Character Interview: Joseph Bernard in Moving The Pieces

1. Go ahead and introduce yourself.

I'm Joe. Husband of Asina, father of three adult children we don't get to see as much as we'd like

2.Tell us where and when were you born

I was born in Virginia Beach while my father was stationed there, but don't remember it at all.

3. How would you describe yourself?

About two ififths forty five, two square seven. Roughly five foot eleven and 220 pounds by the Earth measure I grew up with; I'm a Second Order Guardian so I'm heavier than I look.

4. Tell us about where you grew up.

The place I lived in the longest was Temecula, a suburban city of about 100,000 at the time in Southern California, before Imperial Contact with Earth. We moved there after my dad retired from the navy and went to work at NWS Fallbrook as a contractor.

5. How old are you?

I am 174 Earth years old. That's 249 Imperial years, or 438 of the short years of Calmena, where my wife and I live.

6. Did you have a happy childhood? Why/why not?

Very happy, even by the standards of the United States I grew up in. Married parents who loved me, four siblings and we all got along, huge extended family with plenty of money.

7. Past/ present relationships? How did they affect you?

A few girlfriends, nothing serious. Bed buddies, most of them. My aunt was the first person to have real contact with the Empire; I went to work for her about a year before official contact. Since what I did had to be secret, no real opportunity for a relationship for that year. Then VSC hired me as engineer and legal commander for the first voyage of Golden Hind. We stubbed our toes on Calmena, and I met Asina. With one thing and another, here we are, 150 Earth years later.

8. What do you value above all else in life?

My wife Asina and our children.

9. What are you obsessed with?

Obsession is a mental defect. But my wife and I have been working to rid Calmena of the fractal demons most of the last 150 Earth years.

10.How do your beliefs make life better for yourself and the people you care about?

I was raised Catholic, but am mostly lapsed. Haven't been to church or confession since I left home, but it's still a large part of my moral framework.

11. Biggest fear?

That the Empire loses the upcoming war.

12. What line will you never cross?

I will never ever do anything that betrays Asina.

13. What is the best thing that ever happened to you? The worst?

The best thing has been Asina. The worst is harder. Getting caught with marijuana on my Aunt's dog farm was embarrassing, but she handled it. Getting caught violating an Imperial Interdict was stupid, but it worked out into my current career and Asina finding me again. The various demonic counter-assaults have been ugly, but we got through them.

14. Most embarrassing thing that ever happened to you?

The day my mother happened to find out that Asina had been shagra-my and understood what it meant - basically a breeding slave. Mom is straitlaced, and didn't understand it wasn't Asina's choice. I was embarrassed about my mother in front of my wife, and had to threaten to cut her off from our kids to get her to calm down.

15. Biggest secret?

The Calmenans cannot know that the Empire exists, or that there are people here helping them learn to free themselves from the demons.

16. What is the one word you would use to define yourself?

Making the transition as a grown man from pre-contact Earth to an Imperial citizen, the word that enforces itself is 'responsible.' It was rare to so much as hear the word on pre-contact Earth; the Empire runs on responsibility.

17. What is your current goal?

Help the people of Yalskarr and the rest of Calmena survive the coming war