Gowi and I discussed this last night. For right now, I'm not dropping Bart. I hope to come back to him later, but in the meantime:

[b]| Identity |[/b]
Kai-ro (Green Lantern)

[b]| Origin & Backstory |[/b]
Kai-ro is a descendent of the ancient and extinct civilization of Nanda Parbat, born on Earth as the off-spring of refugees who escaped the destruction of their homeworld and were successful in integrating into human society centuries ago. Born into an impoverished family living in the Canton region of China, Kai-ro became one of many boys orphaned into the various Buddhist temples throughout the mainland. As a result, Kai-ro is fluent in both Cantonese Chinese and Mandarin Chinese, being formally educated in the latter while more often speaking the former in normal conversation while 'growing up monk' in the Southern Shaolin Temple outside of Hong Kong. Functioning like a boarding school and orphanage, the monastery saw to all of Kai-ro's basic needs while providing for his education in both the traditional schools of thought in addition to physical disciplines provided for by the practice of Chinese wu shu, or kung fu. 

It was during Year 3 of our story's continuity that Kai-ro's story became something beyond that of a simple monk, living and learning in a temple in China. For it was in that year that the Green Lantern [b]Abin Sur[/b] took off his ring and retired from the Corps. That ring was sent to search the universe for one whose will was strong, one who would stand up in brightest day and darkest night. And that ring found a young Shaolin monk named Kai-ro and the ring spoke to him and said, [i]Kai-ro of Earth, you have the ability to overcome great fear[/i].

Transported by the ring to the Corps Headquarters on the planet Oa, Kai-ro found himself indoctrinated into a new order and discipline; that of the [b]Green Lantern Corps[/b]. Graduating from [b]Killowog[/b]'s training, the rookie Green Lantern found himself assigned to the diminutive and grizzled soldier, [b]Ch'p[/b] as a probationary member of the Corps who will finish his training as a patrolman under Ch'p's watchful eye.

[b]| Character Notes |[/b]
A few of Kai-ro's more commonly used NPCs:
[indent]Clarissi [b]Salaak[/b] - [i]The title roughly translates as 'Commander', denoting that this Slyggian from Sector 1418 and veteran Green Lantern is one of the chief administrators of the Lantern Corps, and is responsible for directing the Enforcement branch of the Corps.[/i][/indent]
[indent][b]Kilowog[/b] - [i]Kai-ro's instructor and trainer, a Bolovaxian from Sector 0674 and a Green Lantern.[/i][/indent]
[indent][b]Ch'p[/b] - [i]Kai-ro's supervisor in the field, a squirrel or chipmunk-like alien from the planet H'Iven in Sector 1014 and a Blue Lantern.[/i][/indent]
[indent][b]Aya[/b] - [i]An artificial intelligence which exists as a humanoid robot and the computer of the Guardian patrol ship, [b]Sentinel[/b].[/i][/indent]
[indent][b]Miri Riam[/b] - [i]A Pink Lantern from the planet Lartnec in Sector 1111.[/i][/indent]
[indent][b]Kreavan[/b] - [i]Miri's partner, an Indigo Lantern who looks like a giant eagle.[/i][/indent]

[b]| Powers & Abilities |[/b]
Kai-Ro is the youngest Green Lantern ever inducted into the Corps (youngest both in absolute age and relative to his species' normal biological development). He radiates serenity and a calm willpower beyond his years, and yet can still enjoy life with the wide-eyed wonder appropriate to his age.

- [b]Green Lantern Ring[/b], which allows Kai-ro to create green constructs from the sheer force of will and imagination. The ring also provides a protective aura around his body, enabling him to fly in atmosphere or the vacuum of space, and allows for faster-than-light travel in space.

- [b]Martial Arts Master[/b] in Chinese Wu Shu, specifically Tai Chi Chuan and Shaolin Crane Style martial arts.

- [b]Meditation Training[/b] as a Shaolin monk allows Kai-ro to center himself and maintain his emotions in check even in the most dire of circumstances.

[b]| How is this character different? |[/b]
Admittedly, Kai-ro isn't much of a character to begin with. He appeared in maybe 3-4 episodes of the cartoons, primarily the two-part episode of [i]Batman Beyond[/i] where he first appears and it isn't until the [i]Justice League Unlimited[/i] comic books that he gets any kind of backstory. This character stays true to much of that, except that this Kai-ro has Abin Sur's ring whereas the DCAU Kai-ro has John Stewart's ring, but I hope to focus on more of a police procedural drama than the typical [i]Green Lantern member of the Justice League[/i] stories - developing the Lantern Corps as actual interstellar law enforcement as opposed to just a dude with a ring chillin' on Earth when he's supposed to be responsible for a multitude of planets. Kai-ro's story will bring him to Earth, certainly, but on a transient basis. The point is to portray Kai-ro and the GLC for what it is: COPS in space. 

[b]| What is your goal with this character? |[/b]
I covered most of this in the section above, but to reiterate my goal is to tell a police procedural drama that takes place in the conceptual framework of the Green Lantern Corps. It's Interpol in space. Smugglers. Fringers. Drug runners. White collar crime and good old fashioned homicide. Interstellar navigational safety. And the classic disaster response. My goal is to tell a story about a character whose purpose is to serve and protect. 

[b]| Sample Post |[/b]

[center][img=http://baku-panda.org/images/UDC_Kairo.png][/center]

[i]In the greater cosmos, the people are protected by two sides in the interstellar justice system; the [b]Lanterns[/b] who investigate crimes and the local authorities who prosecute the offenders. The call came in at seventeen forty-seven, Oa Standard Time. A domestic disturbance on an asteroid base out on the edge of space in Sector 2814. That makes it my problem. My name is Kai-ro. I carry a ring.[/i] 

[b]| A S T E R O I D • B L U E • H E A V E N |[/b]

The small spacecraft exited out of the singularity, a blue glow radiating from the ion drives as power was diverted to the sublight engines, the kinetic force combining with the resulting inertial to propel the pristine vessel toward the massive rock which hung like a rogue planet against the backdrop of space. Inside the space craft, a feminine voice echoed and said, "We have entered Sector 2814, quadrant Gamma-9. Adjusting vector for approach to space station [i]Blue Heaven[/i]."

"Domestic disturbance," the squirrel-like creature growled, blowing smoke from a distinctly non-regulation cigar as he barked, "What are we now, marriage counselors?"

Bringing a hand up to his face, the young Chinese boy waved the smoke away from his face despite knowing all-too-well the futility of his actions. In such a confined environment, even with Aya's carbon scrubbers working at maximum efficiency to recycle the air quality, the noxious odors continued to burn at his nostrils everywhere in the ship. "Blue Heaven is a private enterprise. WIthout local government law enforcement, it is necessary for the Corps to provide for community police protection in order to prevent this quadrant becoming a..."

"Yeah, yeah, [i]I'm[/i] not the Poozer here, kid," Ch'p growled, interrupting the young Green Lantern before blowing smoke in his face. "This is, what, third time we've been out?"

"Fourth," Kai-ro corrected, coughing as the smoke choked the back of his throat.

"Well, maybe if you'd busted some heads the first, second, or [i]third[/i] time, we wouldn't be out here again," the H'lven chipmunk snapped.

"There was no criminal complaint alleged and therefore it would be unconscionable to impose..."

"I'll show you 'unconscionable' if you don't shut up and arrest something," the grizzled Blue Lantern barked, waving with his cigar toward the back of the cockpit. "Now hit the beat, kid."

There were creatures in this world - in this [i]universe[/i] - who tested the patience of even the most virtuous monk. With a sigh, the young Green Lantern hung his head as he resigned himself to the fact that Clarissi Salaak had, for whatever karmic slight Kai-ro may have caused in a prior life, partnered him with just such a creature. "[i]Kao yao[/i]," the youth muttered in Chinese as he started toward the airlock.

"Yeah, [i]moo goo gai pan[/i] to you too, kid."

The comment from the H'lven reached Kai-ro's ears just as he started through the exit of the cockpit, drawing his shoulders up in the only tangible display of irritation. [i]Peace. Compassion. [b]Peace...[/b][/i] the boy repeated to himself, drawing in a deep breath which he let out slowly as he did the right thing and just walked away. As he stepped into the airlock, the boy brought his right hand up, adjusting the distinctive ring on his middle finger. A green aura enveloped his small form, as the exterior hatch was pulled away like a curtain to reveal the naked cosmos outside. Gently, the boy's foot drifted from off the deck as he floated freely into the vacuum awaiting him.

Space could be frightening the first time. There was no concept of up or down. No compass points with which to orient the mind. Some never overcame the vertigo. But Kai-ro? Kai-ro felt like this was true freedom. Putting his arms by his side, the child ducked and then pushed himself out through the void like a dolphin sliding through the sea. Gliding across the emptiness, the youth arced upward to arrive at an airlock that would give entry to the asteroid base. A pulse from his ring and the door parted for him, and Kai-ro stepped inside.

A century before, the asteroid had been cored out by a mining corporation. Left an empty shell, the remains of the mining station had been hastily converted into a port of call for people out on the fringe of this part of space. Pirates. Smugglers. Drug runners. The Green Lanterns knew that [i]Blue Heaven[/i], as it had come to be called, was nothing more than a waypoint from criminal elements drifting through the sector. But suspicion didn't amount to evidence, and so the Green Lanterns could do little more than keep an eye on the station. Still, it remained a lawless wonderland. A ghetto in space. Trash crunched under foot, along with something squishy that Kai-ro immediately tried not to think about as he made his way inside of the shoddy asteroid port. 

B37T4-A, or Big Bertha, had originally been programmed as a lab assistant for a chemical company. Later advances in robotics and artificial intelligence design had led to Bertha being thrown out with the trash, but instead of being resigning herself to being reduced to scrap, the rusted automaton had wound up opening a bar out on Blue Heaven. There, she'd met up with a waste disposal unit that everyone called 'Marty' and the two had mixed like oil and water. Their passions for one another were, perhaps, impressive given the limitations of their designs, but that passion led to destructive behavior - usually by Bertha - which was of increasing concern to the residents of Blue Heaven.

That alone was concerning. It took a great deal for someone who lived on Blue Heaven to [i]want[/i] to call the Lanterns.

As the young Green Lantern walked through the doors of the bar, an ion bolt buried itself into the wall about three feet to the left and two heads higher than he stood. The smell of residual gas coolant gave credence to the notion that such hadn't been the first shot fired, which would explain why someone would have been willing, if not eager, to call the Lanterns. In space, with the risk of the hull being compromised, [i]no one[/i] won a gun fight. 

Bertha was behind the bar, plugged into a voltage converted that had obviously made her onboard components drunk from the power surge. In one of her reedy, articulate limbs was a relic of the Trandoshan Civil War, a gas-powered ion bolt caster that was little more than a high-tech slug thrower. "You [i]whore[/i]," the robotic bar tender managed, loudly slurring her words as her servos were unable to precisely calibrate for motion. The rifle waved wildly toward a squat, dirty-looking robot. "I... I kill you and... and that automated hussy!"

"Perhaps we could begin by placing the weapon on the..."

"Bertha, my love! My binary blossom, it was nothing!" Marty's roughly synthesized voice interjected, as the squat box-like robot seemed to dance from side to side. "A thirty second upload in a parallel connection, I swear! She means nothing to me!" 

Turning toward the squat machine, Kai-ro looked sternly over at the waste robot and offered, "I do not believe such protests will be effect..."

"[i]Upload!?[/i]" Bertha echoed, drawing both Marty and Kai-ro's attention to the chemist-turned-barmaid at the distinctive sound of the caster bolt being drawn back. "[b]UPLOAD!?[/b]"

"Upload? No, I didn't upload in her..." Marty uttered weakly.

This was, in the boy's mind, exactly what a train wreck in slow motion must look like. "[i]Go se[/i]," the child swore under his breath, as a large green shield appeared between himself, Marty, and the bar as several ion bolts slammed into the willpower construct. This was [i]not[/i] what he'd envisioned when he'd been chosen as Green Lantern.

"I had reconstructive surgery for you!" Bertha barked, pausing her barrage as she gestured toward what were obviously a new set of oscillating processor tubes across the front of her torso.

"Yes'm, those are nice," Kai-ro quipped vapidly, not entirely certain that made sense, and less so just what he was saying, but it made sense to say something as he gestured with both hands for her to put the caster down. "We can talk about this rationally and without the need for viol..."

"[i]Bitch[/i], you best recognize that's [b]my man![/b]"

There were very few times that Kai-ro would have offered the opinion that discussion was a useless endeavor. As the automated food processor came wheeling into the bar, however, the Shaolin monk had to resign himself to the fact that [i]this[/i] was one of those times. 

"Oh, [i]hell no![/i]"

As Bertha roared and snapped up the rifle, the spry, young Green Lantern was already in motion. Quick as a snake, a sweep of the boy's leg had sent the Trandoshan rifle skidding across the bar top, as a series of green handcuffs snapped onto her reedy limbs. "Weapons discharge in an enclosed space environment is a class five misdemeanor," the youth asserted in a matter-of-fact tone. "I believe some time apart on Oa will help in alleviating this conflic..."

"[b][i]GET YUR HANDS OFF MY WIFE![/b][/i]"

As he turned, Kai-ro saw Marty lunging for him, as the food processor came wheeling after. "That's my man!"

Had he mentioned that he hadn't signed up for this?