Name: The White Rat
Real Identity: Lt. Joseph (Rat) Swoops
Nature: Survivor (homeless bum)
Allegiance: Teragen
Archetype: Monster
Height: 1.92 Meters
Weight: 86 Kg
Age: 40

Appearance:

The White Rat looks very much like his name implies. He is an albino, who is covered in white fur. His un-lidded red eyes, whiskers and pink tufted ears make most humans and novas do a double take. The hair on his head is white, scraggly and unkempt. He is always wearing worn out clothes from the local thrift store (dumpster). He dresses like the homeless street person that he has been for the last 10 years. Certain habits are hard to break. Besides, there is a certain amount of freedom in being without responsibility.

Even before his transition to demigod-hood, Joe was not attractive, nor was he very personable. He was the shy and quiet type that everyone thought was wierd. He was just smarter than the rest of them, and they KNEW it. His large pointy nose was a point of ridicule throughout his life, and the women tended to look at him with derision. He did, however, have physical and mental aptitudes which lent themselves well to the military and to collegiate life.

Background:

Little is know of his recent activities, but according to his military records, Joe received a bachelors degree in pre-med from Georgetown University and entered the Army as a 2nd leutenant.
In the military it seemed Joseph really felt at home and where he got his nickname "Rat". His fellow soldiers gave him that moniker while on duty in the Middle East. Joseph had an uncanny ability to find hidden persons in 'rat-holes" and objects like road-side bombs. He was like a rodent sniffing out cheese. The were going to call him "mouse", but Joe protested because it reminded him of Mickey Mouse. They relented and called him "rat" instead. Afterall, he was a very rugged individual and not some cute and furry girly-man.

His military career in the Army was cut short when he witnessed a suicide bomber blow up a crowd of children. The sheer horror of that incident shook his faith in humanity and drove him towards a nervous breakdown. Suprisingly enough this did not lead to eruption. The psychologists in the army determined that he was mentally unfit for duty and honorably discharged him.

Once he returned home, things only got worse. He began to have serious flashbacks of the day when the 40 children were blown to pieces. This caused him to drink heavily. Despite his honorable military service, he was unable to hold a job due to his increasing alcoholism and constant flashbacks. Eventually he vanished from normal society and became a street person.

Eruption:

Joe's eruption occurred late at night while he was sleeping off a bottle of cheap booze he used to drive the demons from his head. It happened, that two rival novas began brawling in the alley Rat was sleeping in. The exposure to the quantum forces triggered his M-R node and he erupted. Once his eruption occurred, both Novas lost the use of their powers and rat somehow had them instead. Once the now powerless novas stopped fighting, Rat went back to sleep, albeit with one hell of a headache.

His faithlessness in humanity has led him to the Teragen philosophy. It is humanity that Rat seeks to eliminate from himself. He wants humanity to see him as the monster that he sees in humanity. But since he has not been suspected of breaking any laws, yet, the local authorities have no reason to investigate him. National authorities and other nova allegiances, however, view his "membership" in the Teragen with suspicion.

According to police reports, it is rumored that he lives on the streets of Chicago, where he has been known to work as a mercenary. Some say he actually has his own "enterprise" with which he makes a living. What he does to make money, is unknown.

Powers:

The White Rat realized that he could detect and identify other novas quantum signatures and even their abilities with his knowledge of medicine. Novas and baselines who have been within 45 meters of him, have found themselves without any dexterity, with The White Rat borrowing and using any powers of theirs while they are immoble. It is for this "vampiric" ability that the US military has taken an interest in him again. Sometimes, after a flashback, The White Rat will realize that he has taken that ability from everyonje around without even realizing it.

He is highly intelligent, manipulative and perceptive, which can make him a dangerous opponent or a strong ally (if you can get past his eccentric personality and mental instability).