Cryus Beckett is the Seventh child out of the Black Hills of Aerilon. There, the sound of bluegrass music plays loudly at night. The common tongue is a dialect of Standard known as Aerilanx. Most speak both interchangeably. His own parents were miners both-his father before that, a mountain man who hunted and did the fur trade. The mines paid better. His childhood was spent working hard on family chores, and then spending the night playing music or telling stories. Sabbath was saved for Demeter.
He is old enough to remember the First Cylon War, but he did not fight in it. His eldest brother did and died. Though Cyrus being one of the younger to middle children, the tales of his older brother gave him a sense of hero worship. And so as a young child, he expressed his wishes to go into the marines. His mother, was proud-However his father was an ever cautious man. He made sure to let his son know that he would accept these wishes-only as long as he listened to him.
Cyrus's father would go on to tell his son about how the military used him and his first born up in the First Cylon War. With tale after tale of the horrors of war, that cautiousness seeped into a boy-who much like his mother, was full of passion and was quick to do as his heart felt called. Still in the end of it, he agreed that his father was right on some things, however he still wanted to be a marine. So- Cyrus' father made a condition. Go to school and get into college if you can. If he still wanted it then-then he would support it.
Cyrus took that as a yes and applied himself in school. He worked hard at his school work, earning him a run at becoming a leader in his small class of 32 students. But, his own temper and passions would flare up. A fight would have him suspended-missing a test. Causing him now to graduate with a 3.4 Not bad at all.
Still passionate about his Dream, Cyrus made sure to study and work hard for the CSAT. Which he did well on, getting a 1350. He applied and was approved into Northgate Military University.
College was enormous. Firs of all, he was a mountain boy coming into the fine city of Victoria where Northgate (an old Colonial Forces Fort) was located. Being poor, meant he had to work his way through college and earn scholarships. Cyrus, was shy enough and aloof in that stereotypical way men in Aerilon can be. Other boys there had their father's money to bank on, where as Cyrus did not. In order to pay for his first year Cyrus, completed jobs on campus. From serving as a waiter in the officer's club on campus-and working in the stables for Northgate's famed Calvary ROTC Unit, Callahan's Posse.
As far as classmates went, Cryus found few friends, mainly boys of likewise upbringing and formed strong bonds with them. His professors were impressed by his school work, and oftentimes gave him more to chew on than the assignment called for.
While in college, Cyrus played pyramid and was known as a well to do Defensive player. A reputation for hitting hard and laughing, earned him an athletic Scholarship his sophomore year, allowing him to no longer need to take on odd jobs around campus. Cyrus when he wasn't playing pyramid, did continue to serve at the Officer's club-but he used this as a means to get to know other officers and network.
When the end of the year War games happened, Cyrus volunteered to lead a student unit in the three day long games. The games themselves were based on the first cylon war. One side would play as the Cylons and the other, colonial forces. As Cyrus was a sophomore he was put in charge of a militia unit from Sagitarron as the simulation read. With a field observer with him, Cyrus managed to score several high marks, in how he was able to lead his forces and capture two small checkpoints. Nothing vital. Still when the time came for a full assault on the Cylon line, it was Cyrus' group that was ordered to go in first so as to draw the fire away from Callahan's Posse, which was seeking a coup de grace like maneuver.
Overjoyed at being given this task Cyrus had his men come and attack from a tree line, that was close to the heaviest forties part of the line.
It was a massacre-and Cyrus' field observer noted had he planned better he might have had a shot of achieving a victory. Still this episode only went to fortify in Cyrus' mind what was needed in order to lead men, and stressed on the caution placed upon him by his father.
The following years he did well-and by his senior year he graduated towards the top of his class and won his final war game. After graduation he was sent on to Fort MacQuerie to begin his official OCS. He was now Ensign Cyrus Beckett of the CMC.
When OCS was finished he was placed with the 12th Marines, serving on staff with their S3. He was tasked with leading men in the field-which to some grunts an officer coming in fresh from school usually ends up getting you killed, or having a stick up their ass. It was not the case for Cyrus, who had no problem applying his usual backwoods charm, when it came to being with the men. His aloof nature and jocular humor earned him the like of his men, but still they did not trust him in the field. That would change in 1983.
When Tauron sought to rebel, the 12th along with the 4th marines were dropped on the colony and were told to take back the rebelling colony. To Pacify the populace. Being a young officer, Cyrus was sent into the field with a platoon, and he saw the Elephant.
RIn his first engagement Cyrus earned the respect of his men, by listening to his NCO's and not running when the fire got thick. In fact he successfully lead men through the ruins of Hypatia. When the fighting was particular hot, Cyrus pulled his weight by helping the Wirelo direct in air coverage. In writing about Tauron Cryus reflected:
"I have seen the cruelty of man directed at each other. That is why we have the Corps. For it symbolizes justice and brotherhood. And without it, the world would frak itself in fire."
When the Pacification was over, Cyrus was promoted to Lieutenant JG, and the 12 remained on in Tauron as an occupying force. It was there that Cyrus would meet the love of his life. A doctor with the Marine forces from Sagitarron. Nadja Roncala.
During the end of the occupation, Cyrus would court her when he had time off base-and by the end of the Occupation, the two would be married.
Cyrus was a loving and faithful passion. His own passion showing in the romance between the two. From Nadja he would have three children. And prove to be up to the challenges of family life. A bear of a man-who would prove to be a teddy bear with his children. As fate would have it, he was pulled into the 5th as an adjunct to the S3 and sent to raise his children where he came from. Aerilon.
In the 90's Aerilon was embroiled in a feud that spilled over borders and counties. It first started as a fight between two families. And soon enough families bled into extended families. And from their to Counties and Parishes. Soon enough it was involving members of the Colonial Civil Guard. The 5th was soon enough tasked with trying to quell the bloodshed and restore order. Given his knowledge of the area and the people Lieutenant Beckett was tasked with leading a small unit of men in a peacekeeping mission in order to quell the bad blood and negotiate a peace.
That would not happen. When Beckett and his men arrived they were quickly set on, by both parties-and Cyrus ordered his men to fire back. What began as a feud ended as a civil war-one in which the 5th would actively push back. In the early state of the fight-Cyrus would be wounded, taking several shots, in an ambush. However the Lieutenant was able to pull his men out (Or fight their way out) before passing into unconsciousness.
He spent the rest of the fight in a Hospital. It was there he learned that his wife had terminal cancer and not long to live. Once released from his sick bed, He went to his wife's side only to watch her die.
Cyrus pulled into himself and into booze and let that rule over him. He received a reprimand for this behavior and was then counseled by a friend of his, a chaplain.
Chaplain Payton Thewes was able to bring religion back to Cyrus and get him back onto his feet. Soon enough he was able to push back out of his hole and stand up on his feet.
After his behavior change and more time around base, his Superiors decided to take a risk and promoted the Lieutenant to a Captain. This new vote of confidence in him, instilled the ethic he would need to go on and turn his career around.
With his past falling behind him he was sent to BS Tecumseh which was over Sagitarron
On the Tecumseh, Captian beckett fell back into the role that he used to, as an adjutant to the S3. He helped things run efficiently and was credited with some operational success. Still the reprimand stuck on him like a stain-even if command tried to assure the officer that everyone has set backs.
When Valos occurred, Cyrus was now a hardened man. After all he'd seen his own kinsmen kill each other over an insult and now he was watching religion become twisted before his eyes with this cult on a devout colony. When it became apparent that the Marines were to be involved, The Captain was sent down to take control of planning the operation, while keeping into contact with the Tecumseh. Cyrus took to command well.
Cyrus is reported to not batting an eye when the cult turned to using children, and was recorded as to saying. "Godsdamn these frakkin' dirt eaters. They wanna bring on God's hand. We'll frakkin' show it to em." Soon-the Marines took control of the compound by force.
Afterwards Cyrus was sent to CMF Alastor to ride the pine, so to speak and work behind a desk. It was then that Beckett saw that his career was likely nigh over. He spent this time watching his children have children of their own. he took up his own regimen of physical training. He might be riding the pine, but he was not going to let his body show the signs of it. It was in this time, that Cyrus tried earning the silver gloves-and ended up taking them in 2003.
In 2004 Captain Beckett's career received a breath of air as the S3 at his base nominated him to join up with a project happening out in deep space. Mining or something. With recommendations from the Tecumseh and Higher ups in CMF Alastor, Beckett was made a Major and sent to serve as an adjutant under the Marine XO. It seems the CMC had different plans for Beckett. And so with this new chance before him. Beckett will try his best to not screw it up.
There are folks counting on him. Or so he believes.
