Legacy of the Confederation III - Characters - Christine Marshall

BIO:  Born on Terra Prime in what remained of Greenland, Marshall was reluctant to join the military and follow in most of her family's footsteps. After graduating from the Technical and Preparatory School (TAP) and fulfilling her two years of required military service, Marshall departed the United Military Command (UMC) to pursue a career in teaching. In 2498, Remus' Renegades mistook a Pre-TAP school as a medical supply warehouse and destroyed it, killing over a hundred children in the process. Marshall left teaching to rejoin the UMC to help see to the pirates' end.

Her sister, Janine Richter, completed Officer's Training School in 2500 and was assigned to the Dionysus (Planet Aeterna 6AX-L) Colony Security Platoon. As it happened, Marshall was on a training exercise aboard the CFS Jupiter about five hours away from Dionysus when the Zerg attacked the colony. When Dionysus distress calls were received by the Jupiter, the Captain (Jose Guevarra), refused to move his battle group at maximum drive to the colony. As no one in the Confederation had seen Zerg in over three centuries, Guevarra was uncertain the distress calls were even valid and felt it may be a trap set by Remus. Despite Marshall's urging to fly to Dionysus at maximum speed, the Captain ultimately expended several hours surveying each region before warping to the next to preclude the possibility of a 'pirate' ambush.

When the CFS Jupiter and its escort finally arrived, the colony was a smoldering ruin. Several other Confederation ships had already taken up orbit and were tallying the casualties. Marshall's sister, Janine Richter, was among them. Wounded, but not killed, Janine was in a coma for several months afterward. Marshall visited her sister in the med-ward weekly until the Zerg War got her reassigned to a different combat theatre. Two days after Marshall's reassignment, Janine awoke, assaulted hospital staff, and stole information about ConFed pilots she claimed 'left her to die' on Dionysus. Marshall next heard about Janine when she was on trial for the murder of those pilots, and ultimately, did her best to appeal the death penalty assessed by the presiding magistrate. Marshall's appeals were denied and her sister was executed by lethal injection.

Marshall never determined what caused her sister to 'snap,' and Janine was not forthcoming when asked. She only said that Marshall had stolen her life by earning medals and promotions while Janine was dying in a hospital bed.

Marshall herself has proven to be an outstanding ground pounder but has no desire to become a commissioned officer. She prefers the enlisted lifestyle and also prefers to give orders regarding the more tangible and tactical aspects of a battle instead of strategically planning the movements of many brigades and/or divisions on a map with laser pointers. During the most recent year of the Zerg War, Marshall selected Corporal Rex Hacker to replace her previous corporal who was KIA. The two have become extremely good friends and travel with one another when reassigned to different companies.