Craig Randall

Sergeant First Class Craig Randall, SM (COG tags CSID 24A134-5BC54-LD), sometimes known as Shorty or Little Sarge by his squad, was a Gear who fought in the end of the Pendulum Wars and in the Locust War. He was transferred to the 26th RTI shortly after E-Day, and put in command of his own squad, Yankee-Two, just following the Hammer of Dawn Counterattack.

Early Life
Craig was born into a family of upper-class Ephyrans. He attended a private school, and lived a relatively normal childhood for an individual of his background. In his later school years, he gained a girlfriend, Ellen Huron. They remained together through their graduation, and maintained a long distance relationship when Craig joined the COG Army, as was standard for firstborn Tyran males during the Pendulum Wars.

Pendulum Wars
Craig served with the 26th Royal Tyran Infantry Battalion in the Ostri Republic during the final days of the Pendulum Wars, taking part in some of the most brutal battles of the entire conflict. During this brief period, Craig ascended to the rank of Corporal.

Emergence Day
Six weeks after armistice was declared, Craig was to arrive back home in Tyrus aboard a Merchant Navy vessel, and his family and friends gathered in Porta Ogari to welcome him home.

However, as Craig and his fellow Gears were unloading from the boat and reuniting with their families, an enormous spider-like monster opened up what seemed to be a sinkhole, from which hideous, well-armed bipedal creatures began to emerge. These strange creatures immediately opened fire, indiscriminately murdering Gears and innocent civilians alike. Confusion quickly erupted, and Craig grabbed a Lancer and began to fight back against the unknown attackers. Meanwhile, his loved ones, like other nearby civilians, were grabbed by navy sailors and pulled onto the boat, which attempted to leave the pier so that the creatures could not reach them. But as it departed from shore, the monsters boarded the ship, quickly taking control of its weapons. The beasts began to open fire on other COG vessels, which, rather than allowing the Gears and sailors aboard to regain control of the ship's guns from the enemy, simply fired several salvos at it, destroying it and killing most of those aboard. Out of those whom Craig knew, his younger sister Madison was the only person to survive the destruction of the boat, having been dragged to shore by a brave Gear whom was shot and killed almost immediately upon making back to dry land.

Craig and his sister Madison eventually made it safely out of Porta Ogari on a King Raven. Madison would be mute for almost six months following this, and Craig would be left incredibly distraught by the sudden and wholly unexpected loss.

Trivia

 * Unlike most experienced Gears, Craig favors the combat helmet.
 * Craig has a large scar from being slashed across the face with a combat knife by an Ostrini soldier during an ambush in 1 B.E.