Miranda E. Rosenthal
My, my, I knew you weren't smart, but you should have at least known better than to try and double-cross me, don't you think?
Miranda Eleanor Rosenthal, also referred to as Mia by friends or the Lavender Lady by foes, is the eldest daughter of business magnate Felix Rosenthal and the heiress of the Rosenthal Institute. Despite her relatively young age, she is a renowned explorer and prospector of the Salhin Empire, with her and her crew being responsible for the founding of more than twenty towns and mining facilities. She is more publicly known throughout Elysium for being an expert in Archean ruins and their derived technologies, something most imperial figures would rather keep secret.
Due to her family's ties, Miranda has a significant influence in the Empire's private industry, with most of her equipment, crew and even her ship coming from the Institute or its subsidiaries. Her ship, the Trailblazer, is a one-of-a-kind vessel designed for atmospheric flight as well as interstellar travel, while her crew, nicknamed The Rose's Thorns, are mostly made of either Rosenthal subcontractors or personnel attendants. While they are by no means a match for any military force, they are still feared by Miranda's rivals, and fiercely loyal.
Biography
Background
Miranda was born on March 16th, 351, in the imperial capital of Enoch. Living most her childhood in the family's estate or at the Rosetta Imperial Academy, she grew used to getting everything she ever wanted, even after the birth of her two younger brothers. This started to cause issues with her father, who wanted her to behave more responsibly, and led to the introduction of several home teachers for Miranda. During her teenage years, Miranda's rebellious nature started to become unmanageable until she met her sword master, the retired General Henry Marel.
His tales of the First Interstellar War, and of the hardships the imperial military went through in the following decades, deeply inspired Miranda, who gradually became more compliant with her studies. She remained far from docile, however, and she also learned how to get what she wanted through other... less conventional means. This had a poor influence on her brothers, whose stricter education made it difficult to blossom, which in turned strained their relationships. After graduating high school, however, Miranda's wild behavior had to be stopped, and she was offered a choice: to enlist in the military, or to work for her father's company.
Outraged by her father's ultimatum, she initially decided to work at the Rosenthal Institute out of spite, seeking to destroy it from the inside. The day before her 22nd birthday, she and several of her followers stole the newly completed Trailblazer from under her father's nose during its launch ceremony. Unexpectedly, however, her clever use of the ship's sensors and her reckless piloting allowed them to discover a large underground deposit of Takenium, worth billions of Aureoles. This allowed Miranda to strike a deal: she would go and explore the world, free from any authority his father could impose, and in return, everything she would discover would be under the Institute's name.
For the next decade, this deal proved to be invaluable for both parties, with the Institute becoming a significant player in a market it previously did not concern with. Miranda became a highly respected and renowned explorer, and even if her reputation left a lot to be desired, her achievements did not. In 377, due to health problems, Felix officially declared his daughter to be the heiress of the Rosenthal Institute, which had remained for more than a century a family-owned venture. While her two brothers initially disapproved of this decision, Miranda's skills, network and natural luck were far more suitable than their own, forcing them to reluctantly agree.
Personality
Throughout the years, Miranda has remained as arrogant, reckless and adventurous as she was in her teenage years. Her old habits and current position have also made her complacent and quite mischievous, if not outright sadistic. This is especially true with her rivals and opponents, whom she enjoys tormenting and mocking while ignoring their pleas. This also makes it difficult if not impossible to negotiate with her, as she rarely sees any reason to accept unfavorable terms.
Despite all of her flaws, Miranda is not without merits. After years of experience away from her father's influence, she has grown into a fine fighter and a natural leader. She has honed her instincts for business and opportunities to a frightening level, and despite her quirks, has managed to keep any and all promises she ever made. As a result, she has the reputation for being reliable, even if one needs to be particularly careful to the terms and conditions when signing a contract with her.
Equipment
Nightfall: General Marel's gift for her 17th birthday, Nightfall is an obsidian black sword that Miranda often carries with her wherever she goes. Carrying a significant emotional and financial value, she often reflexively holds it or its scabbard whenever she feels uneasy. The blade itself is made of a high-grade titanium alloy capable of deflecting or even stopping bullets, even if Miranda's reflexes are nowhere fast enough for that.
Sun Raiser: Miranda's signature weapon is a custom-made smart Ostrom handgun tailored to her preferences. Designed by the best Rosenthal artificers and using the best components and software available, it is a devastating tool in her hands, and a priceless piece of art. With an effective range of over 90m and a battery capacity of 11 shots, few have escaped the Sun Raiser's wrath.
Ballistic Cloak: Miranda often travels with her signature vermillion cloak, but few know of its actual purpose. Hidden within its lining lies a miniaturized directional electro-magnetic shield generator, powerful enough to deflect bullets and even Oström bolts. Derived from naval shielding technology, it synchronizes with Sun Raiser to allow it to shoot through, but also scrambles most radio communications coming from this direction. The cloak itself is also made of ballistic weave for passive protection, should the shield fails or be turned off.
Abilities
Ocular Implant: Miranda's right eye has been replaced by an ocular implant that provides her with enhanced sight, augmented reality displays and the capability to communicate with ASTIs and other systems remotely. It is a near perfect reproduction of her natural eye and one of the most expensive products offered by the Institute.
Fierce Fighter: Miranda has always been rowdy, and never scared of starting a fight... or finishing it. She is more than capable of defending herself in hand-to-hand combat thanks to the numerous brawls she participated in, and is an excellent swordswoman. Her marksmanship with Sun Raiser is also impressive, but whether this is due to her skills or her implant is another question.
Natural Instinct: Often described as her very own super-power, Miranda has honed her instincts to recognize and seize any opportunities, be it for business or simply for her own entertainment. This is often described as an uncanny luck along with excellent observation skills, and has saved her and her crew from danger and other ugly situations many times in the past.
Relationships
Felix Rosenthal: Miranda keeps a rather distant relationship with her father. While she often reports directly to him regarding her progress for the Institute, most of their exchanges are short and professional. While she respects his position and the life he led to reach it, she still hates him for all the collars he tried to lock her in, and for the youth her brothers suffered.
Theresa Rosenthal: As the only women of House Rosenthal, Miranda and her mother are quite close. In fact, Theresa is one of the few reasons why Felix failed to do as he pleased with their daughter, something Miranda is grateful for. Miranda's mother has recently started to tease her daughter about marrying and having children, even if Miranda hasn't been in a relationship since high school.
Alexander Rosenthal: The oldest of Miranda's brothers, Alex is a high-ranking official of the Rosenthal Institute, as well as one of its public spokesmen. Despite Miranda's best efforts, he still blames his sister for her erratic behavior and the subsequently harsh childhood he and Wilhelm went through. This makes their relationship strained, but still actively mending.
Wilhelm Rosenthal: The youngest of Miranda's brothers, Wil is an officer cadet of the imperial military. After witnessing the harsh training regimen of the military, Wil has grown to be the most relaxed of the Rosenthals during family meetings, and unlike Alex, has since forgiven Miranda for her wild antics during her younger years. He is also much more aware of Miranda's attempts to mend their relationships, often assisting her in this endeavor.
Gabriel Rand: Miranda had some encounters with Gabriel during her travels, especially in the docks of Unity. While she doesn't personally appreciate his presence, nor his inquisitive habits, she appreciates the share of adventures he inadvertently drags her into. She has taken the habit of teasing him regarding his obligations as a Vestan officer, going as far as calling him Vesta's guard dog when irritated.
Quotes
- "So this is how you want to play it? How amusing. Well then, show me what you're made of!"
- "Unlike you, I'm not a cold-blooded killer. However... you'll soon realize that there are much worse fates than death. As for whoever sent you, I'll pay them a little visit. Personally."
- "There are only two things that matter in this world: money and freedom. You can have as much money as you want, it's pointless if you can't spend it."
Trivia
- Unbeknownst to most, Miranda is a surprisingly good singer, and sometimes performs short concerts to celebrate some particularly successful missions.
- To compensate for the low gravity she is often exposed to, Miranda keeps a strict physical training schedule and as a result, has a fairly muscular figure. This makes her reluctant to wear dresses and other revealing clothes.
Comments