Background:

Moira Rennie, the only child of Michael and Ellie Rennie, both career British diplomats, was born in 1969 in Washington D.C. while her parents were on assignment at the British consulate. She has maintained joint UK and American citizenship. Moira's language talents became obvious when she was four years old: by that time she had already mastered twelve languages. She earned her doctorate in linguistics from Cambridge at the age of 21. Her thesis, which revolutionized modern methods of cryptography, remains classified by MI5 to this day.

She was soon contacted about working for the Pentagon, and she has designed their newest encryption software. However, she soon grew bored with the tediousness of government work, and began taking interpreting jobs which she found intriguing.

In 1992 she met Kevin Armstrong, when he approached her about decrypting PRIMUS documentation. The challenge of the job interested her, and, not knowing his identity, she uncovered the secrets of the Sentinel project. While still unaware of Armstrong's involvement with VIPER, they dated. He eventually told her of his secret, and though she was upset, she realized she was in love with him regardless.

As she told Odyssey:

"I didn't know what Kevin...really did for a living when we meet. He said he was some sort of security specialist. I didn't have any reason not to believe him, but after he proposed, he told me." She shakes her head at the memory. "It was like getting kicked in the stomach -- my ears rang in shock, I started shaking, I didn't know what to do. It didn't help matters," she added dryly, "That I had been working on PRIMUS' computer security system at the time and was feeling that maybe he used me to get at my work.

"So I left -- I said a lot of things that are embarrassing to me now, but when you're in shock and pain, you have tendency to say things you don't really mean." She shrugs and adds quietly, "I can't tell you how horrible it was to see his face while I was shouting at him -- it was white and drawn and resigned, like he'd expected every second of the abuse."

She shakes her head. "After he told me and I blew a gasket, I flew back to England, to my parents' estate. I really didn't know what I should do then. Kevin, I found out later, had been moping around, too. Sad to say, but if it hadn't been for my mother, who knows what would have happened? She called him -- Mum just adored him, old ladies always do -- and he flew out. He knew how much I hated VIPER, but it's not like you can just quit. But while we were there, we started hammering out a plan for him eventually leaving. I knew about the Wild Geese -- my friends who helped -- long before he did. My Mother, of all people, had been involved with them before I was born, and she would often give me books and so forth to translate for them, before I even knew what I was doing, or for whom." Moira shakes her head. "But I'm rambling on now. Suffice it to say, that as reprehensible as I found VIPER, I knew that I would be miserable without Kev. We agreed that I would never talk about the work I did for PRIMUS, despite his feelings about them, because he didn't want me to feel put in the middle.

"It was hard, later on, after the Hudson Hawks set him up," she says softly. "PRIMUS took Ed and me into 'protective custody,' never even charging us, but not letting us leave. Finally the Wild Geese broke us out, but it was a terrible time. Sometimes I feel very selfish, for having Ed. But I'm not willing to stay at home in Ireland, to sit home and have babies. So I travel with the Geese, and it works out. I have my jobs -- no one is as good with cracking computers, in any case." She smiles. "It's nice to find a use for my talents, since I'm not getting the DOD contracts anymore."

Moira and Kevin married on a yacht in the Caribbean in 1993. Their daughter, Ellen Danielle Rennie, was born in 1994. She appears to have inherited both her mother's linguistic talents and her father's strength.

Powers/Tactics:

Moira can decipher any language, if given enough time. She is in excellent physical condition, and runs daily, often with her daughter in a backpack. Armstrong has taught her boxing, and she enjoys working out, both with him and the punching bag.

Moira does not believe her abilities are paranormal in any way, though she is decidedly a mutant. Some people never lose their flexibility in learning language, and she believes she is one of those individuals. She will vehemently argue against any such insinuation. However, she is a genius, and her will is beyond the human norm.

Personality:

Her personality is easy-going, and she is patient, willing to pour over documents for hours. She translates the mystical texts the Wild Geese recover, and it was through her that Ronan O'Neill contacted Armstrong. She will go to the wall for her friends, and recently galvanized the entire team to work on a project for which they're not even getting paid much (other than base salary) -- helping out her friend Cassie Salvatore of the Golden Gate Guardians.

Appearance:

Moira is 5'4, with very curly long, blond hair. She is in excellent physical condition, and can typically be found wearing professional clothing, usually in blues and blacks. Her eyes are a clear sky blue, and she has an infectious smile. She has a tendency to lapse into other languages at times without being aware she's doing it.