SCYLLA, STEEL PHALANX NCO
Scylla (in Ancient Greek: Σκύλλα, Skylla). Various Greek myths differ in the telling of the origins of Scylla, but at their core they refer to a beautiful naiad who, because of a curse, turned into a sea monster. Traditionally, it was said that Scylla lived in one of the margins of the Messina Strait, which separates Italy from Sicily, while on the other side was Charybdis, another sea monster; consequently, it was impossible to cross the Strait without dealing with one or the other. However, Ovid also tells the story of a princess named Scylla, daughter of Niso, King of Megara. In love with the invading King of Crete, Minos, she would betray her father and city by delivering victory to her beloved and then turn into a bird to escape the wrath of her father.
Scylla has the thin, fibrous build of a dancer and the lethal reputation of a cobra. No one dares to disparage her because not only is she a true warrior of the Steel Phalanx, she is also one of the best tactical Hackers of the Argyraspides, the Double-A unit of the Assault Sub-Section, making her twice the threat.
With Scylla, the personality pattern combination programs of the ALEPH Aspects Forge managed to reproduce an authentic Mediterranean character, gifted with fiery and volatile passions, albeit ephemeral. Scylla will all out love and hate you, but not for long. She is Greco-Roman. She is impatient. Life for her is an opera: way too interesting to stay attached to anything or anyone. According to her, the Sphere is filled with opportunities to explore, and some come about due to others, so it is not worth wasting time. If she loves you, she will leave you soon. If she hates you, she will be done with you quickly. In neither case will it bother her to say goodbye.
NESAIE ALKÊ, THORAKITAI WARRANT OFFICER
Nesaie (Νησαιε in Ancient Greek). In Greek mythology, one of the fifty Nereids or sea nymph daughters of the Titan Nereus. Loved by all sailors, the Nereids were considered benign beings who were part of Poseidon’s court and symbolized the beauty of the sea. Nesaie, also known as Nesea or Nesaea, was the nanny of Aristaeus, son of Apollo and the nymph Cyrene. Alkê (Αλκη in Ancient Greek). Mythological embodiment of strength, dexterity, and valor in combat. Alkê was one of the battle spirits (daemons) that gave Zeus’ Aegis power.
During the initial instruction phase of Nesaie TN-083, those monitoring believed that the programs used for combining the personality patterns in ALEPH’s Forge of Aspects had made a mistake. The sweet and sugary personality of Nesaie TN-083 didn’t fit into that of an assault soldier. That beautiful girl, so charming and kind, always concerned for her companions and who hated arguments, could be the regiment mascot or part of the rearguard staff, but not a warrior. That young lady was not made for the front and there didn’t seem to be a place for her anywhere on the battlefield. Until live fire exercises began. It was at that moment, with bullets flying over her head, that Nesaie suffered a drastic transformation and became the paradigm of the Thorakitai warrior. With a voice coarsened by adrenaline she took on the leadership of the team and completed the exercise in record time. Everybody was amazed and stunned. That determined, hard, and relentless woman was no longer the sweet Nesaie that everybody knew. To everybody’s surprise, however, once the exercise was finished Nesaie turned back into the sweet and charming doll she had always been.
The purpose of the Steel Phalanx, however, is to seek, exploit, and unbalance as a strategy for facing the pure logic of the EI. Furthermore, Nesaie’s combat performance was excellent. Therefore, the total erasing of the Aspect’s memory, standard operating procedure when an Aspect presents failures or deficiencies, was commuted. ALEPH decided to deploy Nesaie to Paradiso together with the other Thorakitai of her generation, but subjected to a continuous monitoring process so as to learn more about her peculiar condition.
