Author Topic: Alastair Cruickshank's Metropolice Force Application (Read 1418 times)

Lewis · « **on:** March 01, 2014, 09:35:00 PM »

Alastair Cruickshank's Metropolice Force Application

OOC Name: Lewis

IC Character Name: Alastair Cruickshank

1) Please write a minimum of 3 paragraphs OOC'ly detailing why your character wishes to join the Metropolice Force and what lead your character to do so.
My character doesn't have some sob story nor is he some fanatic that completely sides with the Combine and listens to their word like it is a message from the heavens. Instead, he's doing it to escape from the poverty stricken lifestyle of the average citizen and to try to gain a foothold of power under the Combine regime. Alastair believes it's completely pointless trying to oppose the Combine as he'll just end up in a body bag. He believes it's also pointless trying to praise the Combine as he'll end up being subject to the ridicule of other citizens or with a brick through his window. These two extremes only leave the option of living in eternal paranoia and fear from the thugs of the CCA - why would he want to do this when he could instead join their ranks?

Aside from his fear of being beaten up by a) the CCA, b) the CCA and c) the CCA, Alastair also wishes to join to try and help his family's situation. He doesn't know if they're alive but if they are, he knows they may be better off with him in the CCA, as they may be subject to more lax civil judgement and better living conditions. While it's not strictly within the guidelines of the CCA, he aims to try and find a way to contact them or at the least know if they're alive and well. This is one of his main driving forces behind his choice to volunteer for the CCA, as he's always been a caring family man.

Now that his personal fear and family man lifestyle has been covered, the only other reason Alastair wants to join is for a change in the daily grind, for something new and exciting. Most of his life he's been doing the nine 'til five desk job and even though the Combine has defeated humanity and put its strict regime in place, he's still doing the same thing, except instead of typing on a computer and sorting spreadsheets he's stamping shoe boxes. Rather than continue with this monotonous life, Alastair opts to join the CCA to have some exciting new experiences and maybe, just maybe, die in a Hollywood-esque gunfight rather than die of malnutrition in his dingy apartment.

2) Please detail your characters traits. (Eg, Pure, Lawful, Trustworthy)
Alastair conducts himself as a relaxed person and is clear-minded, instead keeping his worries about his family and friends to himself. He believes himself to be witty, sharp-tongued and generally good with banter. He shows loyalty and respect to those who deserve it even if he harbours a dislike for them. He will most likely try and hide his more positive emotions when on the job, as not to catch the unwanted attention of his superiors. He isn't particularly decorous at times.

3) Please provide 2 paragraphs about what you are expecting the Combine Civil Authority to be like for you and your character.
I never really got to experience much of the CCA as I got to the well respected and incredibly high rank of recruit. I really can't remember too much about it aside from it being somewhat disorganised. Personally, I'm hoping it will be more like HL2, with random searches and CPs generally harassing and bullying citizens about, rather than following a bunch of guidelines right to the dot and acting like some paramilitary force. Even if it hasn't changed a great deal since the earlier days, it'll still be a learning experience since I can't remember shit about my previous time in the CCA.

For Alastair, it'll be a huge change from his previous life as a citizen and there'll be a lot of information for him to take in and process. It'll be hard at first but his motives behind him joining will surely drive him to climb up the ladder and live a better life as a unit serving in the CCA. There'll definitely be a learning curve but he's going to do whatever it takes to try and stay in the force, for the better of himself and his family.

4) Please provide a detailed back-story from an out-of-character perspective on your applying character. This section must be detailed and consist of a minimum of 300 words.
Alastair was born in 1968 to a working class family on the outskirts of Glasgow. His family life had no troubles, his father being a train driver and his mother being a dedicated housewife - they all got along just dandy. Alastair didn't particularly excel at school but he wasn't a complete waster - he was plain old average, as were most things in his life. He took a particular interest in computing during a presentation at his secondary school, when the mathematics department purchased two Commodore 64 computers. He left secondary school with Cs and Bs in his Higher examinations. His interest in computing dwindled away as he entered the world of work.

Alastair spent two years after leaving school juggling a variety of jobs that he wasn't too fond of, ranging from: construction worker, milk man and chip shop worker and many others. Feeling dissatisfied with the direction his life was heading in, Alastair decided to go on to further education, taking up a course in information technology at university. It was a world away from the more practical computing he did at secondary school but it was better than frying chips and mixing cement - it was however, still rather boring to him. Graduating a year later with a degree in something he had not learnt to love, but rather despise, Alastair returned to the world of minimum qualifications work until he could sort something out. A few months later when the market was beginning to boom, Alastair secured a desk job where he had the wonderful task of sorting customer details into pretty formats. Why he wasted a year to get a degree for this sort of job, he didn't know.

It was at this point in the early nineties, Alastair was beginning to feel old - he wanted a family. For some reason, the booze-fueled, one night stands were not enough for him. He wanted something long term, something secure. After unsuccessful attempts to woo his female coworkers over, he met the girl he would soon marry at the grand unveiling of some spreadsheet software he couldn't give a toss about. She was a secretary in some other boring telecommunications company and she too, not unlike Alastair, despised the job. The two got along just fine and after two years of courting they finally married, in 1993. They both chucked away their brain-numbing jobs and pooled together their money, aiming to set up their own café together - the two had a passion for food. It took them a year to even turn back a profit on it, but it caught on - a family run business, home comfort food and good banter all around. While he was still managing spreadsheets and number crunching, it was a lot more enjoyable than his previous job. Deciding they were economically steady enough, the two tried for a child and nine months later little Alexander appeared thanks to the combined efforts of Alastair and his wife, Susan.

Life was completely dandy afterwards. Alastair and Susan's café raked in enough for them to have a comfortable amount of expendable income and it continued like this for years. Alexander was doing well at school and the three were playing at happy families. The Portal Storms stirred up some commotion but they were largely unaffected by them - it was a complete shock to them all, however. Something they would never forget for as long as they lived. Just as life was going back to normal within the confines of their quiet neighbourhood, the war broke out. Great ships dotted the sky, coming out portals akin to the ones they saw years ago. The family huddled together in the loft as the war broke out. They grimaced at the orchestra of gunfire and explosions and watched from the window as the city was completely won over by the Combine. The assault lasted for hours but then the attack stopped, rather suddenly. They watched with panic as a shell-shocked BBC news team told of humanity's surrender to the extraterrestrial empire. The next few weeks flew by - they were processed like cattle, the unfit and unneeded killed. The survivors were completely split up, sent to cities which had seen the least fighting. The last time Alastair saw his family they were taken away to who knows where on a rickety train.

After four long years of worrying about his family, various transfers to different cities, being beaten by the thuggish paramilitary police force, eating some make believe porridge for breakfast lunch and dinner and generally wasting away, Alastair volunteered to join his local Combine Civil Authority.

5) Have you ever had a MPF character here at Catalyst Gaming? If so, explain why it was removed.
Yes, it got removed after I went inactive for a while.

OOC Details

1. How long have you played on role-playing servers in general?
Late 2010

2. How long have you played on serious servers?
Since I joined CG, in April 2011

3. How long have you played on Catalyst Gaming?
Ditto

4. What Time zone are you in?
GMT

5. In what country do you live?
Scotland

6. How old are you?
16

7. What's your most memorable quality RP experience?
It was an event on a STALKER RP server used to introduce the military faction to the server. At the start of the event, we were all sitting in the plane, ready to parachute out. This allowed us all to ICly get to know each other, which was a neat idea. We then parachuted out and regrouped while curious STALKERs scoured the area for us. Having snuck past them, we effectively kicked Duty out of their own base with nonviolent methods and set up shop in there. For a few hours after, we went around menacing the local populace (because we were all insubordinate cunts), such as stealing their weapons and chaining them to fences.

8. Do you consider yourself a good listener?
Yes

IC Section

Full Name: Alastair Cruickshank
CID: 60756
Age: 51
Gender: Male
Height: 5 feet, 9 inches
Hair Colour Greying brown
Eye Colour: Blue
Sexual Orientation: Straight
Weight: Somewhere around 155-160 (I'm unable to get an accurate measurement)
Mental Distinctions: Good sense of judgement; easy-going; tolerant
Mental Defects: None, as far as I'm aware
Mental Advantages: Quick-thinking; optimistic; laid-back; level headed
Notable Qualities: Respectful; honest; considerate

1. Have you ever been detained or apprehended for a Sociostability Infringement before? If so, explain?
I previously worked at a garments (specifically shoes - I labelled the boxes) factory in C8, prioer to my transfer to C18. When production for the day finished, there was always a count to make sure none of the products were missing. One day, a fellow worker messed up the stitching on a set of shoes and discretely disposed of them rather than face a beating. When it was discovered a set were missing, he didn't own up to it, resulting in the entire work force being subjected to a one cycle imprisonment. I'm unsure if it was even put on my file.

2. Do you regularly eat Combine Civil Authority Issued Rations?
Yes.

3. Are you willing to give your life to the cause of the Universal Union?
Yes - if it comes to it, I suppose I will have to.

4. Do you as a Citizen and future Civil Protection Member accept ALL actions performed by you and those under your command as your OWN responsibility?
Yes, I do.

5. Will you remain loyal and faithful to the Universal Union as long as you live?
I will.

6. Why do you want to join the Combine Civil Authority?
To seek personal fulfillment in my life and also because it is a means to serve the Union. I believe donning the uniform and keeping the streets clean is a better way of aiding the Union than the compulsory work shifts. Admittedly, the perks of the job are also a reason I wish to join - the better living condition for my family (wherever they are) and myself are a temptation I cannot resist.

Please sign the attached oath using only blue or black pen.

I, Alastair Cruickshank hereby swear my mind, body and soul to the Universal Union forever so long as I draw breath. I do so knowing that my actions will be held accountable to me and solely myself. I also declare my knowledge that as a Member of The Universal Union that I will be required to perform tasks above and beyond as well as perform ANY task ordered to by ANY commanding person(s). I hereby acknowledge the fact that as a Civil Protection Task-force Unit that I will be losing most, if not all, communication and or past relationship with anyone outside of the Universal Union's operational bounds.

edit: edited that fucked up apostrophe in Q7 it was doing my tits in