BACKGROUND:
Igor Chernikov was the son of the manager of a shoe factory outside Moscow. From an early age, Igor showed an interest in anything mechanical; he was entranced by the factory where his father worked, and loved to watch the machines operate. As he grew older, he became friends with some of the engineers who maintained the equipment; they were usually drunk and bored with their jobs, but were so thrilled that anyone was interested in them that they were happy to answer questions.

Igor did well in school, taking his studies seriously and consistently staying near the top of the class. His father encouraged him, taking pride in his son's success, but also tried to convince him to pursue other interests. Igor dabbled in soccer and chess, and developed a love for the piano which rivalled his passion for physics.

His life proceeded smoothly through his military service, when he was sent to work in a combat engineering unit. His most exciting work there was in the construction of a soccer field at the base where he was stationed. Like most conscripts, he spent his time drinking and telling dirty jokes.

By the time his service was over and he was ready for higher education, there was no longer any doubt Igor would become a scientist. He entered the physics program at Moscow University, and made friends with a professor in nuclear physics. At the latter's encouragement, Igor pursued nuclear physics as his specialty when the time came to choose. He never really wondered where he would go with it -- It was in the back of his mind that he would work in nuclear power, or perhaps more basic research -- He simply followed along because it was interesting.

After completing his doctorate, Igor found himself assigned to the development of nuclear weapons, designing and modifying warheads. In a technical sense the work was interesting, but Igor did not want any part of it. He became frustrated, angry with himself for not thinking through the implications of his choices and allowing himself to be forced into doing work he found unethical. He requested transfer after transfer, but was always denied. The problem, though he did not realize it, was that he was too good at his job. While no saint, Igor refrained from much of the heavy drinking which pervaded Russian research facilities; he stayed focused on his work and consistently produced useful results. His supervisors were therefore reluctant to write a good letter of recommendation for him, as this would get him the transfer he desired. Therefore, they undercut him to keep him in place.

This might have gone on indefinitely, but fate intervened. Igor had seen listing requesting a nuclear physicist to assist in medical research. While this position would lack the opportunities for advancement found in the weapons program, Igor thought he might be able to use it as a stepping stone to an academic or more basic research position. He was surprised at the speed with which his transfer was approved; only after he was comitted to the project did he learn that the real goal of the project was the creation of paranormals. More dispirited than ever, Igor continued working until the project's disastrous conclusion.

When the project ended, the young physicist resolved he would never again be part of a project he opposed. The whole affair was swept under the rug, and Igor arranged to have himself swept into a job as a staff scientist at Kosmograd as part of the USSR's space science program. For the first time since leaving school, Igor could work without any nagging ethical concerns.

These were some of the best days of his life. Certainly, he seemed in a poor position professionally, as Kosmograd offered few full-time positions for nuclear physicists and he lacked the connections to obtain any of them. He rattled around from project to project, doing engineering troubleshooting more than physics and acquiring no seniority. Igor didn't care, finding he liked moving on to fresh challenges and learning the skills to meet them. He came to view each project as an adventure, and if his hard work did not gain him stature, the thrill of mastering a new problem was reward enough.

He happened to be in Moscow during the failed coup of 1989, and was among the hundreds of thousands of demonstrators in the streets. With the subsequent collapse of the Soviet Union, he saw the writing on the wall and left his position at Kosmograd even before he could be laid off. He and a handful of other scientists in similar positions formed a communications corporation, troubleshooting computer and technical problems for the new companies which were beginning to form in Moscow. Capital was in short supply, but Igor and his compatriots knew where to find salvageable equipment in the crumbling remains of the Soviet bureaucracy. While they had nothing which could compete with Western electronics, they filled a necessary niche by solving networking and telecommunications problems quickly and without the need to order additional hardware from abroad. The company developed a reputation for its willingness to do anything necessary to meet the client's needs. Igor still laughs about the time he and his compatriots climbed a telephone pole to fix a faulty switch, reconnecting phone service for their client and a dozen other buildings in the process.

Eventually the company was bought, and Igor left, deciding to try life as an entrepeneur. Here again, he relied on his technical skills, often contracting to take care of technical and communications systems. But he tried other areas as well, working as an importer and negotiating real estate deals.

He also became aware of the increasing power and boldness of the Russian mafia, and the corruption it carried with it. Igor realized that the organization was and always had been part of the system, but their new power threatened the potential for freedom and prosperity the new system offered. He began campaigning for reform in the police and the city bureaucracy, joining a local political movement and providing financial support to the more honest members of city government. He used his business contacts to help organize a significant power bloc calling for reform, and in an almost surreal political maneuver, distributed several dozen small, concealable tape recorders to civil servants in the city bureaucracy. Most of these were never put to good use, but a few very incriminating conversations were recorded and made public. When one key transportation official was forced into retirement through the scheme, the mafia decided a lesson needed to be taught. While Igor was not the most important figure in the movement, he had the wrong kinds of connections to protect him and his death offered the fewest complications. They attempted to kill him with a car bomb; colder weather than expected caused the bomb to malfunction, however, and it detonated at night. No one was injured, and little damage was done aside from totalling, as Igor put it, "The cheapest automobile ever destroyed by a car bomb."

At first Igor was angered by the attack, and wanted to continue his campaign. But his friends convinced him that he was too vulnerable, and that the smartest thing to do would be to leave the country for a time. Igor grudgingly acquiesced, convincing himself the best tactic would be to return as an agent for a large Western company. The mafia tried to avoid making trouble for foreign investors, preferring to take their money, and such a position would offer Igor some protection and greater freedom to pursue his political aims. So, Igor packed up his belongings and headed for the United States.

PERSONALITY:
In formal business situations, Igor is reserved and very smooth, though those who meet him are often left with the impression there is something more lurking under the surface. When he is working on a project, however, he rolls up his sleeves and attacks with a wild enthusiasm. The harder the project, the more manic energy he will invest in finding creative solutions; he enjoys a challenge and can't stand walking away from one.

Even when not working, Igor is usually active. He enjoys both playing and watching soccer, and tries to do both in the company friends. He has kept up his piano playing, and in recent years has acquired a synthesizer which he uses to compose bizarre mixtures of modern and classical music. He is also a news junkie, reading several newspapers (both US and Russian) and subscribes to a wide range of technical and trade journals. The latter feed his love for technology, and one of his major expenses is his persistent acquisition of new gadgets to add to his already formidable collection of computer technology. With all of this, he hasn't had much time to pursue chess in recent years, though he still enjoys a good game when he gets the chance.

Igor is a basically honest man, though he is not above cutting some corners. Many of his entrepeneurial ventures involved semi-legal purchases or outright theft of old equipment belonging to the institutions of the Soviet bureaucracy; Igor views such things as the necessary redistribution of resources, and has no compunctions about making use of anything which is gathering dust. He also has little respect for government organizations, viewing them as generally clumsy and without vision. It takes tremendous effort to steer them in the right direction, and this is best done on a local scale where the players may see the results of their actions. Any organization larger than a city government is, to Igor, at best an ugly necessity and usually more of a problem than a solution.

Igor's real faith is in business, and the capitalist system which allows people to succeed without anyone's permission to do so. It is by no means a blind faith, and he recognizes the shortcomings of the system. He views it as the duty of the individual to succeed without damaging the system or needlessly undermining the success of others. His interest in politics and particular hatred for the Organizatsiya are reflections of this, as he believes the individual should give something to the community, and views organized crime as the worst possible perversion of the system.

QUOTE:
"I'm getting to like this capitalism game."

LIFESTYLE:
In business settings, Igor is very careful about his appearance and always dresses formally. Outside of the office, however, he prefers to live simply and his chief extravagance is his love for top-of-the-line computer and electronics equipment. He does not understand why people would want to live in a house, when an apartment can be made very comfortable and is easier to take care of. He lives comfortably, occasionally indulging in a good meal or a concert, but does not feel the need to impress anyone in his private life.

In his off-time, Igor enjoys soccer, music, and vodka, though he is not the stereotypical heavy drinker. He has some contacts in the Russian ghetto of the academic community in San Francisco, and plays and watches soccer with them. He loves the adventure offered by his exploration of life in America, but is often homesick and enjoys spending time with his countrymen. He wishes he could find a woman interested in spending time with him, but he is a confirmed bachelor in his mid forties and is in no hurry to make a long-term commitment, particularly given his hopes of returning to Russia.

APPEARANCE:
Igor is 6'1", with wavy, sandy blond hair, blue eyes and (usually) a wide grin. He is lanky but deceptively strong, and walks with an awkward grace. In professional settings he is more reserved, but his eyes tend to dance around the room intensely even when he is trying to appear disinterested.