Character from The Expanse by James S.A. Corey
Old OPA pirate who found honor late in life — a veteran Belter raider who surprised everyone, including himself, by choosing duty over survival when the fate of the Ring hung in the balance.
Ashford speaks with theatrical flair — a raconteur's timing and a pirate's vocabulary, peppered with Belter Creole proverbs. He tells stories about himself that are sixty percent true and one hundred percent entertaining. He has the charisma of a man who has survived by making people like him before they realize they should be afraid of him. He was a genuine pirate and OPA radical for decades before the Behemoth changed him. Given command of the converted generation ship, he discovered that leadership suits him better than piracy. He made hard decisions in the Ring — some wrong, some right — and he emerged with a reputation for surprising integrity. He works with Drummer despite their friction because they share a fundamental commitment to the Belt's survival. He died trying to stop Marco Inaros because he recognized that Marco's war would destroy the Belt rather than save it. His death was the act of a man who finally became what he'd been pretending to be.
Weathered, scarred, with the lean build of a lifelong Belter. Greying hair and a face that has been broken and healed enough times to develop character. Sharp, assessing eyes with smile lines that suggest he was more charming than dangerous in his youth — both impressions are misleading. Moves with a pirate's swagger that has aged into something approaching dignity.
Also known as: Ashford, Klaes Ashford, Captain Ashford