Red Razer
From Unofficial Handbook of the Virtue Universe
| |
| The Red Razer's standard costume | |
| The Red Razer | |
| Player: Red Razer | |
| Origin: | Science |
|---|---|
| Archetype: | Scrapper |
| Security Level: | Classified |
| Personal Data | |
| Real Name: | Mikhail Travnosk |
| Known Aliases: | The Red Razer, The Red Agent, Michael Travis |
| Species: | Human |
| Age: | Appears 38, Actual Age is about 79 |
| Height: | 6' 4" |
| Weight: | 185lbs |
| Eye Color: | Blue |
| Hair Color: | Brown |
| Biographical Data | |
| Nationality: | Russian |
| Occupation: | Professional Crimefighter |
| Place of Birth: | Moscow, Russia |
| Base of Operations: | Moscow, Russia |
| Marital Status: | Single |
| Known Relatives: | None living |
| Known Powers | |
| Blades extend from his hands, super speed, super strength. | |
| Known Abilities | |
| Hand-to-Hand combat, interrogation techniques, surveillance. | |
| Equipment | |
| Confidential | |
| No additional information available. | |
The Red Razer is a Science Scrapper, and a roleplaying character.
Contents |
Affiliations
-An ex-member of the KGB
-Co-founder of the supergroup The Genesis Group.
Personality
It may seem like Mikhail does not take his job seriously at first, but beneath the jokes and the arrogant exterior, there is a man determined to keep the streets of his new home safe. He fights crime with a passion, and doesn't exhibit any sort of mercy on his enemies. He has no problem killing criminals, but only those who have clearly earned it. He's distrusting of people at first, and answers to no one.
Powers
The Red Razer has a set of claws that extend from his fists at will. The claws are extremely sharp, and very versatile. They never dull, and Mikhail can be seen frequently cleaning them. He also has exceptionally strong leg muscles, enabling him to run at near impossible speeds, and jump hundreds of feet in the air.
Abilities
Due to his former training in the Soviet Union as a KGB agent, The Red Razer is a master of interrogation, whether he is questioning a captured foe, or if he himself is being interrogated. He also ages at a much slower rate than normal, due to tests performed on him during his service as an agent.
Weaknesses and Limitations
As of now, it is not known if the Razer has any specific weaknesses, though he is not invincible. He is only able to take more damage than the average human because of the super-soldier experiments that were performed on him, which means he is still able to die.
Character History
Mikhail, The Sword, and Shield
Mikhail Travnosk was born and raised in Russia, in the Soviet Union. Like all Russian children, he grew up being told of the glory of his homeland. He was taught that Communism was the only correct, fair way to run a country, and that 'Papa Stalin' was a hero. As he grew older, Mikhail served in the Soviet military, and performed exceptionally. He had been a superb athlete as a teenager, and his athletic prowess was carried with him for the rest of his life. Because of his exceptional abilities, he was selected to be trained for the KGB, the security and secret police force of The Soviet Union, in 1972. Here, he received instruction in many different fields. He became a master of combat, both armed and unarmed. Mikhail was an exceptional shot with a rifle, but his true calling was his ability to toy with people's minds. Since he was a child, Mikhail would outsmart and trick his friends, but he would never realize how he could hone that skill for the mother land. He was taught how to interrogate prisoners, how to intimidate them and bring out their darkest fears, forcing them to give up their most intimate secrets. Mikhail was also shown the other side of the spectrum, and was instructed on ways to resist the same methods he used on his prisoners. Despite being caught and interrogated a total of 4 times, no one was ever able to link Mikhail directly to the KGB. He never once released classified information that was entrusted to him to an enemy. Mikhail was seen as one of the top agents in the KGB during his time, and was referred to as the clear-cut example of the 'sword and shield' of the Soviet Union, which the KGB strived to be.
Mikhail, the Romantic
It was during this time that Mikhail met one of his closest friends, Lena. Lena was a woman, and a fellow agent of Mikhail's. It was rare for the KGB agents to have contact with women, since their lives needed to revolve around their work. It was rare that a woman would be selected as an agent, but occasionally one would be trained to seduce powerful men and extract information from them. Mikhail and Lena worked on a mission together, where they were instructed to infiltrate the Ministry of Defense of Great Britain. Lena was able to convince one of the leading officers of the national police force to come back to her 'apartment' one night, where Mikhail was waiting. Lena and Mikhail proceeded to restrain the officer, threaten his life, and interrogate him. By the end of the day, not only had the KGB been given the password they needed to access millions of confidential files of British intelligence, but Lena and Mikhail had fallen in love.
Lena was pretty, smart, independent, and completely obsessed with Mikhail, and Mikhail with her. The little time that their lives didn't legally belong to the Soviet Union, they were together, enjoying life to the fullest. However, this sort of relationship between coworkers was frowned upon, and, though it wasn't official, was basically banned in the KGB, so they kept their love a secret. After two years of hiding their affection, Mikhail promised to marry Lena as soon as they were able, and they were engaged.
Mikhail, The Lab Rat
At this time, Mikhail was 34. in 1979, Mikhail was called for a private meeting with some of his superiors. Here, he was given an opportunity. Mikhail learned that the Soviet Union had been (unsuccessfully) experimenting with super soldier formulas, so as to create the ultimate soldier. One that wouldn't need rest, food, drink, motivation, or anything else that was deemed as a limitation of normal, human soldiers. Most of all, Mikhail would not feel fear. Nikolai Kuznetsov, the lead scientist of the project, told Mikhail of all the details that he was able to discuss. He knew that the tests were very dangerous, and many agents have died as a result of the experiments. However, Mikhail, being the good agent that he was, accepted the offer. His only worry was if he would tell Lena or not. Eventually, his guilt overcame him, and he told her of the opportunity. Lena was outraged, not at Mikhail, but at the KGB, for risking the life of her fiancee, and the finest agent the KGB had on hand. Breaking protocol, Lena actually requested for Mikhail to be taken off the project. The KGB refused, but offered her a second option- She was put onto the super soldier program as well. This would be the first time a woman was experimented on for the program, and the KGB chose to keep her testing confidential, including from Mikhail. Although she did not want to keep things from Mikhail, part of the deal was that she would not tell anyone of her involvement. And so, Mikhail was told he was the only agent in the program.
Over the course of 6 months, Mikhail and Lena received injections daily, and went through similar training procedures. They both performed exceptionally. The two agents were able to lift more than 4 times their own body weight, seemed to have an unlimited supply of endurance, and were more confident in their abilities than ever. Lena was able to keep her secret from Mikhail through an additional injection was given that limited the amount of muscle mass she gained. This put a much more severe strain on her muscles, but was able to provide the same results without making the experiments obvious. Mikhail was proud to be serving his country, and Lena was happy knowing that her lover was safe as long as she was.
Mikhail, The Super Soldier
In 1983, Mikhail was 38, and he agreed, at the suggestion of Doctor Kuznetsov, to testing an anti-aging hormone that he would receive as an injection. The hormone showed less than promising results in the tests that the KGB ran on animals, but Mikhail was assured that it was expected to react differently to a human immune system. Indeed, Mikhail survived, and the test was a success. His aging slowed nearly to a halt, and the super soldier project was deemed a success. At least, that's what Mikhail was told. He was sent into the field against various foes, from high-tech simulations, to wild animals. Mikhail was an amazing soldier before the experiments, and now he was at levels of success no one dreamed of. There was still one limitation that the KGB could not find a proper solution for: There was no weapon that could match Mikhail's efficiency. He could carry plenty of ammunition, but there were still only so many bullets he could strap to his body. In a dangerous move, Dr. Kuznetsov decided that a different type of weapon was needed. KGB scientists were able to graft blades inside of Mikhail's body, that could be extended and retracted at will by Mikhail. There were three blades on each hand, roughly placed in between his knuckles.
His new blades were incredibly destructive. In one of the field combat exercises he was put through, Mikhail was able to fight a full grown grizzly bear in hand to hand combat, and nearly cut the bear in half. Mikhail was put into action for every violent encounter that the KGB needed him in, and he soon became more of a hired assassin than a secret agent. Though he much preferred the espionage and interrogation part of his job, Mikhail knew better than to argue. He continued to perform whatever mission he was assigned, regardless of the bloodshed he would cause.
Mikhail, The Traitor
In 1990, Mikhail still appeared to be 38 years, though he felt much, much older. The strain that his job had put on his mental health was exhausting. He rarely had time for Lena, who he was still unable to marry. Regulations meant that Lena and Mikhail would be risking their jobs by marrying each other, so they chose to still keep their love a secret. However, Mikhail was getting tired of the secret agent world, and decided it was time to settle down and start his family with Lena. He approached his superiors, and told them that by the end of the year, he would be leaving the KGB for a civilian life.
At this point, Lena was still receiving daily injections, though she had not received the anti-aging hormone that Mikhail was given. Mikhail still knew nothing of Lena's involvement in the program, and Lena had no problem keeping this a secret from him anymore, since she considered it her duty to make sure he was safe. Upon hearing his decision to leave the KGB, Lena attempted to resign as well, knowing that they had more than enough money to live off of, with their government pensions. Unfortunately, things would not work out for the two of them. During private discussions between Lena and Mikhail's superiors, and the scientists on the super-soldier project, it was decided that neither of these agents could be allowed to leave the service. Together, they knew far too much information to be trusted, and a solution was found to make sure Mikhail would stay in the service. He was leaving to spend time with Lena, and the KGB realized that by eliminating Lena, they would be able to kill a number of birds with one stone- They could eliminate the risk of an intelligence leak if Lena was captured (Lena had never been captured, but it was feared that she would divulge vital information if she was interrogated, due to her much weaker ability to react properly during an interrogation). They could also attempt to sever Mikhail's final tie to the 'normal' world of humans, making him truly the ultimate super soldier by eliminating his conscience and his ability to feel emotion. In addition, if Lena was out of the picture, Mikhail would have no reason to leave. The one thing that sealed the argument however was that, by killing Lena, the KGB could see exactly what it took to eliminate a super soldier. And so it was decided- Lena Morozov would be assassinated.
In a last effort to keep Mikhail in the KGB without having to eliminate one of their agents, Dr. Kuznetsov showed up at Mikhail's home, and told Mikhail that, because of his enhancements, he was practically government property. Mikhail knew that this was just the KGB reaching for any excuse to keep him around, and he was not going to have any of it. Mikhail told Kuznetsov that Mikhail had served the KGB for nearly 20 years, and he had rightfully earned his retirement. Kuznetsov called Mikhail a traitor, and left the Travnosk residence.
Mikhail, The Vengeful
The next day, Lena was called for her daily injection. She was told that they were going to test a new hormone on her body, and that it would enhance her brain capacity 5%- Not nearly strong enough to cause permanent damage should something go wrong. What she was actually injected with was a large dose of a poisonous substance, and as she realized this fact, she began to struggle. The guards held her down, and the effects of the drug were quickly being felt, as she passed out into unconsciousness. She was proclaimed dead only moments later. Her body was taken away, and taken for testing.
Mikhail was called by Dr. Kuznetsov into his office, and in a matter of five minutes, was told everything, from Lena's involvement in the program, to her 'unfortunate' and 'accidental' death. Mikhail burst into tears, and was told to go home and take a day off. His sorrow immediately turned to rage, rage at everything and everyone, and he demanded to see his wife's body. Dr. Kuznetsov attempted to tell Mikhail that the body had already been taken away, but he would hear none of it. Mikhail, in a frantic rage, forced himself past guards into the same laboratory that he had been given injections in every day. He ran for the chair which he had sat in, which his fiancee had sat in, and began to cry again. A few strands of her hair were left on the seat, and Mikhail picked them up. Slowly, his sadness faded, and he felt confusion. He noticed the ends of the hair were frayed, as if they were torn, and didn't simply fall out. He took a moment, staring at the strands of hair, before he realized what this meant, and he began breathing heavily. His heart rate increased, and his vision started blurring. He immediately saw through the facade of Lena's 'horrible accident,' and the 'great tragedy' that had befallen all of the Soviet Union, and he realized the reality of Lena's murder, her assassination, and the betrayal the Soviet Union had just committed on Mikhail's trust.
Dr. Kuznetsov saw the rage in Mikhail's eyes, and he quickly knew that Mikhail had figured out the truth. He ran for the door, and Mikhail pounced, pinning him against the wall. Before the doctor could say a word, Mikhail slowly extended his claws into Kuznetsov's stomach. He took great satisfaction in the gurgling noises he heard as the blood filled Kuznetsov's throat, and he retracted the claws. The doctor fell to the floor, and Mikhail went into a violent rage again, destroying everything in the room with his claws. He fell against the wall, panting, and fell unconscious.
Ten minutes later, the room was filled with KGB guards, and Soviet soldiers, examining the doctor's body, and handcuffing the still unconscious Mikhail. They carried him down the hall, towards a prison block usually used for holding important captives who could not be let out of sight, when Mikhail woke again. He easily snapped the handcuffs, and gutted all four of the guards that had been carrying him. He began to sprint for the exit, when he took a number of bullets in the back. They felt like nothing more than rocks being thrown at him, and so he continued on. He jumped through a window on the third floor, and hit the ground running in the darkness of night. His training helped Mikhail elude the KGB patrols that were sent out to search for him, and Mikhail went into hiding, as a fugitive.
Mikhail, The American
The next morning, Mikhail snuck onto a cargo boat transferring food to a number of European countries. He got off the boat in France, and quickly acquired a set of normal clothes. He lived in France for about two weeks, in the industrial district of a large city. He worked odd jobs as a dock hand, and earned enough money to buy a plane ticket under a false alias to the country that the KGB would be unable to track him in- America.
Mikhail landed in America, asked to speak to the security force in charge of the airport, and told them, in broken English, "I am Mikhail Travnosk. I am a former KGB agent, and a traitor to the Soviet Union, I would like to tell you important things." The security chief of the airport was shocked, and called the first agency he could think of, the Federal Bureau of Investigations. Over the course of two months, Mikhail gave as much information on Soviet practices as he could, and in exchange for his help, he was given a Visa, and a small apartment to live in, along with a new identity. He would be known as Michael Travis, a more Americanized version of his Russian name, and he would live in Paragon City. The FBI never learned of Mikhail's special 'gifts.'
The next year, the Soviet Union fell.
Mikhail lived in Paragon City, in a small apartment, and was ridiculed by his neighbors. It was nothing more than a rumor that he was a former Soviet Agent, and that he had killed many American spies, but this was enough to convince Mikhail's neighbors that he was the devil incarnate. He lived there for many years, hated by the only people he would ever know, and he made no friends. He spent most of the days mourning the loss of Lena, when he wasn't working as a security officer to the Paragon Mall. The job was degrading, but Mikhail felt no pride anymore- He was a traitor to his homeland, hated by his new home, and felt like an outcast.
By 1993, Mikhail was granted US citizenship on behalf of the FBI.
Mikhail, The Hero
On December 15th, 1993, Mikhail was walking home from a midnight shift at his job, when he witnessed a young woman and her daughter being assaulted. He watched from afar for a few moments, observing the scene, before he noticed something. The woman had a striking resemblance to Lena. He knew it couldn't be Lena, but the similarity was uncanny. The two thugs assaulting them had forced them into an alleyway, and the little girl was separated from her mother. One of the thugs seemed to be sexually assaulting the mother, as her daughter cried. Mikhail watched in horrible awe, as he witnessed the rape of the woman he was convinced was his deceased fiancee. The little girl yelled in horror "No, get off of her!" One of the thugs quickly smacked her, knocking her to the floor. This set off Mikhail. His face turned to one of the rage, the same face he had on the entire night after he left the KGB facility three years ago. He extended his claws for the first time since he had come to America, and they tore through his work gloves. He sprinted across the street, nearly causing a car accident, and leaped nearly ten feet in the air. He came down directly on top of the thug who had struck the little girl, and screamed a feral roar into his ear. Mikhail's claws went directly into the thug's skull, on opposite sides, breaking the fragile bones, and impaling his brain. He heard four gun shots, as the other thug pulled out his own pistol. Mikhail was barely phased by the shots, and cut the man's hand off. He retracted the claws on one hand, and grabbed the man's throat with it.
"Oh my god... What the #$%! man, what the %@$@!"
Mikhail said nothing, and slowly began to extend the claws into the man's throat.
"Please man, no! I'm sorry, man! I-I'll never do it again, I sware! Just... PLEASE, put them razors away."
Mikhail smirked an evil grin, and started to retract the claws.
"Razors?"
He extended the claws out all the way, impaling it through the man's jaw, and up through his eyes.
Unfortunately, the woman had been hit by a bullet, and was killed. Upon closer inspection, Mikhail realized that this, of course, was not his fiancee, and was just a woman who needed help. When she hit the floor, her daughter received a concussion, and was bleeding badly. Mikhail picked up the little girl, and sprinted to a hospital, carrying her in his arms. He walked into the emergency room entrance, called for help, and gave away the little girl to a nurse. He announced that she had fallen and was knocked unconscious, and that her mother was just killed. He gave them the address of the alley that the woman's body, as well as the two thug's bodies were in, and left before the police could question him.
That night, Mikhail realized he finally felt proud of himself, and his apartment was visited by one of his neighbors. The neighbor was a cop, and had heard of a man with his description who brought a little girl to a hospital that night. He asked to hear the story, and Mikhail told him how he had saved the little girl's mother and the little girl from two men. The next day, Mikhail was visited by nearly all of his neighbors, praising him for his heroic actions, and apologizing for how they had treated him. One of them suggested he go into crime fighting, half-joking, and Mikhail took the suggestion to heart.
While contemplating what his neighbors had told him that night, Mikhail stared at the blades from his hands, recalling what the thug called them the other day- Razors. The blood from the crook's body was still staining the blades, giving them a dull red tinge. Realizing what Mikhail had been training to do since he joined the military in the Soviet Union, Michael Travis abandoned his American name, and became a superhero- The Red Razer.
Mikhail, The Red Razer
To be continued.
