[b]Character's Name:[/b] Rayburn “Ray” Roberts Jr.
[b]Character's Age:[/b] 37
[b]Universe your character is from:[/b] Universal Century 0096
[b]Genetic Type:[/b] [s]Abnormal survivor[/s] Natural
[b]Appearance:[/b]
http://i.imgur.com/R1QRiEH.jpg

Six feet tall and around 215 pounds of rugged career soldier in the Universal Century conflicts, Ray makes damn sure to stay in tremendous shape and has found it quite beneficial to his survival. Despite his tenure, or maybe precisely because of it, he has a very casual attitude towards dress and can often be seen donning bomber jackets and shades over his fatigues. He is, however, also practically always armed in some way and his personal pilot suit has been reinforced and uparmored to help increase his chances of survival should things go south as they often do.

[b]Character's mobile suits:[/b]
1st mobile suit: MSZ-006N Zeta Plus F
[hider=MSZ-006F Zeta Plus F]
First deployed in Universal Century 0087, the venerable Zeta Plus series served the Earth Federation as their first and only production line of transformable mobile suits for close to a decade before being mostly replaced with the cheaper and simpler ReZEL by 0096. In the three years between Char Aznable’s attack and the adoption of these new machines, however, the Londo Bell task force requests an upgrade and maintenance plan for their existing Zeta Plus units, many of which are piloted by veterans who used them to great effect against Titans remnants and in two Neo Zeon wars. The result is the Zeta Plus F.

Based primarily on the Zeta Plus C4 frame, it also incorporates elements of the A1B, B, C1 and D variants along with parts from the ReZEL’s development to strengthen the near decade old frame and improve upon it. Superior to its eventual replacement, the Zeta Plus F is an excellent unit in all manner of aerial and space combat and shows the typical speed and agility of high quality transformable mobile suits. Capable of atmospheric re-entry under its own power and acting like a replacement for a Base Jabber for allies, it also mounts a fairly extensive arsenal compared to its relatively under armed older brothers.

Appearance-wise, think the Zeta Plus C4 without the large tail on its back, instead it mounts a piece that extends into its waverider form’s nosecone much like the Re-GZ Custom or the ReZEL. The unit sports a greater number of thrusters and verniers in its frame and its backpack thrusters are somewhat larger and mount a pair of beam guns on top that fire over the MS’ shoulders. As the shield no longer needs to function as a nosecone, it doesn’t resemble the longer, thinner types used by the Zeta family. Ray’s unit has similar colors to the Re-GZ, mostly grey with a primarily blue torso and blue highlights.

[u]Weapons (for the sake of detail, all beams are blueish much like those of a Delta Plus)[/u]
-Head vulcans: Near mandatory Gundam weapon, you know how these work.

Mega particle gun x2: Similar to the Zeta Plus B’s hip beam cannons except somewhat smaller and more streamlined, these reactor-powered weapons are mounted on flexible joints on top of the MS’ back thrusters and possess an excellent tracking arc. Like the Byarlant Custom’s built in guns, their settings can be adjusted into a rapid fire mode that gives up penetration power for sheer shot count. The guns can fold back so as to not be obstructive and also serve as recharge racks for beam sabers.

Beam sabers x4: Another near-mandatory Gundam weapon, you know how these work. The hilts are the plain rectangular type with no flaring for the emitter, if that makes any difference. A pair are mounted on recharge racks on the hip armor and another on the back-mounted mega particle guns.

Two barrel grenade launcher x2: Forearm-mounted, same type of self propelled explosives used by the Re-GZ and ReZEL. They can be launched directly from the rack or removed and used by hand, made to explode on contact or after a preset time. Not too damaging against heavy armor, but a practical weapon because of its multiple uses. The launchers aim backwards in waverider mode and so provide some rear defense.

Missile pods x2: A pair of 9-tube micro missile pods integrated to the mobile suit’s leg frame to reduce any impairment to the waverider’s performance, partially based off the D-50C Loto's own launchers. Individually not particularly powerful but there’s strength in numbers and in carrying a good variety of weapons.

Gatling shield x1: Based on the Zeta Plus A1B’s nosecone/shield, the Zeta Plus F’s shield hides a triple barrel gatling gun akin to the ones mounted on the Gundam Alex’s forearms. Once again not the most powerful weapon, but the rapid fire and good enough ammo numbers on a compact format make it a practical addition in a dogfight. The shield is similar in design to the Jegan’s, being wider and more practical as defense than the long and thin type typically employed by the Zeta Plus. It is mounted on the underside of the machine in waverider mode, essentially turning it into a gunpod.

Beam rifle x1: The same type used by ReZELs, somewhat longer than average and still focused on single shots while most MS of the time such as the Jegan begin fielding rapid fire types. Powered by a rechargeable E-pac, the tip of the rifle can also emit a beam blade to act as a melee weapon should the situation call for it.

[u]Special Equipment & Features[/u]

-Utility launchers: By the time of the Gryps Conflict most mobile suits have sealant launchers built into the fingers of their manipulators, which spray a sticky substance that can be used to temporarily mend ruptures in spacecraft exteriors, as well as utility devices like signal flares, dummy dispensers, and fire extinguishers.

-Fine-tuning and combat data: One does not pilot essentially the same machine for close to a decade, through two major conflicts and regular skirmishes, without fine-tuning it to one’s own preferences. Furthermore, Ray has gathered vast amounts of combat data on a variety of machines and combat situations, ranging back to his days as a fighter pilot in the One Year War. What this means is that this Zeta Plus F has information to go by on all manner of situations and operates particularly well under Ray’s command, increasing its reaction times and the ease with which it can pull off more complex maneuvers.

[/hider]

Upgrade: Zeta Plus F2 (essentially the same unit updated via a Back Weapon System, as the Zeta Plus R was the first unit the BWS concept was tested on)

[b]Link to gundam site your getting your information from:[/b] Gundamwiki

[b]Biography:[/b]
A pilot since the One Year War, Ray was the son of an Earth Federation Air Force officer and got his start on conventional fighter craft before moving on to mobile suits. Good but not great at first, through sheer luck he survived not only the hellish conflict but nearly every war worth mentioning since the Principality of Zeon fell. He was there for the Delaz Fleet, he defected to the AEUG after being imprisoned by the Titans, he helped put down New Desides-inspired Titans movements and the first Neo Zeon rising before accepting a new job with the Federation as part of Londo Bell and fighting Char’s Neo Zeon.

Time, and the luck to avoid serious injury the increasingly few times he was shot down, have turned him into a hardened veteran particularly dangerous at the helm of a Zeta Plus. One of the few pilots assigned one of the 20 odd machines when they were first deployed thanks to his fighter pilot credentials, Ray was ecstatic at the prospect of a mobile suit that would allow him to indulge in his love for flying and has piloted nothing else ever since. Over the years he became one of the most vocal supporters for mass produced transformable MS, and even volunteered to help work on the Re-GZ and eventually the ReZEL.

At 37, however, Ray is ready to call it a career. Almost. Kind of. More an instructor than an active combat pilot, and treated well by the Federation thanks to his long tenure and his work on the Zeta Plus, Rayburn has had time to think about his life and future and finds that mobile suits are all he knows. He can’t keep going forever, but what would he do after retirement? The question, he decided, would be answered after surviving one last tour of duty against yet another Neo Zeon movement, these “Sleeves”. But during his first deployment, a mysterious signal caught his attention...