Franco DeSura

"I've had enough of giant fucking dinosaurs for one day"

- Franco referring to his second encounter in a row with a Brumak

Corporal Franco DeSura was a Gear soldier in the Coalition of Ordered Governments who served during the Pendulum Wars, Locust War and Lambent Pandemic. Before the Pendulum Wars, DeSura was born and raised in Ephyra where he was a bully at school. At age 17, DeSura joined the COG Army and fought during the Pendulum Wars all the way to Lambent Pandemic, where he was fortunate enough to live to see the end.

Early Life
Franco DeSura was born in Ephyra in 19 B.E. As a child, he loved to hear about stories of the Pendulum Wars, his parents both being Gears serving on the front lines against the UIR. Because of this, DeSura was placed under the care of his neglecting Uncle. Because of this, DeSura became a bully at school. One of his favorite targets in particular was fellow student Richard Chaplan whom he tormented endlessly. DeSura eventually learned that Chaplan had joined the COG, and DeSura jokingly remarked that he'd probably get killed on his first day. At age 17, DeSura decided that he would join the COG army and fight the UIR in the Pendulum Wars.

Pendulum Wars
After completing Boot Camp, DeSura was immediately sent to the front lines where he was shocked to learn he was under the command of the now Major Chaplan, the same boy whom he'd once bullied in school. DeSura initially resented having to serve under his former "punching bag", DeSura quickly began to learn to respect Chaplan for his leadership abilities and soon became a loyal soldier under his command. Towards the end of the Pendulum Wars, DeSura was informed by Chaplan of his parents in the 26th Royal Tyran infantry having been killed by a UIR ambush while on Irohma Island.

DeSura was stricken by the loss of his parents, but at the same time couldn't truly feel the full extend of his loss due to having never known them very well. Sometime later, DeSura was deployed to Asphio Fields where he witnessed the COG Victory which won them the Pendulum Wars. The entire COG army was granted Leave for their outstanding performance.

Emergence Day
DeSura returned to his station in Montevado up until 6 weeks later when the city came under attack from an unknown enemy from underground. What little COG forces where stationed there, along with DeSura, where forced to retreat due to the overwhelming number of Locust that slaughtered the population. DeSura was deployed in numerous (and often failed) attempts to thwart the Locust advanced before being relocated to Jacinto City due to the Hammer of Dawn Counterattack. From there, DeSura was stationed to guard Jacinto City and thus did not participate in the Lightmass Offensive.

Operation: Hollow Storm
Several months later, DeSura was deployed for Operation Hollow Storm where he was promoted to Corporal. Once he was deployed into the Hollow, DeSura was astonished that the Inner Hollow existed beneath them all this time without them knowing. DeSura and his squad where pinned down by a Brumak after they captured a Locust Checkpoint. DeSura devised a plan to lure the Brumak towards a cliff edge and sending it plummeting to it's death by destroying the cliff with barrels of imulsion found in the Locust Checkpoint.

DeSura and 2 of his other squad mates drew the Brumak's fire while the squad leader Sgt. James Ericson prepared the Imulsion charges. The charges where set, however the Brumak fired a salvo of missiles at a large stone column near the Checkpoint which collapsed on the creature, sending it stumbling back and crushing one of the charges before Ericson could escape. The charges exploded and destroyed the cliff edge, causing both Ericson and the Brumak to fall to their deaths. With Ericson's death, DeSura was next in the chain of command. Sometime later, DeSura's squad received the beacon to assault the Locust Capitol of Nexus. DeSura and his squad managed to reach Nexus and joined the fight with the other Gears there.

Sinking of Jacinto
DeSura and the remainder of his team eventually received orders to return to Jacinto City and where evaced via King Raven KR-Five Six. However upon arriving to the city, KR-Five Six was shot down by Brumaks resulting in the deaths of the remainder of his squad. DeSura remarked how he had enough of "Giant f*** dinosaurs" for one day and was forced to retreat by jumping into an open manhole caused by the Raven crash. DeSura navigated through the sewers until the next manhole which he climbed out of after fighting his way though a pack of Wretches and Tickers. Later he linked up with Gamma Squad lead by Sgt. Pete Ramierez as they where on their way to defend CIC. Ramierez was incapacitated by 3 Hammerburst bullets to the chest.

DeSura managed to get Ramierez into cover and stabilize his wounds while the rest of the squad killed off the Locust attackers. DeSura brought Ramierez into CIC where he was taken away by a medical team. DeSura got the feeling that Ramierez probably wont see the end of this battle due to his critical state and Jacinto's already strained hospitals. DeSura and the rest of Ramirez's squad where later ordered to defend the lifeboats as part of the evacuation effort for Jacinto which the COG planned to sink and destroy the Locust once and for all.

As Jacinto began to sink, DeSura and the rest of his squad managed to catch a ride on a King Raven after the lifeboat they where defending was broken loose by the violent shaking of the sinking city. As DeSura watched Jacinto sink from the King Raven, he wondered where they'd go now that their only refuge is gone. DeSura eventually arrived at Port Farral with the remainder of the COG until it's abandonment due to Locust stragglers and Stranded.

Rebuilding on Vectes and Lambent Pandemic
DeSura and the other Gears arrived on Vectes where humanity planned to start anew. For a time, DeSura began to get a sense of peace believing that the Locust where finally gone. During this time, DeSura began to think about his hometown of Ephyra, wondering what it looks like after all these years of war.

DeSura's attempts to find peace where broken with the arrival of an even deadlier enemy: The Lambent. DeSura remarked that after seeing Lambent Drones, his skin crawled at the thought of a Lambent Human. The onslaught of the Lambent coupled with the disappearance of Chairman Prescott eventually caused the COG to fall apart and abandon Vectes. DeSura left aboard the CNV Sovereign with Marcus Fenix as well as Delta Squad.

While on board the Sovereign, DeSura was known to get Seasick often, Dominic Santiago joked how he spent most of his time in the bathroom puking than anything else. During his spare time, DeSura would often sketch things like a Lancer or Locust Drone, showing some artistic talent. Some time after abandoning Vectes, the Sovereign came under attack by a Lambent Leviathan which nearly destroyed the ship. When it attacked, DeSura was above deck leaned over the railing. The sudden attack caused DeSura to fall off of the ship and into the sea, however he survived by swimming to shore where he encountered a lone locust wandering the area.

Deciding that he would sneak up on the grub and kill him, DeSura drew his combat knife and attempted to ambush the grub but was repelled when the Locust smashed the butt of his Hinge Shotgun in his face, cracking one of the eyepieces of his helmet. DeSura quickly recovered and lunged at the Locust and stabbed him in the neck with his combat knife, however this failed to slow the raging Locust down who delivered a punch that knocked the wind out of Desura. Desura fell to one knee as the Locust charged him. DeSura lunged forward and tackled the Locust at the knees and began to repeatedly punch the Locust in the face.

Unknown to DeSura, this was a Savage grenadier who had gained a bloody reputation amongst the Stranded, who have dubbed him things like "The Drifter" and "Rampage". Rampage knocked DeSura off of him with a headbutt that sent DeSura sprawling. Woefully outmatched, DeSura hid in a bush after kicking sand in Rampage's face. Once the coast was clear, DeSura saw lifeboats from the destroyed Sovereign come to shore. DeSura went to assist but warned the survivors of Rampage, calling him a tough son of a bitch.

Several days later, DeSura took part in the Second battle of Asura where he held off the remainder of the Locust Horde and the Lambent until Adam Fenix activated his Imulsion Countermeasure weapon which caused the mass extinction of all Locust and Lambent. DeSura then joined his fellow Gears in rejoicing the end of the war. DeSura was last seen among Delta Squad looking off into the ocean sunset, wondering what would happen now.

Personality and Traits
As a child, DeSura was raised by a neglective uncle which resulted in him becoming a bully at his school. After joining the COG and serving under one of the students he once bullied, DeSura became a loyal and proficient soldier. DeSura also displayed a very artistic side, and would often sketch things like weapons or Locust in his spare time. DeSura also has a notable affection for his home town of Ephyra, and often thinks about it and how it looks like after years of brutal warfare against the Locust. DeSura has been hardened against the horrors of war from years of experience during the Pendulum Wars, Locust War, and Lambent Pandemic, however he takes the loss of every soldier to heart. DeSura also described the Lambent as "creepy" and the thought of Lambent Humans made his skin crawl.