Joseph Reece "Fireball" Rodenski

Joseph Kamarov (formerly Rodenski) (born 9 April 1961 Gregorian Human Calendar, GHC) is a Kalubian soldier, veteran’s activist and Commander-in-Chief of the KFAF HSCA core from 1998 until his retirement 2003. He is credited with killing BBA-Dictoria leader Ballaiy Luvvar in the Kalubian Civil War (1988-1998).

Rodenski was born in Herbiv, Kalubio. He served as a child conscript under order of the DQA and served in the Gamian War (1971-1974). Upon conclusion of the war, he remained in active military service over the next several decades, serving in deployments in Jalfxia, Tsupaf’fjin and Skabb, before the outbreak of civil war in Kalubio. Rodenski was also a key member in the Belinski scandal between Kalubio and Kikikoa in 2002. Rodenski married Lilya Kamarova, eventually accompanying her to the human world of Yeshua'esnéxa in 2006 GHC. After their return from the mission, they start a family, where Joseph becomes the main housekeeper.

Early Life
Joseph Reece Rodenski was born on April 9th, 1961, in the community of Vagã-Demuts, Herbiv district, Kalubio, to Helen and Darrel Rodenski. His father was a Jalfixan War veteran and international ambassador, and his mother, formerly a combat medic, was a community pediatrician. He was a single-birth child, the youngest in his family.

Rodenski attended the Union Northwest Education Facility, where he met friends and former bandmates Connor and Katherine “Kat” Felidow, Stephen Vmi’kodjki, and Theo Y’Danäköba. Here, the group formed the semi-popular underground group “Fluffball” (known in Kohl as “Páfkhwöb”), where Rodenski played guitar and sang backup vocals. Along with Connor Felidow, he was a primary composer for the group’s work, despite his lack of knowledge of music theory.

Rodenski largely performed poorly in school. He was known for having a short temper and frequently getting into fights with other students. He struggled to read and with mathematics but was often considered an above-average speaker and presenter.

DQA and Gamian War (1971-1974)
Main article: Gamian War

Shortly after the outbreak of war against the Gamian settlers in 1971, Kalubio was attacked in a lightning strike attempting to neutralize attendees from the failed territory negotiation and to push into Kalubian territory. On April 4th, 1971, the Rodenski household was caught in the attack on Vagã-Demuts. The entire family, save Joseph and his brother Allan Rodenski, were massacred (though Allan was presumed dead for several years). Joseph was rescued by military evacuation and taken to a nearby shelter.

Days after the attack, Führer Kamaru Luvvar signed the DQA into effect. Along with the other children of age, Rodenski was taken to a military base and conscripted into the armed forces despite only being 10 years old. He spent 10 months in basic training, excelling far beyond the others in his regiment in hand-to-hand combat and physical conditioning. He performed so well that he assigned to an external special operations unit, KFAF-UKM Quotient.

After the death of his entire unit (and, depending on the continuity, escaping from a Gamian POW orbital ship), Rodenski was transferred to KFAF-UKM spec. ops. unit Hydro with Peter “Caravan” and Reina “Rusalka” Vankori, Chernova “Nova” Kamarova, Reinder “Blitzen” Klaus IV and Adam “Chasm” Lindbroh. Joseph served in Kikikoa, eventually pushing into Schremn. He was nearly killed twice during the final siege on Tropai; first by being impaled by a pole, then later due to blood loss during a skirmish inside the CICC. Organs and tissue were harvested from slain Gamians in a desperate attempt to save his life, greatly straining his physical health but granting him superpower-like strength, stamina, and reflexes.

Return to Kalubio and Revolution (1975)
Following the victory in Tropai, Joseph returned to Kalubio and made a full recovery from his wounds. During his medical leave, he defected and assisted in overthrowing the Luvvar monarchy, nearly killing a young Ballaiy Luvvar in the assault on the Royal Fortress.

Joseph returned to the military following the overthrowing of the regime, continuing training. He began experiencing reoccurring nightmares and hearing voices in his head, issues that he ignored, even as they became damaging and harmful. He began regularly using drugs such as ethanol, sinex, and MDMA to suppress them. He became notorious for his twisted, perverted and macabre sense of humour, as well as his violent temper. Antics ranged from mock suicide attempts to sneaking into female barracks and frightening them to tying up roommates in their sleep. He would often get into fights with any troops that confronted him for his egregious behaviour, severely injuring them due to his strength and anger.

Project Life-weapon (1976-1986)
The internal issues between Joseph and his fellow trainees peaked when he accidentally killed two squadmates in a sparring match. He was nearly discharged from service, until his medical and military records were reviewed. Instead of being let go, Joseph was placed in solitary confinement and attempted to be treated in such a way that he would remain hostile, but more obedient. The end objective of as the classified project was to make Kalubio an economic frontrunner in military innovation via the issuing of controllable soldiers who could inflict heavy casualties in very short amounts of time. The treatment, ranging from reinforcement therapy to lobotomy to brainwashing largely failed at first, and only hurt his sanity further. He was moulded into a biological killing machine.

Trial runs of Joseph's effectiveness were observed during a classified stationment in Yanugo, where he was set loose against sects of mercenaries and drug cartels. Details regarding these experiments were kept top secret from the Provisional Council in charge of Kalubio at the time, limited exclusively to KFAF command in Herbiv.

As he began to grow more orderly towards his superiors though, it was decided he could be tested as a sentient weapon against the Skarred during the Skabb crisis in the first practical observation of “Project Mñe'awsiɱg (Lifelike Weapon).”

As a trial run, Joseph was unleashed in the anarchial region of Yanugo. He was conditioned to regularly visit drop sites and meet with contacts, but largely lived off the unforgiving land. Broadcasts from KFAF were used to program him to assassinate targets, cause diversions, or carry out other experiments to observe his physical and mental limits. He surpassed all militaristic expectations, arousing great interest in the HSCA brigade of KFAF. However, he still proved unreliable as taking direction, frequently causing significantly more destruction (and thus, attention) than desired. While some were skeptical of the project and opted to cut their losses, others insisted on applying Joseph’s abilities in a more controlled setting.

Skabb Inter-Regional Crisis (1986-1988)
The optimists of the Life-Weapon project soon had their opportunity. When the Skarred threatened Kalubio with nuclear WMDs, KFAF troops were deployed to neutralize the threat. Joseph was assigned to joint special operations squadron Alfa, along with his former handler Adam Lindbroh-Kamarov and childhood friend Connor Felidow. HSCA command was interested to see Joseph tested in a more conventional military setting, satisfied with his proficiency in combative warfare. He was spied on by several KFAF officers, who would report developments back home. While aware of some of the developments in Skabb regarding a classified project, the Kalubian provisional council turned a blind eye to it, unaware of its full extent. With complete reign, the HSCA began to strain Joseph psychologically, attempting to strip him of any free will.

He began to fall for his squadron leader, Kapitän Verjan Landa, especially after Adam was killed. Joseph sanity was utterly destroyed thanks to this (arc-depending, also on his time defected to the Skarred). He became feared by both his allies and enemies for his violent temper and hostility towards his superiors. Eager to continue studying his combat effectiveness however, his backers in the HSCA pulled several strings with KFAF to keep him from facing disciplinary action. One rare moment of caring came when Joseph rescued Hamlin Zoller from a destroyed village and ensured he was safely sent as a refugee to Kalubio, where he found a foster family. It was during this time where the entity of Tjehwskhwöb began to take form in Joseph’s psyche. Seeing this, the HSCA’s support of the project slowly started to become more unanimous.

First Kalubian Civil War (1988-1998)
Main article: Kalubian Civil War

After war broke out between the Reformist Alliance and Equalwi Throne in Kalubio, KFAF units returned temporarily to Kalubio to fight. Joseph returned, and was given command over HSCA support fireteam “Foxtrot,” which Hamlin was assigned to upon his enlistment. In addition, he was appointed as a commando to a special operations regiment, under Alfa squadron. Joseph butted heads with Foxtrot’s piloting specialist, Heather Skostbern, and HSCA commander Tomax "Fluffy" Bozhendi, who held a grudge towards Rodenski for events in the Gamian War. Here, he assisted in a rescue mission in enemy occupied Wourvilla to evacuate Michael “Alyrshad” Prower.

Following the successful extraction, Joseph was placed on a special operations team with Hamlin and Fluffy’s lieutenant, Heather Skosburn. Joseph resented both Fluffy and Heather but took a liking to Hamlin. While Heather was mostly a supporting role and a relater of Fluffy’s directions, Joseph made a point of protecting Hamlin on the fronts of combat.

Joseph became a POW after the BBA assaulted the Herbiv municipal district, and a great source of fear for the guards of his facility. He was already infamous to the BBA and ERAF soldiers for his bloody and insane violence. After witnessing him manage to viciously kill a guard, Ballaiy Luvvar ordered him to be immediately executed once they retrieved crucial HSCA intel from him. Joseph managed to resist the brutal interrogation methods of the BBA until Hamlin arrived at the same facility. Joseph helped him break out and send backup to rescue him and other POWs, taking a sadistic vengeance on the remaining BBA there at Tjehwskhwöb’s request. After escaping, he returned to Herbiv to help liberate it. For his role in liberating the facility, Joseph was promoted. He oversaw the counterattack against Anderru Khowvon’s forces in Herbiv, personally killing the BBA commander in a duel (following this incident, Tjehwskhwöb attempts to convince Joseph to order the slaughter of the retreating BBA forces).

Alongside Fluffy and several other high-ranking officials, Joseph led the HSCA charge in “Operation Jericho.” He is credited with the killing of Ballaiy Luvvar, causing the surrender of the remaining BBA forces and ending the war. For his actions, he was given several honours and became appointed as high commander-in-chief of the HSCA now that Fluffy had stepped down. Following Jericho, he was able to reluctantly rekindle his relationship with his distanced brother Allan.

Apocalypse Incident (1999)
Joseph was one of several members of Team Alfa-Reaper, an elite patrol of containers for the BBA rogue super-soldiers. He was pursued romantically by Sylvia Amourä-Kharkov, but frequently rejected her advances. However, when she was assassinated by order of the Kikikan government, he did express dismay of her passing and supported Föcan Reinder Stuhy's criticism of Kikikoa.

Kikikoa-Kalubio Crisis (2001, 2002)
Main article: Kalubio-Kikikoa Belinski Crisis

When intel suggested Marko “Spike” Whiksi had survived Jericho and fled to Kikikoa, Joseph was one of several covert operatives who joined with La Bãd'ãferr to assassinate him and eliminate the “Bravstva” crime syndicate. Here, he met the daughter of Adam and Chernova Kamarov, Lilya Katyusha Kamarova and developed strong feelings for her. She had little interest in him at first but began to feel more for him as he opened up about his psychology in her confidence and told her stories about her deceased father.

After Joseph killed Spike, and Katherine Felidow was shot dead, Joseph escaped from an abandoned military prison camp with his allies and co-led a manhunt across the region for their former partners; Yuri Kirsch, Vladimir Vorshevsky and Stefano Belinski. One by one, he alongside KFAF Alfa hunted down and killed the traitorous Kajin, with Joseph personally murdering Belinski. He would be apprehended from a Bãd'ãferr base shortly afterwards, and was tried on charges of conspiracy, mass terrorism, espionage, and murder. Joseph was found "irrefutably guilty" by a Kikikan military tribunal and sentenced to death by hanging, against Reinder’s urgings. Reinder warned that there would be retaliation if Joseph was executed, but the UKM insisted on carrying out the sentence. Joseph would come to accept his situation, encouraging Reinder to just allow him to finally die.

Moments before his execution was carried out, Hamlin Zoller's intervention and reveal of Belinski’s intentions would save his life. Joseph's sentence was reduced to rehabilitation, albeit to the chagrin and utter humiliation of the Kikikan government. Joseph would retire from active service and move to Kikikoa to undergo therapy at a Kikikan psychology institution. During his program, he remained in contact with Lilya, who would also attend for therapy at her mother Chernova's behest. Joseph and Lilya two would develop a close relationship, culminating in their marriage after Joseph's discharge from the facility.

Life in Kikikoa and with the UKM (2003 - 2008)
Though he had carried out his sentence and legally able to be a Kikikan resident, Joseph was obtain citizenship in Kikikoa due to his actions against Belinski, He would became a domestic husband while Lilya worked as a military officer and guard. At home, he spent much of his time doing housekeeping and chores, though he also began using cannabinoids to help with physical stress relief. Not being very social, he left most out-of-house errands to Lilya. He struggled initially to adapt to Kikikan culture and customs, but with severe therapy and rehabilitation, plus a great deal of patience from Lilya, he eventually began to fit into society. He spent much time speaking at educational facilities about his time in the military, as well as doing charity work. With time, personal therapy and medical help, his mental state was beginning to slowly recover.

In 2006 GHC, when Lilya was requested to attend a special meeting organized by the UKM’s high command, Joseph accompanied her and made a deal with the generals of the military; he would go to Earth with a hand-picked fireteam and rescue their lost researchers, in exchange for a stable relationship with Kalubio and a clearing of his record, enabling him to become a full-fledged citizen of Kikikoa.

On July 4th 2006 GHC, he touched down on the human world of Yešua’esnéxa with Hamlin, Lilya, Reinder, and Michael and Taylor Makawecas. Lilya was abducted by the FBI, causing Joseph to experience a mental relapse. He butchered much of the human forces that came after him in revenge for his wife and a presumably killed Hamlin. He eventually rescued her from Ryan Campbell, the director of the FBI branch responsible for detaining her. After Shil Kuhdenza, the head of the PRO from Colanexa responsible for the kidnapping of Kikikan researchers was killed, Joseph returned with Lilya and company.

Final Retirement (2006)
Joseph and Lilya would go on to adopt seven children together; Stephanie, twins Aleks and Alena, Darrel, Hamlin, Connor, and Katherine. An unusually large and diverse family for Kikikan Kajin households, the family was a bit off-putting with most adult neighbours, however Joseph became well-liked by other children in the neighbourhood for his many tales and songs of time in the military. He took joy in performing musical pieces on guitar for youth of the neighbourhood.

One of his local exploits was the "investigation" of a strange new house inhabited by a "ghastly" recluse, which had become a sort of urban legend to his community. Following some urgings from the neighbourhood children, Joseph went to meet the recluse, only to learn it was a disgraced Tukka Vankori. While initially bitter towards each other due to Peter Vankori's betrayal in the Gamian War and subsequent arrest, the two eventually reconciled.

Appearance
Joseph is a blood-red Kalu-blood rabbit with charcoal grey-black eyes. His ears and hands are a golden yellow, which gradient into his red around his scalp and wrists respectively. He is short, even for a Kalu-blood, standing just over a meter tall excluding his long ears. He has a scar on the right of his abdomen, where he was stabbed nearly fatally as a child soldier. He often wears a black headband in combat, along with his military belt and black ammunition slings. His “possessed” form is an all-black version of himself, with flames visible in his eyes, mouth, nostrils, and käɱ markings.

His käɱ symbol is a pair of black lines underneath both eyes, and a spoked swoosh around his left lined with dots. When face paint or dye is not available, Joseph will draw them on with improvised materials, such as charcoal dust, ink, or oil. He extends markings down his chest, arms and hands during his time in Skabb, depending on the continuity.

Equipment
Joseph’s primary weapon is a modified Kalubian adaptation of the M16 assault rifle with an under-barrel flashlight and carbon-made l-shaped stock. He typically uses an LG-75 submachine gun or a KVSh-53 automatic carbine as a secondary. Joseph prefers an M2119 as a sidearm and uses a chrome-coloured Sakurai sword with a harpooning blade as a melee weapon (that he has been known to wield akimbo with his sidearm). He is also proficient with throwing knives, and can fly an XMP-26 orbital fighter.

Personality
Joseph is fuelled by angry testosterone. He is loud, short-tempered, and vulgar with most people. He is known for having a morbid and twisted sense of humour. Joseph often speaks with strange, cryptic and profane expressions and references, similar to how Kohl is used among friends. Combined with his strong High Kalu Ba'it accent (similar to Scottish), he is difficult for many outside of his immediate circle to understand. He is typically crass, if not outright offensive in his speech, though not necessarily in a demeaning manner. He is happily supportive (albeit very profanely) to his allies in combat.

As a soldier, Joseph strongly values the lives of his allies, while considering both his own and those of his enemies impure and worth taking. He is quick to take orders directed at him thanks to his brainwashing, but quick to refute them when directed at groups if they jeopardize his teammates. When angered or threatened, Joseph has a short temper and can easily grow violent, a result of his traumatic life experiences and conditioning as a sentient weapon. He is very uncomfortable around doctors and hospitals, and typically reserved about his emotions. Lilya, Hamlin and Reinder are among the few he confides in. Despite therapeutic efforts to rehabilitate him, he still struggles with his past and social ineptitude.

Joseph occasionally shows a softer side, particularly towards Hamlin, Lilya, and children. He is shown as being nurturing and supportive, almost like a guardian or protector. Joseph often censors (or at least attempts to censor) himself with younger children in earshot, as well as when around Hamlin. He also enjoys music, being an avid fan of rock n’ roll, jazz, blues, and heavy metal. After his departure from service, he spent much time practicing his old hobby of playing a Kalu version of a guitar, as mental meditation.

In his older age, while keeping a sharp tongue when needed, Joseph is much more relaxed as a housekeeper. Though he reviled the manner his region’s history with Kikikoa was taught in academia, he took pride in sharing stories and culture with others, especially Kikikan children.

Trivia
-       Joseph is a very skilled guitarist. He can also sing.

-       Joseph suffers from a condition known as “merinthophobia,” which is an extreme fear of being tied up or restrained. He also has a phobia of doctors and medical-related people and tools, mostly due to psychological trauma and reminders of his time as a test subject and seeing comrades die from combat.

-       It is unknown if Joseph was actually possessed by Tjehwskhwöb, or it was just his insanity convincing him he was.

-       Joseph is mostly dyslexic. He can read Kohl moderately well though.

-      Joseph's reputation was so terrifying during the Gamian War, the Skarred Crisis and the Kalubian Civil War that significant efforts were put forth by his opponents to neutralize him. These included, but were not limited to: Heavy armoured vehicles, entire platoons of infantry, on-base and hospital assassinations attempts, conspiracy plots and targeted orbital strikes. All of these efforts were unsuccessful. Even years after his retirement, he is the subject of urban legends in Yanugo and (allegedly) Gamian soldiers.

-       Despite dropping out of school due to mental health problems and to continue in the military, Joseph is intelligent enough to speak five languages fluently; Ba'it, Frãpal, Sovietese, Skalrein, and Kohl. He is also a capable on-the-fly strategist and has a basic understanding of music theory.

-       Joseph is often called “Tjéwko” by his comrades. This is a diminutive of his käɱ, and roughly translates to “little fire.”

-       Joseph possesses heightened physical strength, awareness, reflexes and stamina, even compared to most Kalu-bloods. This is largely believed to be due to his natural hyper awareness and Gamian body parts replacing his natural ones. This latter belief is one of the reasons he was not given proper Kalu substitutes to his damaged after the Gamian War, and made him the primary subject for the Life-Weapon Project.

-       Following his initial retirement from active duty, Joseph became a frequent stoner in Kikikoa. However, while his use of cannabinoids has increased, he stopped taking other recreational drugs at the urgings of Lilya. He also cut back on his use of them with the adoption of his children.

-      Joseph's origin of being a special soldier notorious for killing fellow soldiers in training is not unlike the story of the Master Chief of Halo. Both mark major points of character development. However, the consequences were vastly different for both of them.

-       Joseph enjoys being a housekeep, and especially while inebriated. He calls it a “productive distraction” when he is agitated or alone.