The reclusive 'mountain man' of the planet Barsol, Joad is an isolated, half-crazy hermit who keeps to himself in his tiny camp partway up a mountain located in that world's permanent mist layer. There, he lives in a cargo container that he calls his 'house', hunts local wildlife, and has long, animated conversations with himself, who he often refers to in the third person.

Joad experienced an unexpected intrusion when Edon Stamms, recently evacuated from the doomed vessel Good Samaritan, knocked him out and stole his hunting rifle and some of his food. Needless to say, the mountain man didn't react to the later arrival of the crew of the Neutrino Sledge in nearly as neighbourly a fashion... though he did ultimately make peace with them and help them on their way.

While Joad is friendly to strangers (if they appear benevolent), he is desperate to keep his location secret and will take any measure to see that it remains so.

A grungy character living the most hard-scrabble life imaginable, Joad has a wild mane of curly grey hair, a scraggly beard, and wears a pair of antique eyeglasses - clearly an oddity in this technologically advanced galactic society.

Back to Characters