Species: Human
Affiliation: Cybercommand
Occupation: Chief of Staff (formerly); Director of Black Operations (from 435 IE)
Status: Active
Overview
Tanner is a senior Cybercommand officer introduced in Another Way to Die. Initially the Chief of Staff to Frumentarius, he is promoted to Director of Black Operations—designated G-4—after Frumentarius is assassinated in 435 IE. Though highly competent and trusted within Cybercommand, Tanner is visibly disillusioned by the promotion, which disrupts his planned retirement and forces him to confront the collapse of their internal security in the wake of the Juno infiltration.
Role in Another Way to Die
Tanner appears at the beginning and end of the story, both times on Tian, working from the Cybercommand Bunker. Following the Campsite blast, which eliminates much of the black ops command structure, Tanner steps up to lead the fractured division. Unlike Frumentarius, he is a reluctant appointee—disappointed to be “the adult in the room” simply because no one else survived.
When Eric Yuwono returns from the Hosh operation, Tanner is disappointed to learn the newly hardened field agent, now carrying a license to kill, wishes to transfer to Analysis. Tanner views Yuwono as a promising long-term field operative and is both baffled and frustrated by what he sees as a withdrawal from responsibility just as the agent has proven himself.
Notable Traits
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Reluctant Leader – Assumes command only after necessity demands it; had intended to retire quietly before Frumentarius’s death.
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Practical and Undramatic – Lacks Frumentarius’s flair or aesthetic; focuses on function, not symbolism.
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Blunt but Respectful – Speaks plainly with subordinates, including Yuwono, and expects the same in return.
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Quietly Loyal – Though unenthusiastic about the role, he is committed to restoring integrity and effectiveness to Black Ops in the aftermath of the Juno breach.
Appearances: Another Way to Die