Captain Agnes Mae Whitaker
¶ Overview
- Full Name: Agnes Mae Whitaker
- Species: Human
- Nationality: League
- Gender: Female
- Sex: Female
- Sexual Identity: Heterosexual
- Faction: League
Captain Agnes Mae Whitaker commands the LSS Agamemnon, a refit Archigos-class heavy destroyer, and is the cousin of Fleet Admiral Alastair McKenzie. Known throughout the fleet for her Southern charm and ruthless pragmatism, she wields her disarming personality like a precision instrument while maintaining clear moral lines she refuses to cross, particularly when it comes to protecting innocent lives.
¶ Physical Description
Whitaker is an attractive woman in her early thirties with shoulder-length blonde curls that frame her face in the picturesque way that made her a natural choice for Academy recruitment materials. Her bright blue eyes can shift from disarming warmth to ice-cold authority in an instant, while her fair skin shows a light tan from time spent on various worlds. She possesses a naturally curvy, well-endowed figure that she strategically uses to her advantage, knowing exactly how to present herself for maximum impact whether dealing with politicians, fellow officers, or her own crew.
¶ Personality
Agnes Mae is a master manipulator who switches effortlessly between disarming sweetness and ice-cold authority as circumstances demand. Her Southern accent and mannerisms are deliberately deployed as psychological weapons, disarming opponents who mistake charm for naivety. Beneath the folksy exterior lies a brilliant tactical mind and an unwavering commitment to protecting those under her command.
She leads through a combination of genuine charisma, strategic thinking, and an uncanny ability to read people's motivations. While ruthlessly pragmatic about mission objectives, she has moral boundaries she will not cross, especially regarding the protection of civilians and refugees. Her unconventional methods have earned both admirers and critics within the League Navy hierarchy.
Her relationship with her famous cousin [Fleet Admiral McKenzie][] shaped much of her early life, growing up in his shadow and being constantly compared to his achievements. This drove her to excellence while teaching her the importance of finding her own path rather than following someone else's expectations.
¶ Special Abilities
- Psychological Warfare: Expert at reading people and manipulating social situations to her advantage
- Strategic Command: Exceptional ability to coordinate complex operations under pressure
- Crisis Leadership: Remains calm and decisive in life-threatening situations
- Personnel Management: Skilled at building loyalty and getting the best from her crew
- Tactical Innovation: Able to devise unconventional solutions to seemingly impossible problems
- Political Navigation: Understands how to work within and around bureaucratic systems
¶ History
¶ Early Life and Family Shadow
Growing up as the cousin of Alastair McKenzie proved both a blessing and a curse for Agnes Mae. Her parents, particularly her father, constantly compared her to her overachieving older cousin, creating a decades-long rivalry that only one side knew existed. This pressure drove her to excel but also taught her the psychological costs of living in someone else's shadow.
When McKenzie entered the navy, Agnes Mae felt compelled to follow suit a year early. When he graduated with a 3.8 GPA, she pushed herself to achieve a perfect 4.0. The constant pressure to match and exceed his achievements shaped her competitive drive and perfectionist tendencies.
¶ Engineering Career and Redirection
Initially following her cousin's path, Agnes Mae trained as an engineer, excelling at the mathematics and theoretical knowledge required. However, her first commander recognized what she had not yet realized herself - while competent with technical systems, her true talents lay elsewhere. His blunt assessment that she was "the shittiest engineer he'd ever seen" and lacked "the spark" proved to be exactly the wake-up call she needed.
This painful but necessary revelation led Agnes Mae to discover her real strengths lay in "softer skills" - understanding people, building relationships, and leading through influence rather than technical expertise. Her mathematical background proved useful in unexpected ways, particularly in understanding chemistry, which would later play a crucial role in her methods.
¶ Command of the LSS Agamemnon
Agnes Mae took command of the LSS Agamemnon when most officers viewed assignment to an Archigos-class vessel as a career dead end. Instead, she embraced the challenge, turning her crew into one of the most effective units in the fleet. Under her leadership, the Agamemnon not only outperformed the original Archigos but proved superior in direct combat exercises.
Her approach to command emphasizes building genuine relationships with her crew while maintaining clear authority when needed. She has created an environment where talented but unconventional officers like Quinn Lafayette and Henrik Larsen can thrive, resulting in a ship that consistently exceeds expectations despite operating with older equipment.
¶ Command Philosophy
Agnes Mae believes in leading from the front and taking responsibility for the consequences of her actions. Her crew's fierce loyalty stems from her genuine care for their welfare and her willingness to take personal risks rather than sending others into danger she won't face herself.
She maintains that the most effective leadership comes from understanding people's motivations and working with their natural strengths rather than trying to force them into rigid molds. This philosophy has allowed her to build a crew of talented misfits and specialists who function as a cohesive unit despite their individual quirks.
¶ Major Associations
¶ Fleet Admiral Alastair McKenzie
- Relation: Cousin, Professional Rival
The defining relationship of Agnes Mae's early life, McKenzie represents both inspiration and the burden of constant comparison. While she has carved out her own successful career, the shadow of his achievements continues to influence her decisions and motivations.
¶ Quinn Renée Lafayette
- Relation: Half-Sibling, Chief Engineer
Agnes Mae shares a complicated relationship with Quinn built on shared trauma from their emotionally abusive father. Despite Quinn's irreverent attitude and tendency to push boundaries, Agnes Mae has absolute trust in their technical abilities and loyalty.
¶ Commander Henrik Bjørn Larsen
- Relation: Executive Officer, Trusted Advisor
Henrik serves as Agnes Mae's steady anchor, providing the methodical thinking and moral grounding that balances her more impulsive tendencies. She relies on his judgment completely and values his ability to challenge her decisions when necessary.