FASTRAND
| FASTRAND | |
| |
| Character Information | |
|---|---|
| Common Names | FASTRAND |
| Other Names | FASTRAND II |
| Human Name(s) | Randall "Randy" Sperry |
| Faction | Unaligned, derives from the Univac society |
| Lineage | Univac |
| Rival(s) | IBM 728 |
| Appearance | |
| Height | Mid 6'-range |
| Hair Color | Dark grey |
| Eye Color | Navy blue |
| Weapon(s) | n/a |
| Design | |
| First Appearance | 2010 |
| Technical Information | |
| System Personified | FASTRAND storage system |
| Developer(s) | Sperry Rand |
| Debut | Circa 1962 |
| Latest release | Unknown |
Technical details
The FASTRAND mass-storage system was a memory drum used with the Univac 1100 series computer. It is remembered for its large size and status as the first permanent storage system for the Univac 1100, and boasted a 90 MB capacity and transfer speeds of 100 KB per second.
Character details
General
FASTRAND-kun is depicted as a very tall and heavy-set man with near-black hair, sideburns and dark blue eyes. In historical depictions he is often shown in his Air Force uniform, but has been described wearing civilian clothing in the modern day.
Given his status as a side-character, there is little to go on in terms of his personality. He is generally depicted as a good-humored, even-tempered and gentlemanly fellow, somewhat in contrast to his defense computer coworkers - particularly, the erratic and hot-tempered SAGE and the grave and cheerless IBM 728-kun. Due to his work in Air Force inventory, he was quite good at mathematics and possessed clerical skills, and probably had certain special powers of memory like his fellow storage-device personifications.
Outside of his "canon" appearances, it has been theorized that he would be quite strong, but perhaps on the physically-slow side in spite of his speedy-sounding name. It is also speculated that he would be quite loud and booming in speech and lively and commanding in mannerism (in part referencing the conspicuous nature of the actual FASTRAND system). This has lead some to speculate that FASTRAND-kun would come off as somewhat of a "large ham", mostly by accident.
Family and Relationships
Although FASTRAND-kun hails from the Univac clan, he has never been depicted interacting with the better-known members of that group. He works as assistant to Univac 1050-II, another USAF inventory computer, and had interaction with various other military computer- and hardware-tans, including the aforementioned SAGE and IBM 728, as well as LIFT-tan. He and IBM 728-kun have something of a minor-rivalry, and as such their interactions are usually marked by good-natured quarrels and jousting.
FASTRAND-kun is known mostly through his connection with SAGE-tan. In-story he is depicted as a close friend of SAGE, and although there multiple hints (and outright statements) that the two are involved romantically, nothing has been confirmed in canon. Outside of canon, FASTRAND and SAGE are frequently regarded as having been in a romantic relationship, an on-and-off affair that lasted from an unspecified date in the 1960s to the early 1980s, cut short when SAGE suffered her first bouts of psychological disorder. SAGE-tan is generally depicted as the pursuer and dominant partner, keeping with what's been established about her personality.
History and Background
Little has been documented about FASTRAND-kun's history. He worked alongside U1050-II-tan as a military computer from 1962 to 1990, at which point he retired to a farm in Maryland. He is still alive today, working as a specialist at IBM (at least according to SAGE), and maintains a friendship with SAGE-tan in spite of her increasingly hermit-like and psychologically-unstable nature.
Theories and Notes
FASTRAND-kun attained the rank of Master Sergeant.
He played a role in two alternate-universe stories, Time Enough at Last and Thanks for the Memories. While he never actually appeared in either story, he was relevant to the plotlines of both - as the motivation for SAGE's trek across a post-apocalyptic DC Metro region in the former, and as a source of internal conflict for SAGE in the latter.
Because of the scant information regarding his early years, or life outside of the military, a number of theories have been produced to fill in the gaps. It has been speculated that he originated in Philadelphia and spent his early life among the Univac society who called that city home, and as such knew, or knows, a number of Univac-tans.
FASTRAND-kun may have had equilibrium issues early in life, and may suffer from sporadic memory lapses (referencing early balance problems with the FASTRAND system, and its tendency to have storage errors).
Fanworks
Writings
"Christmas"
"Water Cooler"
"Time Enough At Last" (Never appears, is only mentioned)
"Thanks for the Memories" (Never appears, only mentioned)