David Holloway Gideon

Archetype: The Enhanced Soldier

The augmented warrior who becomes a pawn in a larger game

David Holloway Gideon subverts the enhanced soldier archetype by using his augmentations not just for combat but to gain political power. His journey from a media-friendly soldier to a manipulator of the system reveals how even those designed to be weapons can seize control of their own destiny.

Basic Information

• Full Name: David Holloway Gideon
• Aliases: David with Trip Six
• Occupation: Professional Soldier for Trip Six, Military Commander for United Federation of States Army
• Status: Alive

Physical Description

• Tall, muscular build with a strong jawline
• Deep brown skin
• Brown eyes with reflector-style pattern (trait-altered)
• Six foot five in height
• Described as a "gentle giant type"

Story Appearances

• Soldier: Protagonist; a Trip Six soldier who receives an experimental implant and becomes a military asset

Connections

• Benjiro Takahashi: Created the AI simulation technology used on David in Trip Six
• Reginald Hellman: Military commander who first works with David on a mission
• Ryan: Former colleague from Trip Six, now working for the Northern Alliance
• Tasha Moore: Logistics manager who becomes his first officer
• Lilly Mars: CEO of the United Federation of States who attempts to manipulate him
• Jawad: Lilly's assistant who David recruits to his side

Subversion of Archetype

David subverts the enhanced soldier archetype in several key ways:

1. The Loyal Soldier: While initially following orders and serving as a corporate asset, David ultimately challenges authority and establishes his own power base.

2. The Enhanced Super-Soldier: Rather than simply using his abilities for combat, David leverages them for political gain, demonstrating that power can be wielded in multiple arenas.

3. The Pawn Who Becomes a Player: Instead of remaining a tool of the system, David recognizes the manipulation around him and turns the tables, becoming a manipulator himself.

4. The Media Hero: David uses his status as a media figure to further his own agenda, understanding that perception is as powerful as physical strength.

Role in the Corporate Game

David begins as a corporate asset for Trip Six, a professional security corporation that doubles as a media company, filming security jobs for entertainment. His ratings are "not stellar, but he did well with demographics attracted to the gentle giant type." As he gains power through his military successes, he transitions from being a pawn in the corporate game to a player who challenges the established order, ultimately confronting Lilly Mars, the CEO of the United Federation of States, and asserting his own authority.

Unique Abilities

David's primary augmentation is an experimental implant from Razordeck Integrations that allows him to convert inertia to heat and vice versa. This gives him several unique abilities:

1. Invulnerability to Projectiles: Any object that strikes him has its inertia converted to heat, rendering bullets, missiles, and other weapons harmless.

2. Redirection of Force: He can convert the heat of projectiles back into inertia, allowing him to redirect attacks back at their source.

3. Flight and Levitation: By manipulating inertia, he can hover, float, and even fly for short distances.

4. Telekinesis-like Control: He can move objects at a distance by manipulating their heat and inertia.

These abilities make him virtually unstoppable in combat and lead to his rapid rise through the military ranks.

Military Career

David's career takes a significant turn when he volunteers for a "dangerous and potentially life-altering mission" involving the experimental implant. After successfully demonstrating his new abilities, he becomes a valuable asset for Trip Six and later the United Federation of States Army. His most notable achievement is the bloodless victory at the Fraser River, where he single-handedly neutralizes a nuclear missile and forces the Northern Alliance to surrender without casualties.

Political Maneuvering

Following his military success, David is invited to meet with Lilly Mars, the CEO of the United Federation of States. Recognizing her attempt to manipulate him through pheromones and promises of power, he turns the tables by revealing his awareness of her tactics and asserting his own authority. He recruits Jawad, Lilly's assistant, to his side and effectively establishes himself as a new power player in the political landscape.

The Simulation Twist

In the final chapter of "Soldier," it is revealed that much of David's story was actually a simulation run by Trip Six to test various scenarios. The technician Jenny asks, "I get the idea behind war games, and learning simulations, but what can we learn when it's all fantasy?" Her boss Evan explains that the AI technology was provided by Benjiro Takahashi, who "has his fingers in a few businesses in the area, including an AI startup called Future Unlimited Combat Knowledge." This connection to Benjiro adds significant context to David's story, revealing that he was unknowingly part of Benjiro's larger plans and technological experiments. The simulation was designed to help Benjiro's AI learn about human behavior and decision-making in complex scenarios.