unit on the 12th. Their commander says he kept his plane reserved, calling him Lucky Locke. The nickname sticks. A mechanic paints it on the side of his plane in bright red. Franz smiles and takes a picture to send home to his mother, it will be the last one she receives during the war.
(December 21) Raven-Squad (Valkyrie's sister squad) loses another commander, the third of the month. Franz writes his little brother "I feel as if I've aged thirty years. The men around me are cold and somber and I feel their mood in my bones. I can feel grey beginning at my temples. It has been a long year. For the first time, I wish I had stayed home to watch you grow."
1917
(May 23) Shot down for the third and final time, he finds himself in no man's land. An English officer drags him back to their trenches, presuming him to be one of theirs, mistaking the Union Jack he tacked up as a trophy for his allegiance. Is held for three days in appalling conditions. (27) Is left to die in a Mustard attack. Crawls back to his own lines after killing his guards and his interrogator, his voice is a complete loss for an entire month. (Rewarded the WB, cast in silver. Rewarded Iron Cross when the maps he stole from his interrogator prove useful)
(June 10) After a short leave he is returned to Jasta Six. He chooses an Albatross D.III which would serve him for the rest of the war.
(June 24) Jasta 6 is combined with Jastas 4, 10 & 11 to form Jasta 1, what will become famed as the Flying Circus. Immediately takes a liking to von Richtofen and gives him his die-hard loyalty.
(July 6) Awarded the Pour le Merit after leading a sortie with three improvised squads of grounded pilots (some for rest, others because of wounds) in aid of the rest of Jasta 1 during a prolonged engagement with the RAF
(September 24) Is finally promoted to Second Lt. and given command of the Jasta 6 Squadron.
(Dec 25) Captures an English pilot attempting to escape, shot down nearly a week ago the man is near starving. The squadron takes him in in the spirit of the holiday. He is released at the stroke of midnight and allowed to try his luck with the rest of the German line. Gives Franz a pound sterling in exchange for a kiss.
1918
(March 28) Receives news that his father died, in August of the preceeding year. Their relationship being largely formal, Franz mourns little.
(April 21) von Richtofen dies. Franz mourns the loss of a good man, mentor and friend, but approves of Reinhard as a more risk-driven commander.
(July 10) Hits 40 Offical kills. Swords are added to his Iron Cross.
(August 16) Drunk and maudlin, has a heart-to-heart with Udet. In a bid to go home, confesses he lied about both his age and name. Ernst admits Franz has him on one thing, he never lied about his name, but Ernst is two years his Junior. They form a fast friendship that will endure for the war, but is remembered only on Christmas thereafter.
(September 14) Mutiny discussed and voted against. The Flying Circus will serve the remaining months of the war with honor and gallantry.
(September 23) Hits his last confirmed kill, setting his record at 49. His passionate but friendly rivalry with Voss is balanced by the official record going to Franz, but their private tallies having Werner up by two (91 to 89). While doing his personal decaling work he privately wonders when his patient devotion will be rewarded with a death of his own.
(October 30) The Flying Circus is grounded after flying one final sortie against the RAF, they acquit themselves brilliantly.
(November 11) Armistice. Jasta 6 dines alone, silently and falls into ill sleeps.
(December 9) Officially transferred away from Jasta 6. Entrusts his men to Udet.
1919
(Jan 1) Returns home. His sister is married, her husband wounded and limping from the Eastern front. Their little boy's name is Kurt. He leaves and refuses to speak to her until the very end of his days.
(March 4) Restless and fully recovered from his service, he travels to Bonn in hopes of finding work as a mechanic.
(March 16) Meets a former RAF pilot with clear blue eyes and minus a pound sterling. They agree to share room and board, an arrangement that lasts two months. Unable to watch Germany's decline, he begs his Englishman to take him home. He declines, but puts his friend in touch with an American named Cecil Lively, working for the Pinkerton Detective Agency.
(April 3) Begins working for Cecil, traveling throughout Germany on cases. Most are to ascertain the status of war dead and to reclaim personal tokens. His mild celebrity as one of the Flying Circus serves him well.
(July 26) Boards a ship to America on plans for an extended case, tracking down a man supposedly fled to California. In order to remain relatively incognito, he resumes regular use of his given name.
1920
(April) Applies for a visa extension, which is granted.
(Nov) Is officially hired as a Pinkerton.
1922
(Jan 15) Entranced by Chicago, he buys an apartment on the Loop that he intends to become his permanent home.
(March 3) Meets Sgt. Robert Troy at Navy Pier, both men are jumping at the fireworks but refuse to leave. They share a drink, from Troy's flask, then six more at a Speakeasy for gentleman of a certain character. Troy is a regular, and given his police status a highly prized customer. Franz becomes a mild celebrity again, especially when his membership in the Flying Circus is discovered. He finds he enjoys the attention.
1923
(May 17) Troy marries Elizabeth Tanner, Franz is his best man. They continue their affair.
(June 16) The Troys move into the adjacent apartment, Rob and Franz remove the locked door between the two rooms with a small ceremony with champagne and Elizabeth's best shortbread.
1924
(Jan 15) Samuel Troy is born, Franz is made his godfather.
1925
(Aug 29) Receives news via telegraph while in Baton Rogue that Sgt. Robert Troy was shot in the line of duty, caught between two rival gangs of moonshiners. He makes the return trip in thirty two hours flat. Robert dies of complications two weeks later, his wife is with her parents, taking care of little Sam. Franz is by his bedside, Robert dies with a clear conscious and feeling loved.
(Sept. 20) Marries Elizabeth Troy. They agree to continue her Arrangement with Robert. He makes an excellent father.
(Nov. 14) Arrives in Felidae, backtracking one of the gunmen from Robert's murder.
Love Interest: Although married with a kitten, he has an Arrangement with his wife. She is allowed whatever friends she chooses while he is away, so long as little Samuel is well cared for, and he is allowed to cavort with other gentleman of a certain character provided he is discreet and a good father. Still coping with his recent bereavement, Franz isn't interested in anything beyond a pretty pair of eyes and an evening's distraction, but then people have a habit of sneaking up on his heart when he's not looking.
Quotes: “Indeed.”
Theme Song: Stroker's Theme - Charlie Daniel's Band www.youtube.com/watch?v=LD6AzxeHmVI&feature=related
With Hon. Mentions:
Still in Saigon - Charlie Daniels Band www.youtube.com/watch?v=SOfrnKqk3zw
C'est La Vie - Bob Seger & The Silver Bullet Band www.youtube.com/watch?v=hDle0aVv13o
Snoopy vs. The Red Baron - The Royal Guardsman www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oxzg_iM-T4E&feature=related
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