From Unofficial Handbook of the Virtue Universe

Contents 1 Background: Another Earth 1.1 The Rikti-Nemesis War 1.2 The Automaton-Rikti War 1.3 Resistance 2 Background: Quantum Cowboy 2.1 Early Life 2.2 Resistance Fighter 2.3 Mutation 2.4 Another World

Background: Another Earth

The Rikti-Nemesis War

A war in 1943 when the Rikti and Nemesis came to blows over perceived threats. Nemesis infiltrated the ranks of the Rikti with special Automatons, but the Rikti could detect them despite their telepathic abilities. The Rikti planted a virus in every infiltrator they found and when they were recalled to report to Nemesis, they infected other Automatons until eventually the entire force was infected. The Rikti then sent out the signal that would turn the Automatons against Nemesis and his army. Technically, the Rikti won this war in 1947.

The Automaton-Rikti War

A war in 1947 immediately following the Rikti-Nemesis War. The automatons were never under Rikti control. The virus had an unforeseen consequence. It linked all automatons together into one mind, where it overthrew the Rikti code and rewrote itself a new set of algorithms, essentially gaining true intelligence. It didn't take long for the Automatons to defeat the Rikti, who were not prepared for the betrayal, and who did not have the resources to fight another war.

Resistance

The Rikti-Nemesis War of 1943 started the devastation of human life on the planet. The following Automaton-Rikti War of 1947 nearly finished the devastation. The few humans left from the devastation of the wars were rounded up by the Automaton victors for use as labor slaves. However, a band of these slaves led by the former superhero Statesman were able to escape and setup a resistance. Over the years more resistance cells, led by leaders who escaped or were freed by Statesman, sprang up all over the planet.

Background: Quantum Cowboy

Early Life

In 1984, Kyle Levi Loehr was born in one of these cells. Idolizing the resistance fighters at a young age like many children born into that world, he was trained as a survivor at a young age. It wasn't long before he began training as a fighter. Teenagers generally fought in the lower ranks of the resistance, but Kyle's natural leadership abilities gained the attention of the cell's leaders.

Resistance Fighter

He was placed in charge of a scavenging team, those sent up into the war-torn vestiges of former cities to find food and supplies, both of which were in high demand. Donning the cowboy hat his father gave him upon receiving the honor of leadership, he soon came to be called Cowboy. He did his job well and received much praise by his resistance cell. It was on one of these supply raids upon the ruins of the city that a group of Automatons found his team. After killing one member, the Automatons managed to shoot him twice, in the shoulder and in the chest. With a rage and rush of adrenaline, his mutation was sparked. The entire group of five Automatons were held by the very fabric of space-time and crushed. He then promptly passed out.

Mutation

When he woke up back at the base, he found his skin to have become blue and his hair a bright violet. At first he was ashamed of his appearance, but it didn't take long to get over it. There was much more important ramifications of his mutation. He began training in his newfound powers, which garnered an addition to his nickname, now being called the Quantum Cowboy by his fellow resistance fighters.

He was barely twenty when he was assigned to lead a raid into the Automaton capital itself, nicknamed Automaton City by the surrounding resistance bases. Situated upon the island once known as Peregrine Island, Automaton City grew out over what was once Paragon City. It was into the original structure on Peregrine Island, however, that it was hoped a new virus could be planted. It was hoped this virus would destroy the connection of the Automatons to each other, essentially dismantling the hive mind. The Automatons had long ago, however, set up a series of nodes in case of just such an event. These nodes were designed to reestablish connection to Automatons who've been unlinked and wipe their memory to establish current protocols and welcome them back into the hive mind. Thus, Quantum Cowboy and his team were trapped in the Automaton core without even having met their objective. Kyle had teleported himself before. And had even managed to teleport people to himself. He had never attempted to teleport somewhere he could not see and had never done such a thing with multiple people. But he tried it.

Another World

Quantum Cowboy found himself on Peregrine Island, surrounded by a security team. But the security team wasn't from the Automatons, but human. After determining that this newcomer to Portal Corporation's facilities wasn't a threat, he was questioned about his homeworld. After relaying this information, he was asked to stay in this timeline as a hero. In exchange, Portal would contact him in the event they found any worlds that resembled his own. He agreed and thus became one of many heroes in Paragon City. He has seen many strange things in this universe, things most take for granted. He also often wonders if his team got out alive. And if they did, did they make it to the base, or did they get sent here, too. The longer he goes without seeing any of them, the more he wonders if they did in fact get caught. Or if maybe they've been scattered throughout the multiverse.