Krista’s as intelligent as she is cheeky. Though she’s more of a tragic comedian. Uses her humor as a shield against sadness, and as a weapon against possible future harm.
A very rough character bio.
Character Name: Krista Gallant
Nationality: Israeli
Languages: Hebrew, Russian, German, English
Relationship status: Single
Age: 14
Sex: Female
Eye color: Light blue
Hair: Long, blonde
Skin: Fair with a light tan
Complexion: Youthful, energetic, model-like appearance
Height: 155cm
Body Type: Lithe, petite, toned
Personality: Confronting, intelligent, humours, abrasive, flirtatious, yet also wise, protective and affectionate towards her family and close friends, speaks with a brash confident manner
Occupation: School student; Freyja’s closest friend, roommate, and companion; the bane of Dov’s sanity, yet also his supporter and comic relief
Other Notes: Krista grew up in a fortress-villa situated outside Be’er Sheva, in Israel. Krista was raised among a group of mercenaries, who’s members included Krista’s parents. As Krista’s parents were often overseas, fighting in distant wars, she was nurtured and raised by Gur, her older brother by six years. Krista and Gur were known for being very close, even by Israel’s standards. Krista even taught herself to play the violin, at symphony orchestra standards, so she could help Gur relax from his future stressful days.
When Gur enlisted in the IDF, at the age of 18, Krista asked Gur to join the Paratroopers, so Krista could have a spare red beret for her outfits. Krista’s favourite colour is dark red. Gur agreed and he joined the IDF’s Paratroopers with little effort, due to his high stamina and strength. After Gur’s graduation, the 2014 Gaza war began. Gur was killed in an ambush while searching for the cross-border tunnels. Krista was devastated by Gur’s loss, and she treated his death as an act of betrayal by the adult world.
Krista also named her giant ornate teddy bear Gur, in honour of her lost brother. The teddy bear was the last gift she received from him. The teddy bear became Krista’s favourite therapy / anti-stress toy. Krista is often seen hugging or holding her bear during moments of high emotion or distress, even though she will never admit to having personal issues to either her parents or the other mercenaries. Any instance of Krista revealing or talking about her insecurities or trauma is a rare event, and evidence of Krista’s extraordinary trust and closeness in her honoured companion.
Krista never had many friends (except for Karen’s mercenaries) during her childhood, and she had no interest in dating or relationships at school, or any of the associated drama. Krista considered her fellow school students (junior and senior years) to be beneath her. Only the students who could compare with Karen’s mercenaries were viewed by Krista as equals, so she was alone at school (except for her Gur). The academic tasks and assignments often proved Krista knew more about the studied subjects than some of her teachers.
Now, Krista presents herself to the outside world as an abrasive confronting brat who enjoys using her sexualised humour, sharp wit, and model-like aesthetics to tease and harass any strangers she meets (teenagers and adults alike). As Krista likes to say in defence of her antics; boys are dull, men are more fun to torment. However, Krista’s family and friends know this is a false persona.
The real Krista remains a gentle, wise, and nurturing girl, loyal to her family and devoted to her family’s adoptive nation (Israel). Among other things, Krista is highly appreciative of the Israeli military, and scornful towards any who act or speak against them. One of Krista’s favoured activities, while travelling around Israel, is to take kit-bags full of home-made meals and feed any IDF reservists she encounters.
However, the real Krista is hiding from what she views as a cruel and unforgiving world, while using the false persona to protect herself from future harm (warding off potential threats). Other Israelis view Krista as an honorary Sabra;* hard prickly exterior, soft sweet centre.
*Name of a desert pear native to Israel, a liqueur made from the pear, and slang for a Jewish-Israeli.
Although Krista is not Jewish, she has always been a great fan and practitioner of the Jewish-Israeli culture. Krista is particularly fond of the Israeli’s preference for bending social or legal rules and etiquette to extremes (or just ignoring the inconvenient ones), being overtly passionate about things and people she is fond of, repaying kindness and betrayal with interest, and acting with a natural certainty that no one has the will or courage to stop her (regardless of Krista’s slim stature).
Krista was volunteered by her parents to help Dov mentor Freyja and, while doing so, to develop a new friendship with Dov and Freyja. Her parents hope Krista will eventually abandon her desire for vengeance and her desire to join the IDF (as a path to vengeance), to heal from Gur’s loss, and seek to create a new life, filled with affection and adventure, with her devoted and protective companions…and her beloved bear…Krista’s parents emphasised their intentions by assigning Freyja as Krista’s new roommate, and by giving Dov the bedroom that belonged to Gur (with Krista’s permission).
When Krista learnt of Dov’s traumatic past (the loss of Aviva), and its similarity to Krista’s trauma (the loss of Gur) during their first meeting, Krista became more compassionate and considerate towards Dov than she otherwise does towards other strangers. Krista still suggestively (and brazenly) teases or mocks Dov at every opportunity, but these are symptoms of her Israeli upbringing and of her outward personality. Krista’s actions, and her decisions for serious matters, convey a desire for a close friendship and for someone not associated with the mercenaries (or the treasonous adults) who she can love and trust, perhaps better than family. Luckly for Krista, Dov is Hebrew for bear, so at least Krista now has two protective teddies.
Krista also displays a habit of continually plotting or coercing Dov and Freyja to develop a closer relationship…One always closer than their current relationship…Krista is terrified of Dov growing distant from Freyja, or of him abandoning her, and Freyja being exposed to the same isolation and remorse Krista experienced when Gur died. As a result, Krista develops a mother-hen like attitude towards her new companions (and their relationship), and adopts a more proactive resourceful nature. Much to her parents’ approval.
Finally, Krista is not naïve about the adult world, or any aspect of the world’s workings. For example, when Dr Lander introduced Freyja to Krista, Polanski and Dov, Lander claimed Freyja’s abundant breasts were a side effect of Lander’s highly experimental clone project, and of Freyja’s rapid growth as a prototype clone (fourteen years development compressed into four years). However, Krista immediately suspected Lander did not make any mistakes with Freyja’s creation, and this was a cynical (chutzpah laden) ploy to further persuade Dov to become Freyja’s companion.
