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Species: human
Gender: male
Age: 36
DOB: December
Birthplace: Smodrina
Occupation: Captain of the Vilna Victory
Languages: Galactic Standard (English), Russian, and conversational French

Personality
Cold, aloof Alexandre has made a career out of controlling his emotions and been very successful at it. A military captain, his ability to remain calm under even the most strenuous circumstances has saved his crew many a time. He is focused, controlled, and lives by a code dictating fair and honorable behavior.

Few people know what lies beneath that seemingly icy exterior. In the privacy of his house with his family, Alexandre is quiet, caring, and even a bit shy. Having a loving family is new to him and he still harbors uncertainties about what to do and how to act. He is tender and doting, but sometimes afraid to step on toes and put his foot down, wary of being too strict and alienating the people he cares about. He knows he's very good at alienating people -- all his life he's never had a real friend. He still has to prove to himself that he can be a good father and husband.

If you were to tell anyone familiar with Captain Depriest that he was scared of a few small children, they would laugh. Alexandre's reputation as a captain is unparalleled. He's smart, perceptive, and has a genuine knack for pinpointing weak spots. He utilizes psychological warfare to great result both on the battlefield and in personal relations. Even rarer, he knows when to stop. He can tell when he's pushed someone's buttons to the right point. He may have a reputation for ruthlessness, but he is never cruel if he can avoid it.

Alexandre developed his psychological skills as a child. Undersized and bullied, it was his father's suggestion that he find another way to fight back besides the physical. Alexandre studied the bullies and when he figured out their weak points and secrets, he revealed them to the world. He became the bully, using his words instead of his fists, and then using his influence on the bullies to command their fists on his behalf. It did not take Alexandre long to realize what he had become. His own ability to be cruel frightened him and he swore to that day forth strike only those blows which were totally necessary, and then stop.

All his life, Alexandre has lived by that restraint, that secret fear of what he and every other human is capable of. Only in the past year has he begun to take down the walls in his personality, to allow himself to answer to his emotions, and it is still a learning process. He will always be cold, aloof, and impersonal. But he will also become a good and loving father to his children, the father he always wished he had.

Physical Characteristics
Height: 5' 9"
Weight/Build: slender frame, moderately athletic build
Hair: wavy dark brown
Eyes: dark brown, with dark circles underneath
Skin: pale
Face:
Attire: Royal uniform of the Smodrina Armed Forces, usually with cape

Collective History: Ivan the Terrible and Alexandre the Great
Located on the Inner Wing of the galaxy, Smodrina was a small but prosperous planet of hard-working, tough people, its major exports alcohol and ore. The locals were descended from Slavic stock, particularly Russian, and its leaders were descended from Russian nobility. It was powerful enough to patrol and mine its local star system, including the mineral-rich double asteroid belts, and keep its people and shipping lanes safe from pirates. Its government was a hereditary monarchy, its tzars and tzarinas rulers of the area for over a thousand years.

When Ivan the XXIIth died, the title of tzar passed on to his only child, Ivan XXIII. While Ivan XXIII was by no means a cruel or unjust ruler, he was weak, and Smodrina's enemies perceived this and attacked, led by the land-hungry League of Galatos. Ivan XXIII did his best to defend his territory, but several of his advisors, perceiving this weakness, betrayed Smodrina to its enemies. There was little hope until the cruiser Vilna Victory entered the picture, under the command of Captain Alexandre Depriest. Depriest was so successful in battle he was nicknamed Alexandre the Great.

Unbeknownst to all but the captain himself, Depriest was actually the former tzar's bastard son, and Ivan XXIII's half-brother. His loyalty unswerving, he helped Ivan XXIII drive out the traitorous advisors and held their enemies at bay for three and a half years. Had Smodrina possessed more people and industry, the war could have been won, but the forces of Galatos were too strong and possessed better technology than Smodrina. In the end, the planet was conquered, and the Vilna Victory forced to abandon Smodrina until such a time as vengeance would become possible. Ivan the XXIII was blamed for Smodrina's conquest, and was forever more known as Ivan the Terrible for his terrible skill at leading.

Individual History
The illegitimate son of French courtesan Marie Depriest and Tzar Ivan XXII, Alexandre grew up teased and bullied by the other children. His parentage a secret, he was seen as a fatherless son of a whore. His isolation from the other children made him cold and unfriendly. In order to survive, he learned how to outsmart the bullies. He saw his father only occasionally, but Ivan XXII was wise and just, and Alexandre learned a great deal from each secret visit, patterning himself after his father's advice and ideals. He studied hard, particularly strategy and psychological warfare, which he used to get back at his tormentors.

At fifteen, he signed up for the Navy, and his father had him shortlisted as an officer recruit, the only time Ivan XXII intervened to help Alexandre. At eighteen, Alexandre graduated, and began his climb up through the ranks.

At twenty-five he was given command of the battle cruiser Vilna Victory. Being one of the Navy's up and coming stars enabled him to spend more time with his father, their relationship still a secret. It was widely thought that Ivan had simply recognized the young talent and was grooming him to become the next Naval High Commander.

A fair but impersonal captain, Alexandre earned the respect and loyalty of his crew, in particular his first officer, Sylvia Declair. They were a perfect command team, their styles and personalities perfectly meshed. They both believed strongly in order and discipline and were seen as cold and aloof, but excellent officers.

When Alexandre was thirty, Ivan XXII died. Ivan XXIII, Alexandre's half-brother, became tzar. Ivan XXIII was not the great leader his father had been; he fell short in al most every way imaginable. The government began to be ripped apart by royal advisors, each with their own agenda. Alexandre himself used his political connections to position himself close to Ivan XXIII. Within six months of the coronation, the neighboring League of Galatos, perceiving the instability in the government, attacked, and war broke out. Only Alexandre's seizing the reins prevented Smodrina from falling immediately. It was only then that he revealed to Ivan the fact they were brothers.

For three and a half years, Alexandre maneuvered to keep the League at bay, but Smodrina was outnumbered. In order to save the populace, Alexandre took Ivan XXIII and fled with him into hiding until such a time as they could retake Smodrina.

Post-Extraction
Unfortunately, Ivan, as ineffectual as ever, sank into deep depression. Alexandre realized it was impossible to put Ivan back on the throne in that state. Then, he was contacted by representatives of the Fleet who offered him and his crew safe haven and resupply in exchange for their service, with the promise that the Fleet would lend its considerable weight to the recapture of Smodrina when the time was right. Alexandre agreed, and the Vilna Victory joined the Fleet.

The Vilna Victory was in active Fleet service for about a year, until the Conference ended the war and the Fleet was disbanded. Alexandre and Sylvia began to plan the retaking of Smodrina, gathering up the necessary resources and formulating battle plans.

At the same time, Alexandre and Sylvia were starting to realize the feelings they had for each other, feelings they had repressed for the sake of their nation and careers. They were so distracted by the planning of the upcoming battle neither realized it was happening until it was too late to stop.

As a result, Sylvia became pregnant, Alexandre proposed, and they were married in December, that same month learning that Sylvia was pregnant with twins. They have been forced to put the plans to retake Smodrina on hold for the time being. The twins, a boy and girl to be named Sylvestre and Alexia, are due in July. Complications have confined Sylvia to bed until the birth.

Ivan XVII - Alexandre's half-brother. Alexandre sees Ivan as a duty and has little regard for his half-brother on a personal level.

Sylvia Declair - Alexandre's former first officer, now his wife.

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