James Cutter: Difference between revisions

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James Gregory Cutter was born on [[Reach]] on [[2479|June 12, 2479]].<ref name="HWCutter"/> In the sixth grade, he had a teacher named [[Ash (teacher)|Mrs. Ash]]. During one of her spelling tests Cutter got the word "rendezvous" right, which led to him liking the word ever since. After Cutter finished school, his [[Cutter's father|father]] pushed him to get a university degree and was furious when Cutter became an [[ensign]] at the [[UN Colony Logistics Office]] and even more angered when he joined flight school, saying to him that he was "Nothing more than a trucker".<ref name="OSG"/> Cutter enrolled in the [[UNSC School of the North Star]] on [[2500|September 15, 2500]], where he studied [[astronavigation]] and political science. He was then sent to [[Officer Candidate School]] on [[2504|June 19, 2504]] where he was trained in command and navigation. He entered Naval service as a [[lieutenant]] and junior navigation officer aboard the ''[[Stick]]'', a diplomatic attaché vessel assigned to the {{UNSCShip|Brilliant Shores}}, on [[2507|November 16, 2507]]. He was later transferred to the {{UNSCShip|Final Summit}} on [[2514|January 9, 2514]], whereupon he was appointed to the post of chief navigation officer.<ref name="Genesis">''Halo Wars: Genesis''</ref> Cutter achieved the rank of [[Commander (UNSC)|commander]] upon his transfer to the {{UNSCShip|Glasgow}} on [[2519|August 8, 2519]]. On [[2524|May 22, 2524]], he received a [[Bronze Star]] for his actions aboard the ''Glasgow'' against [[Terrorism|terrorists]] in the [[Epsilon Indi system]]; this gave him the attention of UNSC command.<ref name="Genesis"/> Cutter also served on two other ships during his career before he was finally given the captaincy and command of an unidentified ship.<ref name="OSG"/> Married at some previous point in his career, between 2524 and [[2525]], Cutter had an extramarital affair with a woman on [[Tribute]]. This liaison produced a son, [[Daniel Clayton]].<ref name="HE5"/> Shortly after the outbreak of [[Human-Covenant War|war]] with the [[Covenant]], Cutter was handpicked by [[Vice Admiral]] [[Preston Cole]] to command the ''Spirit of Fire'' in her new role as a center of repair, supply, and forward deployment operations for the [[Third Fleet]]'s [[Battlegroup D]]. Cutter arrived aboard the ship on August 8, [[2525]].<ref name="Genesis"/> As the commanding officer of the ''Spirit of Fire'', he was known for walking the ship at night to check on his crew. He was so well respected and well-known that [[coffee]] houses in [[Inner Colonies]] gave him free coffee beans to take with him on long deployments.<ref>[http://www.gamedaily.com/articles/galleries/halo-wars-character-profiles-captain-cutter-and-the-brute-chieftain/?page=3 ''Game Daily'' (defunct link)]</ref> Cutter's father also toured the ship with his son not long after Cutter was made captain of the ship. His father was impressed and reconciled with James, saying "I guess you knew something after all. Your mom would be proud".<ref name="OSG"/> On January 30, [[2528]], Cutter was offered command of the {{Class|Marathon|heavy cruiser}}, the {{UNSCShip|Prophecy}}, but turned it down because he was content with the ''Spirit of Fire'' and being stationed near his family on Reach. This decision made it less likely that Cutter would be offered something as prestigious as that again.<ref name="Sacrifices"/><ref name="OSG"/> By at least [[2528]], [[Terrence Hood]] had become Cutter's [[executive officer]] and by [[2530|November of 2530]], Cutter had seen that he was given command of his own ship, the {{Class|Halcyon|light cruiser}}, the {{UNSCShip|Roman Blue}}.<ref name="HE5"/>