Stephen Randolf Cooley (born 23 July 2070) is a corporal in the MPD.

Early life and family

Stephen Cooley was a human resources manager at Allied/Bradwell, a major defense contractor located in Rivertown South. This location became a gathering place for refugees as the superflu and rioting tore the city apart. While most of his colleagues were older with families to rush home to protect, Cooley had few possessions in his apartment and--wisely, it turns out--elected to spend most of his days at the office, sleeping at his desk and bathing in the men's room. He never saw most of those co-workers again.

Instead, he was able to get on the ground floor of the MPD, a paramilitary organization aimed at taking the city back and restoring a sense of normality. He served ably during Project Reclamation, though he doubts he could be credited for inflicting any casualties on scavengers. Some six years later he was prouder of his performance during Project Unification, scoring at least three confirmed kills.

Though his service was never spectacular, he did enough subtle self-promotion and greased enough palms to land a promotion to corporal in 2110. He has a wife and two children, a boy and a girl.

Disposition and traits

Cooley finds his lot in life all a bit boring. After the adrenaline-fueled excitement of the two Projects that won back a good portion of the city, he found the random and unpredictable violence of city sweeps jarring and disconcerting. He immediately began angling for jobs that would get him off the streets, or at least limit the number of trips he was required to make through the city. After years of wheedling he got a part-time gopher job doing odd jobs at Ol' Federal and, with a few carefully chosen bribes, earned his promotion.

Sarcastic and blunt, Cooley finds much of the MPD structure to be ridiculous though he is careful how he expresses this opinion. Its capricious and crooked nature irritates him to no end, but he feels he's smart enough to take advantage despite his serious dissatisfaction with the whole situation.

Goals and motivations

Cooley wants to keep his head down and do a good job with whatever he's given so he can try to work his way into Inventory. He saw first hand how the workers dealt loose and fast with the tracking slips and knows he could reap a small fortune without anyone noticing. He volunteers for lousy positions for a corporal and executes his orders to the best of his ability, waiting for an opening in Inventory.

Primary residence

Cooley has a 2/3rds appointment at Mansion Inn. The other 1/3rd he spends with his family in the Marcus District of Summerland.

Attributes and Abilities

Cooley has a knack for being in the right place at the right time, and rubbing the right people the right way. Such skills are hard to quantify but he rarely puts a word wrong in conversations with his superiors, yet is stern and forceful with those under his charge. He's the kind of person who few remember by name but would be recognized by his face, a perfect combination for upward mobility in the MPD--the kind of guard who can be seen but not heard. He is of average build and average combat ability.