Constance Mandrake WIP

[Clare]

Constance Frances Marie Mandrake

Age:	37
Gender:	Female
Primary Occupation:	Journalist
Secondary Occupation (optional):	Passenger
Equipment:	Fourth Estate Pen ("badge" of profession) Data book Camera; high definition video & still in a very compact package Concealed Camera Concealed recording equipment with both local and remote recording capability; the latter allows her to stream her recording directly to a remote site so that if something goes wrong, like the equipment on her is detected and destroyed, the information is not lost. Extensive wardrobe; this girl doesn't travel light.
Appearance:	Height: 5'2" (157 cm) Weight: 98 lbs (44 Kg) Figure: 34 - 21 - 33 Very attractive and striking, despite her lack of height. Always elegantly dressed in public; seeing her outside her cabin in anything other than full regalia (including makeup) will be a sure sign that the situation is very serious. Even when 'dressed down' her clothing is tailored. Constance is very fussy and very proud of her appearance. She eats with great restraint so as to keep her figure which is the envy of women fifteen years her junior. Being practical, when on the job she will tend to favour tailored blouses and slacks. She abhors suits on woman and will never be seen wearing one.
Faceclaim:	Veronica Lake http://fs.adriftintheblack.net/home/Veronica_Lake_002.jpg
Initial Personality:	You know when Constance is in a room; she is striking and engaging, both visually and vocally. While not loud, it is likely that she will be speaking, her conversation lively and sparkling, her wit and intelligence much in evidence. She doesn't control or dominate the conversation, allowing others to speak and shows genuine interest in what they have to say. While she will make sure that she gets her point across she won't unnaturally force a conversation back to where she wants it to be if it has moved on. In debate she will suddenly switch sides, both to cause confusion but also to stimulate further thought and debate among those she is talking with.
Underlying Personality:	Those who spend a bit of time with Constance will soon learn that she is tough and independent. She knows what she wants and how to get it, demonstrating drive and aggression. When she has a goal, she lets nothing get in her way as many have learned to their cost. It has cost Constance too, particularly in terms of broken friendships and a broken marriage. She is by turns acerbic and beguiling depending on the requirements of the situation.
Known History:	2482-03-17: Constance Ockleman born Persephone 2507: Graduates with a Master of Journalism 2509-08-11: Constance Ockleman and Cooper Mandrake Married 2511: Separated from Cooper 2511-2519: Working for a major daily as an investigative journalist 2519: Arrives in .... Looking for Cooper
Other History:	Constance has been changing, perhaps as a consequence of the ticking of the biological clock but also because of the trouble she is now in. The following have always been there, buried deep down but they are starting to tickle the interface between her subconscious and conscious minds. Wants her children to be fathered by Mandrake but she hasn't worked this out yet or at least has not admitted it to herself. She desperately needs him on an emotional level though she does not admit this, especially to herself and certainly not to Mandrake. Craves Mandrake's protection and wants him to hold her and make her believe he can make the problems go away.
Skills and Strengths:	Ability to cut through lies and half-truths to get to the real story; has been used exclusively in a journalistic capacity to date but could equally be applied to police work. Goes into an interview well researched, both from her own work and from her juniors. Good at assessing people, in a professional capacity, usually able to work out quickly how to get what she wants from them. Very good at witty repartee Very good at reasoned argument and at playing devil's advocate; will switch sides suddenly just to provoke more thought on the subject by those she is discussing a subject with. Specialises in in-depth journalism; her stories are well researched, generally balanced and thorough. The down side is that this tends to cause some conflict with her employers who prefer shorter, snappier pieces that don't cost so much and which enhance the ratings. As a consequence she tends to do quite a lot of free-lance work, selling either the finished package or when she has enough information to make a good case. Fortunately she has some independent means which allow her do this.
Weaknesses:	Cooper Mandrake; although they fight a lot he got under her skin early on and has remained there; it is hard to live with him, harder to live without Always out for The Scoop and uses and abuses friendships to get to the story; has lost friends and made enemies as a consequence. Has exposed several significant criminal organisations and government conspiracies without regard for the potential consequences particularly for herself but also for those who assist her. Her current situation is that she has exposed a major criminal organisation with far-reaching tendrils. While nothing like all of the facts have made it into the public arena, the organisation is sufficiently annoyed that the continued existence of Constance Ockleman is not something they are prepared to tolerate. Has a tendency to do field work, interviews and research without regard for her personal safety; it could be said that she is very lucky to still be alive Fiery temper. Poor at judging people on a social level; she is very good at banter but frequently upsets, offends and alienates people who might otherwise be friends