― The Shipmistress dispatches a human who attempted to cross her.
Chur'R-Ren was a Kig-YarShipmistress who rose to prominence in the aftermath of the Human-Covenant War. Like many other commanders following the Covenant's defeat at Earth, Ren deserted to seek personal power and turned pirate, but set herself apart through a shrewd combination of force, betrayal, and diplomacy. Rising to command a sizable pirate fleet, she again defied the model of other successful warlords by converting her force into a merchant armada rather than establishing her own petty kingdom in the mold of ancient Kig-Yar pirate kings and queens. Opening peaceful negotiations with the Swords of Sangheilios and UEG, she gave up the unrestricted power of a tyrant to make herself a political force in their alliance. By offering her allegiance to two factions she gauged would rebuild in time to become the most powerful, Chur'R-Ren effectively laid the foundations of a stable and recognized Kig-Yar nation.
Though she was not an exceptional beauty by Kig-Yar standards, Ren learned early on how appearances could affect the outcome of her endeavors in business, diplomacy, and war, and was known to frequently use clothing and cosmetics to manipulate her image. In one instance, during a summit between her merchant armada and the United Earth Government, Ren wore a simple white dress which mimicked the style of ancient Egyptian women (something in vogue in the Inner Colonies at the time), while charcoal makeup was applied around her eyes and on the plates covering the back of her neck to give the impression of long hair. For battle, Ren would have her attendants dye her entire body red and paint her claws gold, giving her the aspect of a Kig-Yar war goddess. In addition, she would wear an anti-ballistics vest under several pieces of steel plate armor like the suits worn by the ancient pirates that had sailed Eayn's seas. While such armor was centuries-obsolete, heavy, and ineffective against most modern weapons, it did incorporate a personal energy shield generator for her protection. Since Ren commanded from the back of her forces or the bridge of a ship anyway, what it lacked in protection made little difference, and was more than made up for by its striking appearance which intimidated enemies and inspired allies.
Notes and References[]
A number of the Kig-Yars' proper nouns are taken from deities and other elements of Egyptian mythos.