Personal History
Personal History
There are no great traumatic events in James Gumshoes childhood. One could say it was even idyllic, except for his epilepsy. Nothing quite ruins a childhood like sudden seizures. However, with attentive parents and friends James’s childhood epilepsy was rarely a serious problem, the worst damage being a broken leg after falling out of a tree. He got into scrapes as boy, many marvelous adventures (some illegal) next to his long-time best friend Juke Wurlitzer, and some scary experiences with an ill-timed epileptic attack also shared with Juke. His parents were very much in love with each other and treated all three of their children with love and care. James was the oldest, with his two younger siblings, Sam and Margret being that annoying sort of adorable all big brothers thinks of there annoying younger siblings as being. But he was very close to them, and they adored him, making his family very close knit, fun, and supportive. Even though James was the oldest, because of his epilepsy he tended to get the most attention from both his parents and his siblings. It was very clear to his siblings that James need someone to make sure he didn’t trigger an epileptic attack, so there was no resentment towards him or their parents. Even as a kid, James never took his epilepsy seriously, even though it was very serious and did give him some brain damage. With medical technology being what it is, this was hardly serious and barely affected him as he was growing up.
After graduating high school at the normal age of eighteen, James went on to attend college and study medicine. He started down this hard but fulfilling life path hoping to help his best friend, Juke, who had a dangerous heart defect, and possibly help himself as he still suffered from epileptic attacks, sometimes with no apparent trigger. For two years he threw himself into his studies, but still managed to stay close with Juke, who went into robotics, and have some form of social life.
But no one’s life can ever stay free of tragedy. In mid-March of his third year in college James Parents were victims of a tragic accident, leaving James, who had just turned twenty-one sole caretaker and provider for his two younger siblings, Sam who was eighteen and Margret who was thirteen.
The police report states that Mr. and Mrs. Matthew Gumshoe died because the hydraulic system of their car had failed due to normal wear and tear, causing it to fail and crash to the ground. But James knew his father would never of let his precious car get into such a dangerous and disastrous condition, much less drive it on a long trip without a cursory check beforehand, which would of shown such wear and tear.
Driven near the point of total obsession James looked into the accident and discovered evidence of tampering, but not who was responsible. Despite the evidence James had found, it was not enough, he had not known enough to gather the evidence without contaminating it, and the case was written off and closed as a simple accident.
Fueled by this injustice James changed his career path, instead entering the local police force. Juke and James’s siblings quietly supported James during this time; bring him out of his obsessive funk, helping him recover his old spirit, and always there to help if he forgot himself and gave himself an epileptic attack due to forgetting his medicine, not sleeping for days or missing meals. In five years, the standard for the North American Police force, James made detective, which was celebrated with a HUGE party that no one can really remember, only that the clean up was spectacular and no one knows why there was a llama, two dozen chickens and a giant stuffed Dinosaurs in the backyard. No one claimed them either, so James ended up raising a llama and two dozen chickens. The dinosaur was donated to a local museum.
The next seven years passed without major incident, with the accruement of many political favors and a side note of studying forensic medicine in his spare time. When not working, studying or gathering political favors however, James quietly reviewed his parent’s case when he had free time, or when Juke, Sam and Margret weren’t there to make him stop.
It was during his time working as detective that James learned more about his epilepsy. This information he has kept secret from everyone, from friends to employers, because all an employer need to know is that you are epileptic, and all a friend needs to know is that you’re sick and need their support. James genetic structure causes a chemical imbalance under certain circumstances, like not eating correctly, missing sleep, extreme stress, pain, extreme euphoria, etc. which triggers seizures. It is highly unique, and James is one of only ten other known cases in humans. Epileptic medicine controls the seizures, especially the ones triggered by stress, pain, euphoria, and other causes. However the chemical imbalance caused by not eating correctly, and missing sleep is so extreme that even if he is taking his medication he can still have a seizure. Since James sees an aura before every seizure, he is able to control his environment to an extent. Typically this would prevent him from working, but with his family, friends and work mates making sure he slept, ate and took his medication, his seizures were under control. A hefty donation and a doctor’s note also assured he was able to work. Hey, it’s already been established that earth was far from perfect, and James is no stranger to the darker side of how the world works, especially with revenge a quietly simmering pot in the back of his mind.
You can’t really live on the idea of revenge however, and finally something happened which managed to push the idea of revenge and his parents case back to the far reaches of his brain. Twelve years after Joining the force, seven years after becoming detective and shortly after he turned thirty-three James was called as lead detective to a truly brutal crime scene. The victim was a fourteen year old boy, Jordan Smythe, strangled and stabbed. His mother, Mary Anne Smythe, had called it in, and had also reported that her youngest, a five-year-old Thomas Smythe was missing. James found little Thomas at the crime scene, huddled deep in the closet of the room his brother was murdered in. His heart quietly breaking James comforted the small boy, and Thomas by extension became nearly inseparable from the larger detectives side, even hiding from his mother.
Tragically as the case was investigated it became frighteningly clear that the murderer was none other than Mary Anne Smythe. The woman had suffered a psychotic break and murdered her oldest boy in front of the closet where Jordan had hidden his younger brother in fear of their mother. New laws in effect lead to her being arrested and jailed in a special facility where they would help her recover, but where she would serve out her sentence to the end. This left the fate of Thomas in the air, until James, in an amazing show of career suicide, pulled a few favors and managed to adopt the boy against all policies of the force. Not wanting to fire one of their best detectives for being quite human and taking in a poor traumatized child, the force instead gave James an early retirement.
Left without a job and with a new son to take care of James returned to his original field of study, medicine and completed his Medical degree in three years, thanks to his seven years of side studying with slightly more than a year study completed per two years studying, majoring in Alien Forensic Pathology. With the help of his siblings and Juke, James is able to spend time with his Thomas, who, being a quiet boy, adjusts to James and his new life. Thomas is required to take several extensive course of therapy to deal with the horrific crime he saw, but a child’s mind is very flexible. James was done with his studying by the time Thomas was eight and starting his mid-level schooling.
Since Alien Forensic pathology is half active-research study as opposed to known medical techniques it requires less training, but pays more. However it involves a lot of travelling and regular reports written to all major medical organizations about all new information learned about known species, and about all new species discovered. Every new piece of information has a bounty on it, which is collected by the first person to report the information to the requesting medical organization. It’s quite a health business, if a bit mercenary. Since receiving his degree and research license, James has discovered and clarified over 10,000 pieces of information about Alien pathology and biology. This makes him one of the best Alien Forensic Pathologists actively working in the universe. James works privately for diplomats and governments but publicly with the Intergalactic Law and Justice Force, as well as other enforcements agencies, not including his reports to multiple medical organizations.
James travels a lot across the universe with Thomas in tow. With technology as advanced as it is, Thomas is able to study while traveling with James, learning in a holographic school room. When James knows he is going to a dangerous world he drops off Thomas with Juke, if he’s in the area, or with the closet ILJF office, since he is well known and respected by most of the forces. If not, they always call to headquarters, who assures them that James is exactly who he says he is, and then advise them on taking care of the quiet pre-teen. Thomas isn’t very happy when James leaves him to go to dangerous world, as he does have some abandonment issues, but it only took one stow-away visit that culminated in James nearly being killed protecting Thomas to convince him to stay with Juke or the ILJF when James asks him too. They don’t like to talk about the incident, it being the only time James was mad enough to yell at Thomas, and Thomas still feels guilt about the huge scar down James left side which put his in critical condition for over a week due to complication cause by epileptic seizures.
James visits many worlds and galaxies, making friends and enemies in equal measure and always trying his best to be a good friend, father, teacher and scientist.
((James is 42 When he is pulled into Luceti. Thomas is 14.))
There are no great traumatic events in James Gumshoes childhood. One could say it was even idyllic, except for his epilepsy. Nothing quite ruins a childhood like sudden seizures. However, with attentive parents and friends James’s childhood epilepsy was rarely a serious problem, the worst damage being a broken leg after falling out of a tree. He got into scrapes as boy, many marvelous adventures (some illegal) next to his long-time best friend Juke Wurlitzer, and some scary experiences with an ill-timed epileptic attack also shared with Juke. His parents were very much in love with each other and treated all three of their children with love and care. James was the oldest, with his two younger siblings, Sam and Margret being that annoying sort of adorable all big brothers thinks of there annoying younger siblings as being. But he was very close to them, and they adored him, making his family very close knit, fun, and supportive. Even though James was the oldest, because of his epilepsy he tended to get the most attention from both his parents and his siblings. It was very clear to his siblings that James need someone to make sure he didn’t trigger an epileptic attack, so there was no resentment towards him or their parents. Even as a kid, James never took his epilepsy seriously, even though it was very serious and did give him some brain damage. With medical technology being what it is, this was hardly serious and barely affected him as he was growing up.
After graduating high school at the normal age of eighteen, James went on to attend college and study medicine. He started down this hard but fulfilling life path hoping to help his best friend, Juke, who had a dangerous heart defect, and possibly help himself as he still suffered from epileptic attacks, sometimes with no apparent trigger. For two years he threw himself into his studies, but still managed to stay close with Juke, who went into robotics, and have some form of social life.
But no one’s life can ever stay free of tragedy. In mid-March of his third year in college James Parents were victims of a tragic accident, leaving James, who had just turned twenty-one sole caretaker and provider for his two younger siblings, Sam who was eighteen and Margret who was thirteen.
The police report states that Mr. and Mrs. Matthew Gumshoe died because the hydraulic system of their car had failed due to normal wear and tear, causing it to fail and crash to the ground. But James knew his father would never of let his precious car get into such a dangerous and disastrous condition, much less drive it on a long trip without a cursory check beforehand, which would of shown such wear and tear.
Driven near the point of total obsession James looked into the accident and discovered evidence of tampering, but not who was responsible. Despite the evidence James had found, it was not enough, he had not known enough to gather the evidence without contaminating it, and the case was written off and closed as a simple accident.
Fueled by this injustice James changed his career path, instead entering the local police force. Juke and James’s siblings quietly supported James during this time; bring him out of his obsessive funk, helping him recover his old spirit, and always there to help if he forgot himself and gave himself an epileptic attack due to forgetting his medicine, not sleeping for days or missing meals. In five years, the standard for the North American Police force, James made detective, which was celebrated with a HUGE party that no one can really remember, only that the clean up was spectacular and no one knows why there was a llama, two dozen chickens and a giant stuffed Dinosaurs in the backyard. No one claimed them either, so James ended up raising a llama and two dozen chickens. The dinosaur was donated to a local museum.
The next seven years passed without major incident, with the accruement of many political favors and a side note of studying forensic medicine in his spare time. When not working, studying or gathering political favors however, James quietly reviewed his parent’s case when he had free time, or when Juke, Sam and Margret weren’t there to make him stop.
It was during his time working as detective that James learned more about his epilepsy. This information he has kept secret from everyone, from friends to employers, because all an employer need to know is that you are epileptic, and all a friend needs to know is that you’re sick and need their support. James genetic structure causes a chemical imbalance under certain circumstances, like not eating correctly, missing sleep, extreme stress, pain, extreme euphoria, etc. which triggers seizures. It is highly unique, and James is one of only ten other known cases in humans. Epileptic medicine controls the seizures, especially the ones triggered by stress, pain, euphoria, and other causes. However the chemical imbalance caused by not eating correctly, and missing sleep is so extreme that even if he is taking his medication he can still have a seizure. Since James sees an aura before every seizure, he is able to control his environment to an extent. Typically this would prevent him from working, but with his family, friends and work mates making sure he slept, ate and took his medication, his seizures were under control. A hefty donation and a doctor’s note also assured he was able to work. Hey, it’s already been established that earth was far from perfect, and James is no stranger to the darker side of how the world works, especially with revenge a quietly simmering pot in the back of his mind.
You can’t really live on the idea of revenge however, and finally something happened which managed to push the idea of revenge and his parents case back to the far reaches of his brain. Twelve years after Joining the force, seven years after becoming detective and shortly after he turned thirty-three James was called as lead detective to a truly brutal crime scene. The victim was a fourteen year old boy, Jordan Smythe, strangled and stabbed. His mother, Mary Anne Smythe, had called it in, and had also reported that her youngest, a five-year-old Thomas Smythe was missing. James found little Thomas at the crime scene, huddled deep in the closet of the room his brother was murdered in. His heart quietly breaking James comforted the small boy, and Thomas by extension became nearly inseparable from the larger detectives side, even hiding from his mother.
Tragically as the case was investigated it became frighteningly clear that the murderer was none other than Mary Anne Smythe. The woman had suffered a psychotic break and murdered her oldest boy in front of the closet where Jordan had hidden his younger brother in fear of their mother. New laws in effect lead to her being arrested and jailed in a special facility where they would help her recover, but where she would serve out her sentence to the end. This left the fate of Thomas in the air, until James, in an amazing show of career suicide, pulled a few favors and managed to adopt the boy against all policies of the force. Not wanting to fire one of their best detectives for being quite human and taking in a poor traumatized child, the force instead gave James an early retirement.
Left without a job and with a new son to take care of James returned to his original field of study, medicine and completed his Medical degree in three years, thanks to his seven years of side studying with slightly more than a year study completed per two years studying, majoring in Alien Forensic Pathology. With the help of his siblings and Juke, James is able to spend time with his Thomas, who, being a quiet boy, adjusts to James and his new life. Thomas is required to take several extensive course of therapy to deal with the horrific crime he saw, but a child’s mind is very flexible. James was done with his studying by the time Thomas was eight and starting his mid-level schooling.
Since Alien Forensic pathology is half active-research study as opposed to known medical techniques it requires less training, but pays more. However it involves a lot of travelling and regular reports written to all major medical organizations about all new information learned about known species, and about all new species discovered. Every new piece of information has a bounty on it, which is collected by the first person to report the information to the requesting medical organization. It’s quite a health business, if a bit mercenary. Since receiving his degree and research license, James has discovered and clarified over 10,000 pieces of information about Alien pathology and biology. This makes him one of the best Alien Forensic Pathologists actively working in the universe. James works privately for diplomats and governments but publicly with the Intergalactic Law and Justice Force, as well as other enforcements agencies, not including his reports to multiple medical organizations.
James travels a lot across the universe with Thomas in tow. With technology as advanced as it is, Thomas is able to study while traveling with James, learning in a holographic school room. When James knows he is going to a dangerous world he drops off Thomas with Juke, if he’s in the area, or with the closet ILJF office, since he is well known and respected by most of the forces. If not, they always call to headquarters, who assures them that James is exactly who he says he is, and then advise them on taking care of the quiet pre-teen. Thomas isn’t very happy when James leaves him to go to dangerous world, as he does have some abandonment issues, but it only took one stow-away visit that culminated in James nearly being killed protecting Thomas to convince him to stay with Juke or the ILJF when James asks him too. They don’t like to talk about the incident, it being the only time James was mad enough to yell at Thomas, and Thomas still feels guilt about the huge scar down James left side which put his in critical condition for over a week due to complication cause by epileptic seizures.
James visits many worlds and galaxies, making friends and enemies in equal measure and always trying his best to be a good friend, father, teacher and scientist.
((James is 42 When he is pulled into Luceti. Thomas is 14.))