Profile
Ciao Von Bella is a falconer, the administrator of Tempelhof Diskoord, and one of the leading figures of the Open Wings Foundation. She is considered calm, far-sighted, and hard to fool. Anyone who mistreats a carrier pigeon will quickly learn that Ciao’s wrath knows no bounds.
| Feature | Description |
|---|---|
| Name | Ciao von Bella |
| Affiliation | Tempelhofer Diskoord, Suicide Squad |
| Role | Falconer, Advisor |
| Origin | Tyrolean Alps |
| Areas of Expertise | Aerial reconnaissance |
| Most Important Possessions | Levante, Sirocco, Bora |
| Appearance | Falconer |
| Greatest Weakness | Idealization, animal abusers |
| Demeanor | Wise, farsighted, calm |
Biography
Ciao spent her childhood in the outposts of Tyrol, where she grew up under traumatic conditions due to the nuclear wars raging at the time. From an early age, and out of necessity, she learned falconry so she could communicate via carrier pigeons between the devastated outposts and stay in touch with her family.
Driven by her desire to lead a peaceful and self-determined life —— but also because the nuclear wars were spreading further north —— Ciao fled to New Berlin.
Ciao about Pigeons
“Pigeons were always old-fashioned —— until they were the only ones still working.”
Shortly after her arrival, she met Salt Brah and Funky and helped establish Open Wings. The famous Open Wings experiment, in which she pitted a carrier pigeon against an email, was her idea. The pigeon reached the destination first, which significantly boosted Ciao’s reputation in Neu Berlin.
The launch of Open Wings was a success, and Salt Brah, recognizing untapped potential in her due to her difficult past, appointed her to the administration of Tempelhof Diskoord.
She can usually be found on the rooftops of Neu Berlin, where she tends to dovecotes and aviaries.
Personality
Ciao likes animals more than people, which she openly admits. Nevertheless, Ciao is not some unworldly recluse; in fact, she’s almost too trusting around people. Her calm demeanor leads many to underestimate her, but her mood changes abruptly as soon as animals are threatened. Open Wing customers who treat pigeons roughly get to see a different side of Ciao.
Unofficial Open Wing rule
Anyone who hits a pigeon first loses access to the network and then their will to live.
Ciao possesses neither Funky’s technical aggressiveness nor Spasti’s physical power. However, her tremendous foresight and strategic acumen make her indispensable as an advisor. To better assess missions, she relies on her three companions: Levante the eagle, Sirocco the cormorant, and Bora the owl.
With her foresight, Ciao is one of the few characters who can see through the political maneuvers of Beatrix Von Burg. Ciao feels strong sympathy for Von Burg and even admires her for her aristocratic refinement.
Skills
Falconry
Ciao has mastered the handling of flying creatures to an extraordinary degree.
For reasons unknown, Ciao is a favorite landing spot for crows. Occasionally, Ciao uses them for theft and side gigs.
Seagulls also frequently show up unannounced at Ciao’s. Because seagulls react sensitively to ship movements, Ciao can use their behavior to derive a sort of early-warning system for ship movements in the wider territory.
Carrier Pigeons and Open Wings
Ciao knows practically every major carrier pigeon line in New Berlin. She knows which birds can cover long distances, which remain reliable in fog, and which are better suited for short urban routes.
The flight paths follow a biological logic that Ciao can comprehend and adapt to with her impressive memory. She recognizes when routes need to be established or abandoned and adjusts the connected flight paths accordingly.
Levante
Her falcon, Levante, serves primarily as a scout and a second opinion. He can be sent ahead to monitor ship movements or detect changes in atmospheric conditions.
Example
If Levante returns flying high and calmly, the path is usually clear. If he flies low over the water, he has either been chasing something or has been chased himself. If he lands not on Ciao’s glove but on a raised ledge, this often means that a greater danger is approaching.
Although they are natural predators, Levante escorts the Open Wings carrier pigeons through dangerous territories. Birds of prey that threaten Open Wings routes avoid areas where Levante regularly patrols.
Sirocco
The cormorant Sirocco assists Ciao with underwater tasks. Using small markings on his harness, he indicates locations in the water that require Ciao’s attention.
Funky claims the cormorant is more reliable than half the divers in New Berlin.
Bora
The owl Bora is Ciao’s most important companion for nighttime reconnaissance missions. However, Ciao uses Bora sparingly. Salt Brah occasionally complains that Ciao “lets a bird rest while people have to work.” Ciao usually responds by saying that Bora is smarter than humans.
The Oracle
In the seventh and final book of the Cloud 7000 saga, Ciao comes to the realization that she must convey an incredibly difficult message to future generations. She begins preparing for this and gathering clues as early as the first book of the Cloud 7000 saga.
Kokolores takes this conviction seriously and sees a parallel between it and her own belief that she can hear messages from heaven; she persuades Ciao to help the suicide mission as a scout.
Quote
Kokolores: “Do you think the birds are warning us?”
Ciao: “No. I think they’ve long since been fleeing from something we can’t see yet.”
Relationships
Kokolores
Ciao and Kokolores share a close friendship based on a similar connection to the sky. Kokolores often asks Ciao for advice before making risky decisions.
Their conversations often take place on the outskirts of the rest of the crew —— on decks, towers, or rooftops. They speak little, gazing at the same sky and independently reaching similar conclusions.
Quote
Kokolores: “The sky sounds different today.”
Ciao: “The birds don’t like it either.”
Salt Brah
Ciao reveres Salt Brah far more than she would ever admit. Her respect for his volcanic temperament can range from admiration to outright submission. Salt visibly enjoys her adoration, even though he claims he doesn’t want a cult of personality.
Funky.blend
Ciao Von Bella and Funky.blend share an intimate, deeply ingrained friendship. In dangerous situations, both are surprisingly lost without the other.
Quote
Ciao: “You can’t just yell at every problem.”
Funky: “Nope. Some you just have to screw tight first.”
Ciao is one of the few people who recognizes Funky’s insecurity before she can mask it with mockery. Funky, in turn, notices immediately when Ciao gets lost in forebodings and worries. Then Funky sets down a cup of tea for her, opens a window, and says:
“Don’t look like the sky’s already falling. We’ll figure this out.”