Personal History
Just who could possibly keep in check those scavengers—predators as ravenous and indiscriminate as vultures? This was the primary question the Security Bureau, and specifically its Cosmodrome Tactical unit, strove to answer. Yet, infiltrating scavenger organizations proved difficult; within these fluid, shifting collectives lay tightly knit subgroups, each loyal to a leader known only by a nickname. These subgroups used the larger scavenger crowds as cover, appearing in unexpected places and vanishing cunningly, taking only the most valuable cargo and parts—sometimes even entire vehicles. Consequently, the Security Bureau surmised that their ringleader was likely a highly educated individual of Earth origin.
Yulia was one such scavenger leader, known by the nickname "Postman." Yet, contrary to expectations, she was not from Earth; her formal education amounted to nothing more than primary schooling in the Republic. That this seemingly delicate, youthful girl rose to become the most respected scavenger leader was a testament to her genius-level intellect.
Despite lacking a scholarly air, Yulia possessed an extraordinary capacity for learning. Piecing together fragments of information scavenged from various sources, she devised ingenious, practical methods to dismantle and reassemble components, all while discerning the true value of the items she handled. Her weapon of choice—the RPG-7—was a tool demanding expert skill; while most users merely sent its rockets careening wildly like fireworks, Yulia could fire with pinpoint accuracy. She was also uniquely capable of mastering complex hardware like the AGS-17 grenade launcher. Surrounded by simple-minded, shortsighted individuals, Yulia inevitably felt a sense of intellectual superiority.
Her nickname, "Postman," hinted—albeit imperfectly—at her background. She had once been a postal worker, though not a courier who delivered letters on foot. During the Space Race era, the United Territories had launched ambitious agricultural and industrial projects, including an attempt to establish a postal network spanning the known continents of Nox. While remnants of this system persisted only in United Territories settlements and select major cities of the Republic—staffed predominantly by Earth-born personnel—Yulia, like many Nox natives, had once served within that organization. As early as her third year of primary school, Yulia’s teacher had already declared her the most outstanding student they had ever taught. Yet, after completing primary school, she found no openings available at either the Knights' boarding schools or the secondary schools run by the Administration’s Department of Education—all the spots had been pre-emptively claimed by various individuals deemed "qualified." Given her educational background, the most respectable job she could secure was that of a postal clerk in the United Territories.
At the post office, she handled countless letters and postcards. Through the imagery on stamps and cards, she gained glimpses of Earth’s towering mountains and mighty rivers, icy plains and deep canyons, exotic wildlife, and—of course—massive ships, dams, and skyscrapers. Yulia’s innate brilliance shone through: a single glance was often enough for her to deduce the function and operating principles of the complex machinery depicted on the stamps.
The job also gave her ample opportunity to read books and magazines. Beyond the knowledge she gained, these materials revealed that the Union was on its last legs; inevitable downsizing at the post office meant her own livelihood was precarious. Yet, Yulia never anticipated that her career would come to an end before the post office itself did.
During the chaotic period following the collapse, a gang of drifters led by a woman named Pola stormed the post office, intent on robbery. Finding little cash or anything of value left on the premises, Pola seized Yulia as a hostage to demand a ransom from the United Territories—mistaking her for an Earthling because of the uniform cap she wore.
After discovering Yulia’s true identity, Pola attempted to play the part of a mob boss, trying to force her captive to swear allegiance to her as "Godmother" and become a devoted henchman. However, a series of events ensued—events Pola could never quite articulate clearly, and which Yulia disdained to mention—that resulted in a complete reversal of roles: Pola, despite possessing only brute strength, ended up becoming the "Goddaughter," while Yulia transformed from a captive into the gang's leader. Yulia knew full well that brazen, armed robbery or kidnapping would invite the Security Bureau to make an example of the perpetrator; that was why she pioneered the trade of scavenging at landing zones—or, at the very least, was one of its earliest practitioners.
As the United Territories retrenched and the Republic faced turmoil, an influx of unskilled opportunists quickly turned the "blue ocean" market into a cutthroat "red ocean." While scavengers swarmed in droves, Yulia’s standing actually rose. Reckless, starving hotheads would rush headlong into the guns of the Cosmodrome Tactical Unit the moment they spotted the parachutes of landing pods. Yulia, however, was far more prudent; she targeted only those pods that had crashed far off-course—beyond the Cosmodrome Tactical Unit's immediate reach—and ensured that key, high-value cargo could not be fenced without passing through her hands.
How did Yulia, a woman who held herself in high regard, view her current lot in life? She maintained her old habit of stamp collecting and painted her vehicles in colors reminiscent of Union spacecraft—a gesture of nostalgia, in a sense. She might well have preferred the life of a post office clerk—that era of quiet routine yet abundant opportunities for learning—over her current existence, where she commanded a crowd from the mud. Yet, she was keenly aware that such times were gone for good; the Aerospace of today no longer bore the weight of lofty ideals, which was precisely why she could, without a second thought, strip unguarded landing pods of every last scrap of value.