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Heck |
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| Pronouns: she/her |
| Aliases: Heck Nygaard, Heck Novak-Nygaard, Beatrice Novak-Nygaard, Ladybug |
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Episodes Appeared In: The Day That Yukon Died (Season 3) My Lower Back Seems to Disagree (Season 4) |
| Created By: Scott Paladin |
| Voiced By: Amy Young |
| Relationships: Cat Nygaard-Novak (wife) No-Shit Novak (father-in-law) Charlotte Catsmother (mother-in-law) Zoya Charlotteschild (sibling-in-law) Lefty (friend, former co-worker) Avi Blake (friend) |
| Occupations: Shipbreaker (former), Pilot and Co-Owner of the NS-84 Noodle Shop Around the Corner |
| Factions or Groups Belonged To: Delaney Station Shipbreakers (former) |
¶ Heck
Overview
Heck is a cyborg shipbreaker turned noodle shop co-owner. She was first introduced in the Season 3 episode I See the Stars Are Here With Me, written by Scott Paladin. She is voiced by Amy Young. Heck is a station rat who eventually grew into likely the fastest shipbreaker Delaney Station had seen at that point, all while grappling with the large amount of history and baggage between her and Cat Novak. She eventually leaves Delaney Station with Cat, piloting the Noodle Shop Around the Corner all across the System.
Description
Heck is a gentle giant, and is described in I See the Stars Are Here With Me as very tall. The writer of the episode places her official height as 6'5". She is a cyborg with two additional arms, which she wanted “because she always thought it'd be cool to have extra arms”. She received them during a stop at Delaney Station from Dr. Zed Wild, when they were affiliated with the Carnivale di Vagabondi Stellari. The cybernetics are very strong, but can also be gentle. Her personality can be likened to a golden retriever in human form, and she is an expert mechanic.
In Season 3's official Youtube episode art, Heck is depicted as a redhead with a medium length sidecut. She wears a warm colored tank top and is very muscular. Her cybernetics are depicted as metal arms with three-pronged gripper hands at the end.
Trivia
- Heck's nickname was originally short for "Hecatoncheires", the one-hundred handed giants of Greek myth. But in universe it became an ironic nickname about Heck never swearing.
- Heck's birth name was suggested by writer/editor Aaron Olson.
- The nickname “Ladybug” started as a fan art joke, but was then canonized in the season 3 finale.
¶ Breathing Space Appearances (May Include Spoilers)
¶ Season 3
I See the Stars Are Here With Me
Heck grew up as a station rat on Delaney Station, sometimes getting fed by No-Shit Novak, the proprietor of the Noodle Shop on Delaney Station. She had even basically lived there for a time, and often fixed the Noodle Shop as a way to repay that kindness. It was during that time that she met her best friend Cat Novak. At some point as children, the two of them attempted to leave Delaney Station by stealing a tug ship but were caught by a Ranger on their way out.
In her teens, Heck had developed a crush on Cat. Heck had anticipated she and Cat would go together when it was time for Cat to leave Delaney Station to go to school, and was heartbroken when that day came and Cat left without saying anything. She attempted to move on, still fixing the boilers at the Noodle Shop whenever No-Shit needed it, and diving headfirst into her job as a shipbreaker for Delaney Shipyards. During that time, she acquired her cybernetics from the circus, spending six months integrating them into her nervous system.
When Cat returned from Greater Ganymede University, the two did not speak to each other at all. It was only after the untimely death of Cat's ailing father, and the shop's reactor going down, that the two spoke to each other again. The two became locked in the ship's liquor safe in a trap set by the late No-Shit to get them to talk out their feelings. After several drinks and a painful and humorous heart to heart, the two kissed and repaired their 20 year friendship, then immediately made plans to leave Delaney Station together.
The two retrofitted the Noodle Shop, got a quickie wedding from a traveling Caller, and set out to Luna, Terra, Venus, Mercury, the belt, Terminal Station, and Arcturus Station.
Five years later, the two returned to Delaney Station to meet with Avi Blake, a Hephaestan Furnace judge, to reaffirm the Noodle Shop Around the Corner's Furnace Award.
The Day Yukon Died
The Noodle Shop Around the Corner end up docked and taking customers the day that Yukon died. Slick showed off his found kitten, Beans, to Heck. Heck's cat-owning aspirations were immediately shut down by Cat, citing health codes. Slick asked about the Look to the Stars and Find Hope decal in the shop's window, and Cat and Heck's explanation was cut off by static from the redline. Eventually, voices from the channel “Lo-Fi Beats to Redline and Chill To” read off a statement from Yukon Service Representatives, outlining the extent of disruptions from various Yukon services, then the representatives cut the signal with a “fuck this”. Cat was frustrated - she knew something was up when the last batch of shipments were missed. Slick worried about his navigation system, since it ran on Yukon software. Heck confirmed that it would be down, and volunteered to put the old system back in for him, leaving Beans to work her magic on Cat.
¶ Season 4
My Lower Back Seems to Disagree
As Cat warily discussed dwindling supplies caused by the death of Yukon with Anton Proctor - a man oddly plugged into Yukon goings-on, Heck came back from confirming the count of supplies. Anton exchanged names of people he knew in exchange for leads on places to work. Heck suggested Delaney Station to him.
They Will See Us for Miles
With Cat away, Heck took charge of the Noodle Shop Around the Corner. In the middle of extruding new noodles, a woman walked in. Heck recognized her as Charlotte, the mother of Zoya and a former exo-welder. Heck presented her with a “Heck Menu”, seemingly Yardie classic foods, and Charlotte ordered a grilled mac and cheese. The mac and cheese tasted just like mac and cheese Charlotte had had before, making her emotional and Heck panic a little. As Charlotte, overcome by emotion, attempted to pay and leave without finishing her food, Cat walked in. Cat's dour reaction accompanied the revelation that Charlotte was Cat's mother, once upon a time. Heck calmed Cat down and made Charlotte stay in the shop, suggesting they talk. Charlotte revealed her abduction by Tethys pirates, after her escape from Delaney Station and the mind-altering drugs she became addicted to shortly after Cat's birth. Charlotte spoke about being rescued and later adopted by the Peregrination. She had started a new family, which caused Cat to become upset. Charlotte stayed away, until Zoya talked about Heck and “her cool chef wife”, and she needed to confirm that Cat's life had indeed ended up a happy one. The two exchanged comdresses and Cat invited Charlotte over for dinner the next night.
The Yard
During the Noodle Shop Around the Corner's most recent stop at Delaney Station, Heck picked up a few maintenance jobs at the shipyard to keep busy. She was brought in along with “Maggie” Young and “Bread” Baker from Yard 2 to talk about yard songs with Lennon Merlo, and after finding out that there would be no way for Lennon to hear the songs in their full effect without going out in exo, Heck volunteered to be their balloon for the day. Heck helped Lennon suit up, and kept them tethered to her as she got them close to the ship Maggie and Bread were working on. The three were recorded singing “Sixteen Square”, a traditional Yardie work song, for Lennon's GPB series “Chasing a Ghost”.
A Day at the Fair
Not released yet. No spoilers for you.