Meredith McKay

Meredith McKay is a volunteer medic born on Earth. She is written by Shining Light.

Other characters written by this user include:

 Kylie Silver (Close-combat specialist) 

Biography
A colony-born citizen of Heilus-4 (the largest colony in the solar system and under the jurisdiction of Earth), Meredith spent most of her life unsure of what her true passion would turn out to be. At age twenty, she acted on an impulse to enlist in the CEF as an army medic. There, she rapidly developed a talent for first aid that helped her save the lives of many wounded soldiers on and off the battlefield. When the ceasefire began, Meredith stayed with the CEF for several more months, patching up the remainder of the wounded, before her superiors let her go, her services no longer needed. 

Meredith has been volunteering her medical skills ever since, finding work on colonies and planets alike. Sixteen months after the ceasefire, she paid for transport aboard a vessel named the Nightshade, unaware that the trip would soon mark a sharp turn in her life...

Physical Appearance
Standing at 5'5", Meredith isn't going to be looking over people's shoulders anytime soon. She possesses a nimble dancer's build, willowy yet well-toned. Her lean face is pleasant-looking and honest, adorned with wide baby blue eyes and delicate lips. She has a light skin complexion that enforces her gentle nature. Her shoulder-length hair is wheat-gold, and she likes to wear it down and straightened, though she isn't adverse to trying other styles.

Meredith's upper body consists of a black tank top underneath a form-hugging jacket with a high collar and detachable sleeves due to zippers just below the shoulders. Though the jacket is mostly a steel-gray colour, the zipper features a two-inch border of solid black on either side of it, the pattern running from the bottom of the jacket to the top of the collar. Except for colder climates, she prefers having the jacket sleeves off, leaving her arms bare save for a pair of black fingerless gloves. Her lower body consists of black trousers, plus a pair of dark brown shin-length boots designed for sturdiness rather than style.

Personality and Traits
Meredith is a warm, nurturing soul who packs a stubborn streak. Despite being a medic and not a soldier, she's street-smart and knows how to take care of herself in a fight. She's remarkably good at keeping a cool head under life-threatening conditions, a trait that keeps her hands steady when the life in question belongs to someone she's patching up. She takes her responsibilities as a healer quite seriously and is loathe to abandon someone in need. While relaxed and joyful in times of peace, Meredith is quick to shed her light-hearted nature when danger arises.

Primary Combat Style
Meredith's role aboard the Nightshade is that of a medic. Though the medical facilities of the ship may be lacking, Meredith makes it a habit to carry an army-issue first aid kit with her at all times. She can readily patch up bullet holes, burns, and cuts sustained on the battlefield; anything of greater severity like internal bleeding or shattered bones, and she'll be needing equipment found in hospitals and medical bays for complete treatment.

For self-defense, Meredith carries a Kresnov ten-millimeter handgun, popular for its abundant bullet capacity, and a seven-inch nanotech Bowie knife. The handgun is holstered at her right hip and the knife is sheathed in front of it, putting both weapons within easy reach of her right hand. She wears a second knife on her person that isn't readily visible.

Upon her enlistment in the CEF, Meredith underwent army field training which included instruction on basic marksmanship and close-combat fighting techniques. Though she can hold her own in combat, she'd much prefer to leave the fighting to more capable individuals.

Trivia
 The name of Meredith's firearm comes from the surname of artificial human and war veteran Cassandra Kresnov, the protagonist of a series of sci-fi novels written by Joel Shepherd. 