Capitaine Comète
Character Information
In-Game Bio
A Captain in the Force d'Action Astronautique (FAA) stationed on the exploratory generation ship Esnault-Pelterie, Madeleine Comète and the rest of her regiment was tasked with protecting the science teams on board during their 100+ year journey.
The ship was pulled off-course due to some miscalculations regarding a small black hole, and while overseeing rocket augmentation on the hull to correct course, she was accidentally blown clear of the ship.
She remembers spinning end-over-end, losing sight of the ship, and then darkness. When she awoke, she was somehow back on Earth -- either in the past or in an alternate timeline, she couldn't be sure.
She's chosen to stay in the US to avoid possibly meeting her ancestors in Chamonix and Albertville, France.
History
There is mounting evidence that Madeleine is now in an alternate universe instead of "merely" being lost in time.
In her universe, Madeleine is the great-granddaughter of the famous Admiral Jean-Jacques Comète, who founded the FAA; she proudly wears her namesake emblem on her FAA uniform.
Like most new FAA recruits, she joined the FAA in CCXXII at age 12, and she worked her way up to the rank of Capitaine by the time she was 15 (which is a fast but not unheard-of progression in the FAA).
One of the first people she met in Paragon City was the reclusive founder of the Victoria Landsfeld Foundation, Jenny Herder. Jenny helped Madeleine find some lodging and directed her to seek out the Guardians of Tomorrow. As Madeline said: "Having a support group would be a sensible thing for me to seek out." She knows or at least suspects that Jenny is an android.
Madeleine's Universe
There are similarities between Madeleine's universe of origin and the one she inhabits now. For example, the French and English languages have evolved along a similar path.
There are also several differences and discrepancies:
- She compared Longbow to a group called "la 4ieme Légion" (the 4th Legion), one that would try to achieve results "by any means necessary." Her law enforcement officers also have warships.
- The costume worn by the Guardians' Phoebe Hubble is eerily similar to those worn by the FAA's "5ieme de cavalerie" (5th of Cavalry), who ride mechanical mounts.
- Dolphins, wolves, and most forms of Terran wildlife having been extinct for decades in her universe, she was intrigued by the sight of Yamainu, the Guardians' "door wolf."
Kheldians
In Madeleine's universe, Kheldians revealed themselves to humans on 4 Nivôse of the Year CLXIV (approximately December 25th, 1955) when the Earth was on the brink of nuclear Armageddon. They ushered peace, solved most of the world's problems (overpopulation, starvation, crime, etc.), and are revered as "The High Ones."
"They saved us from ourselves and gave us the stars."
Kheldians interact with humans but only with those deemed "worthy."
Nictus are unknown in Madeleine's universe. The very concept of a Corrupted Kheldian was met with disgust.
Personality
Madeleine has a cheerful personality. She is respectful of people in leadership and is used to following orders.
Madeleine's profoundly ingrained respect for authority and hierarchy extends to the Guardians she has met. She addresses each one as "sir" or "ma'am" and obeys their directives without hesitation. She would never disparage any Guardians and feels extremely bad if something she says can be seen as disapproval or criticism.
Even if law enforcement officers have warships in her universe, Madeleine adheres to the Force d'Action Astronautique's strict "no lethality" policy. Unfortunately, her first encounter with Longbow's heavy-handed methods left her with a wrong impression; she compared them to a group or faction from her universe known to her as "la 4ieme Légion" (the 4th Legion) as being "by any means necessary" and a bit "mental."
Despite the difference in upbringing with her fellow Guardians, she does not feel like she has been abused or restricted, but she has the gnawing feeling that's how the rest of the Guardians see her.
She secretly worries that the FAA doesn't intend (or is unable) to effect a rescue. Or that this world or her past is a delusion brought about by oxygen deprivation.
Education and training
Madeleine's education and training were purely practical, with no consideration for recreational activities. When asked what she did for "R&R" ("rest and recuperation"), she answered meditation, study, use of the stimu-baths (a combination hot tub/massage table specific to her universe), and sleep.
"Sleep is a necessity. Only take what you need, lest it distract you from your duties."
Her education left no place for art and self-expression: she mentioned an "Artist Caste" who was explicitly assigned those activities. She also said she had not been "trained for discourse and arguments."
"Fascism" is an unknown concept for her, as is "monastic" or "King Arthur." So, all the "stories" Madeleine was told were cautionary tales.
Her native tongue is French, and she speaks English fluently, indicating that those languages are the same (or at least very similar) in both universes.
She has some rudimentary notions of planar travel (used by the FAA ships' 'Hyperdrives')
Powers and Abilities
Madeleine describes herself as a "level 2 techno-telekinesist." She says implants in her brain boost her natural meta-abilities, and she says it is a standard procedure in the Force d'Action Astronautique. Those implants allow her to create several local gravity effects, both for offensive and defensive purposes, and she can speed up or slow down a person's metabolism.
Equipment
Madeleine's envirosuit, or "skinsuit," offers some protection against projectile weapons. Its fabric can also be reconfigured at will for other uses: for example, she made it into a one-piece swimsuit. In addition, the envirosuit is semi-sentient and shares a telepathic link with Madeleine.
With her helmet on, the suit allows her to survive in most environments, including a hard vacuum. Her helmet enhances her senses beyond what she would typically perceive, and it incorporates an odor filter (useful in Paragon City's sewers)