Tick was abandoned as a child and brought up in a nursing home. Having been born slightly deformed/disabled, with a bent spine and twisted leg, he walks with a pronounced limp and strange body movements. This left him a loner, who overcompensated by trying to befriend everyone he met. Bitter about the constant rejections, the young Tick turned to his computer for friendship and found he had a talent for understanding and building them. He enjoyed rebuilding and modifying computers and cyberdecks so much, he quickly became a well known Netrunner in his area. His only real-space friend is an old male nurse from the nursing home who gave him his first computer, and taught him both how to draw and defend himself. In the Net, Tick is a towering extrovert and has made up a completely fictitious life for himself, right down to parents and a boxing career.[1]
Operating Style[]
Working from the basement of his old home, Tick rarely comes out now. The place is strewn with cannibalized electronic items, disassembled computers and half-built cyberdecks. Tick has a strange pattern of working for forty-eight hours straight, then collapsing for twenty-four. He puts this down to the fact that he works when he is inspired for as long as possible, then sleeps afterwards. When "resting" nothing short of physical violence will get his attention. He has a slow but steady stream of work but nothing that pays heavily.
Racked by inadequacy and loneliness, Tick tries to impress people with his eagerness and willingness. Seemingly happy-go-lucky, if upset, Tick will become abusive and aloof, holding a grudge—sometimes for years. His need for friendship drives him to do anything to impress people, up to illegal actions.
Lately he's come to see that he can make a living from deck design/building/modification work and his jaunts into the Net are usually only for social purposes now. His occasional trip out of the basement is to the local Netrunner's club, where he can impress his friends with his newest modifications, or to the home of his old nurse. He is looking for several well paying jobs so that he can get his most secret desire—an operation to replace his deformed body parts![1]
Stats[]
INT: 10, LUCK: 7, BOD: 6, TECH: 10, ATT: 2, Rep: 3, REF: 4, EMP: 7, COOL: 8, MA: 2.[1]
Skills[]
Interface +5, System Knowledge +7, Programming +6, Library Search +5, Basic Tech +6, Cyberdeck Design +8, Electronics +8, Streetwise +4, Athletics +2; First Aid +5, Persuasion +2, Awareness +2, Paint and Draw +3, Resist Torture/Drugs +3, Martial Art (Boxing) +2[1]
Cyberware[]
Basic Processor w/lnterface plugs (w/Cybermodem and Machine/Tech links), Chipware Socket with tech and science info MRAM chips, Cyberoptic w/lmage Enhancement and Teleoptics.[1]