Conrad Faust

Conrad Faust was born to a working family in East Germany, 1964. As a child, he was taught that duty, loyalty, and integrity were all the most desirable traits in an individual and this was the philosophy he took to heart as a young man. To him, it was never about the individual or even family, but about the collective. His actions and choices were rarely for the betterment of himself and instead about others, even if it meant in the short term it had a negative impact on himself. He would stomach that downturn and work with it as a hurdle to overcome. As a young adult in 1982, he found it in himself to join Volkspolizei, or the People's Police, as he felt it was his duty to server and protect the people he grew up with. His short time in the People's Police served to solidify his personal philosophy.

In 1989, Conrad marries a young woman by the name of Lisa Behrend and the two conceive a young boy. This was a time of momentous joy for Conrad if not for what had happened mere days later. The Berlin wall falls on November 9th, 1989 and foreshadows the reunification of East and West Germany, a divide still visible after so many years of separation seen in not only architecture, fashion, but also political temperament, and, oddly enough, light bulbs. Conrad's family had lived to see the wall fall with mixed feelings. Perhaps friends still lived on the other side, perhaps the wall truly needed to fall, but the fall of Communism in Eastern Europe was terrifying for them. Would the self-centered ideals return to the people? Would the concept of the collective all away in favor of individual desires? These questions nagged the Faust family for some time, but become wholly irrelevant at the arrival of the Union.

His family was round up in the early days of the Union's occupation, Conrad quickly clinging to who he knew to protect them from harm. Anxiety built in him as he was forced to watch as families were torn apart to be separated to go from city to city. Some remained together while most were allowed to give their final goodbyes. On the border of former East and West Germany was where his family's fate was decided. His parents were taken to City 17 in Russia while his wife and his child were allowed to stay with him in City 26, his son old enough to be part of the 'Young Worker's Program' offered to all pre-adult citizens. It was an uneasy transition, but one Conrad found familiarity in. People were were expected to work together for the betterment of all as opposed to themselves, his philosophy clicked well after everything settled, and soon enough he couldn't help but join the UCN. To him, his time was best spent helping others adjust to the new leadership, though even he himself was wary of their methods. For the first few years of the occupation, he spent his time helping clean streets, answer questions, offer advice, and generally be what was expected of him as a loyal citizen. Where did his loyalty spring from, some would ask? An uneasy mixture of fear and admiration. A feeling of awe at the Universal Union and respect for their philosophy of the collective as opposed to the individual. To him, they were powerful, vast, but fair.

Five years into the Union occupation, Conrad soon joins the MPF to put his experience in the Volkspolizei to use. He saw a need to be an officer of the law to protect, serve, and show that unity was indeed the path to a greater humanity. This was also the year his wife had passed away. She died of an incurable illness unknown to doctors in the city and, to his dismay, she was in pain before her passing. He needed to find a way to dispose of his anxiety and what better way than through the rhythmic patrols on the streets, or the kick of a pistol in firearm training? He took to his position as an officer with fervent integrity, his loyalty a beacon for all loyalists and his methods the terror of all criminals. He was Conrad Faust, an officer of the people! Protector of civil society and idol citizen of the Union!

The news had been brought to him that his parents had passed away of old age, both mourned for by those that knew them. They were idol citizens and kind people, he was told, and they would be missed. This brought both sorrow and joy to Conrad and while the news was tough to swallow, what came next brought him from his initial joy to a pit of despair. His son was brought to him, bound at the wrists. Conrad had spent three years in the MPF at this point, sitting at 02 after a particularly tough struggle to beat out other talented units for ranking positions. His son glared up at his father's mask, unable to see the terror in Conrad's face or even know his father stood before him. His son was charged with destruction of Union property, an offense of which amputation was the only acceptable punishment. With a determined scowl of defiance, his son said, "I know not who hides behind the mask, but know that I will not stand idly by while my fellow citizens are brought the rod! Take me to a cell! Place a bullet between my eyes! It matters little now, but know that I am a martyr; a hero of the people." Conrad unholstered his pistol with a deliberate slowness, his heart pounding and drowning out all sound. Must he kill his only child? His only remaining link to the pre-Union world and indeed, his only remaining family? Was the Union worth the struggle he was emotionally bound to? He pulled the hammer back on his pistol, his son's scowl remaining in cruel defiance to the pain Conrad was succumbing to. He had to. He had to amputate his son. It was the only way. His son had destroyed something of the Union's and thus potentially put others at harm for it. His son was an anti-citizen.

"Amputate," came the vocoded order.

He pulled the trigger and it was over.

Dispatch gave an automated reminder, talking about memory replacement once more. Conrad looked down to the body of his son and, with a short moment to decide, he had ultimately chosen the Union over family. The collective over the self. He was ready to move on.

Or at least, ready to forget...


Conrad Faust now sits in his office as divisional leader of Customary, a great achievement for himself, but also a position of duty. He does what is expected of him and follows protocol by the letter, trying to set an example for all units below him. Perhaps he is cold in his dealings but he does what he believes is best for the city, its citizens, and the Union as a whole.

The light bulb thing I talked about:

My backstory writing skills be bad, yo! I put this up just to help showcase how good Arsenic Sulphide is by comparison. Seriously. Check dis shit out!