User:LadyLameness/Nedd

{/{character |titles=Callsign: Nedder |siblings=Vent, Nightstorm Seven |world=Detritus |books=Skyward }}{/{spoilers|book=Skyward}}

Nedd Strong (callsign Nedder) is a cadet in DDF flight school and pilot number two in Skyward Flight. He is one of Jorgen's two assistant flightleaders, along with Arturo. He is familiar with military protocol, likely due to his two older brothers who are both pilots in the DDF, and his upbring on the surface. He grew up in Alta Base, however, went to school in the lower caverns, where he became good friends with Jorgen and Arturo.

Appearance and Personality

Nedd is the tallest member of Skyward Flight,, standing at 193 centimeters tall,. He is heavily built, but has not fully grown into his features yet, with is face appearing too large for his head. He has a faint accent that is normally associated with those from the lower caverns, however he is from Alta Base, and only attended school down below. He is good natured,^{[citation needed]} easy going,^{[citation needed]} and friendly, easily befriending many of his fellow flightmates during the early days of flight school.

He is quick to joke with others in a friendly manner, and has no issue with making himself the butt of the joke. This is overdone, likely on purpose, by Nedd, who is actually a very thoughtful and perceptive person. He is good at characterizing people and anticipating how to meet their needs, even if it is not something they are aware of themselves. He will often use himself as a target if he notices that someone is stressed and needing to blow off steam. He is good at utilizing those around him to purposefully help each other.

He is conscious of healthy eating habits and routinely skips dessert during meals to maintain a better physique.

History

Nedd grew up on Alta Base, where his parents keep the orchards. It is unknown where Nedd originally hails from, or where he and his family lived before Alta Base was solidified as a stronghold following the Battle of Alta. At some point during his upbringing, his parents began to send Nedd to the deep caverns where he attended school, however, it is unclear whether he lived in these caverns for the duration of the school year or commuted each day via the private elevators. During his schooling he met and befriended Arturo and Jorgen and by the time they join flight school, the three are close friends. After taking the entrance exam, Nedd was placed in Skyward Flight under the tutorledge of Cobb. During his time at flight school, he roomed with the other male members of his flight.

His first day of flight school saw him arriving at the class room with his two friends, Jorgen and Arturo. When Jorgen chided the other members of Skyward Flight for not being organized and ordered them to attention, Nedd naturally obeyed the command. After Cobb named Jorgen flightleader, Jorgen named Nedd as one of his two assistant flightleaders.

When the first lesson was interrupted by a Krell attack, Nedd, along with the rest of Skyward Flight, were ordered to take to the sky and line up close to the battle to deceive the Krell into thinking there were more pilots ready to join the conflict. When a Krell ship broke away heading towards the cadets and Alta Base, Nedd joined Jorgen as his wingmate to try and ward it off. The pair engaged the Krell ship using dogfighting techniques, however, Nedd pulled too far away from Jorgen allowing the Krell to tail the other pilot, leading to him falling behind the other two ships.

The next day, when Cobb asked the cadets to report back to him on his teaching method and style, he was surprised, not expecting Cobb to care about their feelings on the matter. In answer to Cobb's question, he reported he was confused then made a joke about lunch. Later, the cadets began testing out the weapons functions on their mockpits. Like his fellow classmates, barring Kimmalyn, Nedd performed poorly when first attmpting to hit the targets, not managing to land a single shot. When the class attempted dogfighting following the target practice exercise, Nedd was shot down not long after the simulation began.

During the light-lancing ring game, Nedd intentionally crashed on the third ring of the second run. As a joke, he pulled Arturo into the debris in front of the ring by using his light-lance, causing them both to crash. After Spensa deliberately collided with Jorgen, Nedd, along with Arturo, attempted to calm his flightleader down, joking that Jorgen had still beaten Arturo - a comment Arturo did not appreciate. As form of vicious retribution, Jorgen told Nedd and Arturo about Spensa's father while the rest of the room listened.

A few days later, Skyward Flight was once again sent into battle against the Krell, this time fighting alongside full pilots. Shortly after Morningtide was shot down, Nedd paired off with Arturo, who had initially been Jorgen's wingmate, to prevent the Krell from being able to focus on either of them. Nedd survived the battle, however, both Bim and Morningtide were killed.

Attributes and Abilities

Despite his propensity to act otherwise, Nedd is highly knowledgeable about piloting and starfighters, as he would have been required to pass the entrance exam to attend flight school.

During flight school Nedd trains to pilot a Poco, perform aerial maneuvers, and use its weaponry. He has some prior practical experience in flying and dogfighting from before flight school, however, it was not extensive - he is unused to flying with a wingmate and not practiced with using his destructors. When he first began in Skyward Flight, he flew well enough when facing a single Krell, but was shot down fairly quickly when pitted against multiple enemies during a battle simulation. However, he lacks the theoretical understanding of starfighters and flying that is known by those in the flight who either took the entrance exam or have previously studied piloting. As well as this, his previous practical experience

Relationships

Jorgen and Arturo - Friends prior to flight school. He found Spensa's suggestion for Jorgen's callsign being Jerkface amusing, and later teased him about how the Flight had decided on a callsign for him. Nedd and Arturo bicker with each other. Following the revelation that Spensa's father was Zeen Nightshade, Nedd began acting more cautious around Spensa, although it is unclear if this was because of her parentage or her temper.

Jorgen and Arturo

Nedd met Arturo and Jorgen at some point while the three of them were schooled in the deep caverns, prior to flight school. By the time they all are accepted into Cobb's class, the three are good friends, with Nedd and Arturo being mistaken as Jorgen's henchmen.

Nedd has a fun natured and bickering type of relationship with Arturo. The two often throw insults at each other.

Nedd's relationship with Jorgen is more one sided in it's playfullness and Nedd often pokes fun at Jorgen, likely to allow the other boy to let off some steam.

quotes

"And what do you do when there's an emergency? In a fighter? You…" "Call you," Nedd said. "And say, ‘Hey Arturo. Where’s the scudding eject lever?’ " Chapter 13

“ "What about those of us who are still drooling, meathead idiots?" Nedd asked. "But did train with you?"

"Don't sell yourself short, Nedder," Cobb said. "I’ve never seen you drool.

”

— Skyward - Chapter 14

Notes

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