Laika Volkova
From Unofficial Handbook of the Virtue Universe
Laika Volkova (pronounced Like-ah Voolk-oh-vah) is a genetically engineered Praetorian. Proin sed sollicitudin ipsum. Aenean non purus sapien, facilisis porttitor velit. Nullam leo ligula, accumsan vel viverra et, pharetra eu enim. Curabitur scelerisque rhoncus semper. Praesent vitae auctor mauris. Nunc rhoncus augue in mauris consequat et vehicula turpis dictum. Nulla vehicula adipiscing malesuada. Nam suscipit venenatis ante, quis volutpat metus suscipit eu.
Heading One Proin sed sollicitudin ipsum. Aenean non purus sapien, facilisis porttitor velit. Nullam leo ligula, accumsan vel viverra et, pharetra eu enim. Curabitur scelerisque rhoncus semper. Praesent vitae auctor mauris. Nunc rhoncus augue in mauris consequat et vehicula turpis dictum. Nulla vehicula adipiscing malesuada. Nam suscipit venenatis ante, quis volutpat metus suscipit eu.
Heading Two Proin sed sollicitudin ipsum. Aenean non purus sapien, facilisis porttitor velit. Nullam leo ligula, accumsan vel viverra et, pharetra eu enim. Curabitur scelerisque rhoncus semper. Praesent vitae auctor mauris. Nunc rhoncus augue in mauris consequat et vehicula turpis dictum. Nulla vehicula adipiscing malesuada. Nam suscipit venenatis ante, quis volutpat metus suscipit eu.
Heading Three Proin sed sollicitudin ipsum. Aenean non purus sapien, facilisis porttitor velit. Nullam leo ligula, accumsan vel viverra et, pharetra eu enim. Curabitur scelerisque rhoncus semper. Praesent vitae auctor mauris. Nunc rhoncus augue in mauris consequat et vehicula turpis dictum. Nulla vehicula adipiscing malesuada. Nam suscipit venenatis ante, quis volutpat metus suscipit eu.
Heading Four Proin sed sollicitudin ipsum. Aenean non purus sapien, facilisis porttitor velit. Nullam leo ligula, accumsan vel viverra et, pharetra eu enim. Curabitur scelerisque rhoncus semper. Praesent vitae auctor mauris. Nunc rhoncus augue in mauris consequat et vehicula turpis dictum. Nulla vehicula adipiscing malesuada. Nam suscipit venenatis ante, quis volutpat metus suscipit eu.
Laika Volkova (pronounced Like-ah Voolk-oh-vah) is a genetically engineered Praetorian. Proin sed sollicitudin ipsum. Aenean non purus sapien, facilisis porttitor velit. Nullam leo ligula, accumsan vel viverra et, pharetra eu enim. Curabitur scelerisque rhoncus semper. Praesent vitae auctor mauris. Nunc rhoncus augue in mauris consequat et vehicula turpis dictum. Nulla vehicula adipiscing malesuada. Nam suscipit venenatis ante, quis volutpat metus suscipit eu.
Features + Abilities
Close Combatant- Laika is adept at hand-to-hand combat, favouring it against most any adversary she encounters. As her strong suit, she enjoys sparring with willing contenders
Stealth- Proin sed sollicitudin ipsum. Aenean non purus sapien, facilisis porttitor velit. Nullam leo ligula, accumsan vel viverra et, pharetra eu enim. Curabitur scelerisque rhoncus semper.
Keen Senses- Proin sed sollicitudin ipsum. Aenean non purus sapien, facilisis porttitor velit. Nullam leo ligula, accumsan vel viverra et, pharetra eu enim. Curabitur scelerisque rhoncus semper.
Hyper Anabolism- Every Opus' cells rebuild at a faster than normal rate, and regenerative chemicals supplied by Dr. Bravura increase the process even more. Laika may not be a Primal Earth Opus, but appears to be akin to them in this manner.
Psi-Deflection Soundtrack- The feature that made her most valuable to the Resistance was this; an endless loop of Cole Porter songs being hummed or sung in her own voice to anyone doing minor probing of her thoughts. While easily circumvented by those skilled in psionics, it is often enough of a cover to encourage enemies such as Seekers to pass her by.
Equipment + Weapons
Retractible Flat Blades- While held captive by the Elegant Machine, Laika was forcibly conditioned & trained in combat with dual retractable flat blades. These were selected as they were the weapon of choice of her captor, and while Laika begrudges this she does retain her skill in their use. Though rarely carried, she will occasionally use the amorphous alloy blades on stealth-heavy jobs.
Shuriken- Compact, occasionally explosive, & bestowing a bit of range to her otherwise close-combat-heavy bag of tricks. It's not unusual for Laika to keep a few shuriken throwing stars tucked away in a pocket, the top of a garter, or quite literally up her sleeve.
Caltrops- A smattering of caltrops at the feet of an opponent are not an unusual tactic for Laika to employ during combat, but not a favoured tactic either. She enjoys them as an annoyance to fellow close-combatants and is known to utilise them as a means of managing larger groups of adversaries.
Jump Pack- Standard issue for Opuses and much of Symphony Labs' staff, the light weight jump pack gives a short burst vertical lift, lasting as much as 30 seconds before requiring a shutdown period. Laika mainly utilises this for quick escapes from land-bound enemies, reaching perches for safety or scouting, and navigating the unforgiving terrain of First Ward.
Semi-Auto Pistols- While primarily a close-combatant, Laika does occasionally carry a pair of Colt M1911A1 semi-automatic pistols as issued to her for Orchestral Alliance affairs. These single-action, semi-automatic, magazine-fed, and recoil-operated handguns came into favour during the Vietnam war era and have remained such with good reason.
Karinska Collar- Opuses are never without their collars, and as an honorary Opus neither is Laika. The simple black leather with silver spikes serves as a visual cue to the inherent loyal and submissive nature an Opus has in regards to their appointed superiors, while doubling as a tracking device which is traceable by a selective few. In Laika's case the collar primarily serves to monitor her battle statistics and physiology, ensuring she is kept in perfect health.
