Dakota Tanner Marshall
Nickname(s):
Dak
Age:
22
Birth date:
November 7, 2127
Gender:
Male
Position:
Private First Class (demotion)
Notable traits:
Despite having poor technical skills, PFC Marshall more than makes up for this with his superb firearms proficiency. What he isn't lacking however, is his bravado. He believes that he and his squad are the most dangerous thing in the galaxy.
Persona:
If two words were to describe PFC Marshall, they would be, "Bravado," and, "Vulgarity." PFC Marshall has a dirty, wry sense of humor and is not unknown to crack jokes during a firefight. He has admitted on record during routine psyche evaluations that he wishes to quit smoking. He often distributes the majority of his pack on the shuttle to his fellow leathernecks. While PFC Marshall is not dumb by any stretch of the imagination, he often plays up the "dumb southerner" stereotype to advance his goals.
History:
Dakota Tanner Marshall was born to a poor family in the American deep South where he lived for most of his upbringing. He was raised in a Methodist family consisting of his carpenter father and stay-at-home mother along with his six younger brothers and sisters. Enlisting out of high school, Dakota soon achieved the rank of Corporal aboard the USS Almayer though was demoted after six months due to a teammate fatality during a training incident. Despite many of the details remaining classified, he remains adamant that he had nothing to do with it and was simply the fall guy. He has completed twelve combat drops so far, though only two had any action worth noting with the other ten being "Bug Hunts." His first drop went off without a hitch until his unit was pulling out. They had been assigned to put down a local insurrection on Tau Ceti IV. Upon dustoff, the Cheyanne that Marshall was riding in was struck by a shoulder fired rocket causing an engine failure and eventually a crash. Although he survived with minor injuries, the right side of his face took a moderate amount of shrapnel. Despite medical advances that would allow him to remove all scarring from this incident, he has decided to keep it and calls it his "Souvineir." His ninth drop was by far his longest operation. For eight months, his unit played cat-and-mouse with an Arcturian incursion force. After the near decimation of his unit and eventual cease-fire with the Arcturians, he along with a handful of survivors from his platoon including Ramiro 'RamRod' Rodriguez were transferred to the USS Sulaco. After his tour is complete, he plans on returning to Tennessee and opening his own restaurant.
Relations:
Friends:
Wrenley C. Alchire, Dennis Hunt, Jim 'Twitch' Sanders, Xur 'Ghost' Dergens, Dayton Mann
Acquaintances:
Bigby 'Pyro' Farkas, Melissa Wright, Dino 'T-Rex' Cades, Bob Sunday, Saul Freytia, Casca 'Legs' Dergens, Rana 'Coyote' Kufahl, Mike Hernandez
Basic appearance:
PFC Dakota Marshall stands at just over 5'2". He maintains a regulation hair length and has allowed a short stubble to grow in. He bears a full-back tattoo of the United States flag with the USCM insignia in the middle. A tattoo of a skull with a machete stabbed through the top sits upon his left bicep. His armor has a vampire skull biting a heart with the word "Marie" beneath it painted on his chestpiece. He wears a red bandanna instead of a helmet. His M41 has the word "Nosferatu" painted across both sides of the carry handle with a vampire skull painted on the upper receiver. He has pained the Confederate Flag on the right side of the lower receiver and the United Sates flag on the left, though they are badly faded and chipped. Near the hilt of his machete, he has scratched, "EZ 5:17."
► Show Spoiler
In basic training, Dakota's Drill Instructor taught him that he should only have one true love in life: His M41A.
There's few feelings that that Dak enjoys more than the rush he gets from riding down to a combat zone in the back of a Cheyenne.
Dakota is an avid hunter both for meat and trophy depending on the game.
Since receiving his qualification, Dak has grown partial to the underslung flamethrower.
Making up dumb nicknames for his squadmates. For example, calling Dayton Mann, "MadMann."
Whatever the hell Mendoza from cargo is distilling behind the power loaders in cargo.
Dislikes:
Civilians - He feels as though civilian refugees get in the way too often and add unnecessary confusion to the battlefield.
Young Lieutenants - He's lost too many friends to glory hounds.
Any drink that ends in -tini.
The fact that despite the drop pod only seats eight, his commanding officers always insist on cramming in 22 marines.
Strengths:
Dak is a tough son of a bitch. He is a survivor in every sense of the word. During one of his unit's field training exercise, each marine was dropped off in a section of woodland and expected to survive for one week off of the land. When he returned, he had gained two pounds.
Weaknesses:
When out of his armor, PFC Marshall feels naked and is susceptible to panicking at minor threats.
PFC Marshall has been viewed as arrogant at times and is known to underestimate the situation.
He tends to run headfirst into a situation without first observing the entire situation.
Dak gets irritable without regular nicotine.
Medals and Commendations:
Purple Heart
Meritorious Unit Commendation
Tau Ceti IV Campaign Medal
Io Campaign Medal
