Aaron

A German Shepherd of considerable size, Aaron shows off the classic markings of his breed: a tan and black coat, a dark mask over his face, and a saddle of black fur draped across his back. His build is powerful, from the strong jaws of his long, squared muzzle up to the rounded dome of his forehead.

Large upright ears sit parallel atop his head and open toward the front, his nose is black, and his eyes are medium in size, giving him an alert, watchful expression.

Aaron's temperament has swung between extremes. Under Keith Kepler's control he was drilled into a fierce attacker, tracker, and explosives carrier, bold enough to charge straight at Loid Forger while the spy fired at him. That courage had limits: the sight of an enraged Yor shielding Anya terrified him so badly that he abandoned his own handler and fled.

Life with Sylvia Sherwood reveals a completely different animal. He becomes playful and affectionate, holding no grudge against the people he once hunted, though he stays dramatic in his moods. A messy apartment, a friend who fails to recognize him, or the discovery that his name was chosen on a whim can all set off visible sulking.

The Project Apple experiments left him mentally enhanced, able to understand human speech, and he pays far closer attention to his surroundings than the famously spacey Bond. Whenever his excitement boils over, Sylvia settles him with food and praise, a method that never fails.

Before the events of the series, Aaron endured the same experimentation that produced Bond Forger. The terrorist cell of Berlint University students led by Keith Kepler later conscripted him as one of the explosive-laden dogs meant to kill Minister Brantz. During the plot he pursued Loid, who was posing as the minister, tracking him over long distances and dodging gunfire at speed, until Yor's fury sent him running.

After WISE rounded up the surviving animals, Sylvia Sherwood honored a promise made to Anya that the remaining dogs would be cared for and brought Aaron home to her apartment. The two grow into an almost familial pair, sharing walks, a competitive streak, and a dog park rivalry against Loid and Bond. Reunited with the Forgers under happier circumstances, he greets Loid warmly, nearly brawls with Bond over a forgotten face before the two resume playing, and welcomes Anya's affection, proof that his old hostility was conditioning rather than character.