James Shears

Captain James Shears was a Titan Pilot who served in the Frontier Militia. He was KT-0298's first Pilot, and was linked with her for 967 days over the course of sixty-seven deployments before he was killed by Tobias Four on Nedar.

Birth of a Titan
Shears was present when KT was first activated. He was already a Captain at that time, and would appear to be the first Pilot she ever linked up with.

Skirmish in the Snow
In what would ultimately be his final assignment, Shears and KT were assigned to the Militia outpost on Nedar. The area was attacked by IMC forces, and the two played important roles in the defense of the base.

They were separated when Shears ordered KT to help assist the other Pilots and Titans, and proceeded to fight on his own. He and Tobias would eventually engage one another, with Tobias being knocked unconscious from a grenade Shears had thrown. Unfortunately, the IMC Pilot would land a fatal shot against Shears with his sidearm.

Death
Bleeding out in the snow, Shears was the only human left after the skirmish. KT stood watch over him, guarding him from further harm as he died. Unexpectedly, the very Pilot who'd mortally wounded him would approach and offer comfort to the older man. Accepting Tobias's mercy, the two of them made peace with one another's actions before Shears took his last breath. After he died, the neural-link between him and KT was broken.

Personality
Shears was revered by many as a skilled Pilot and reliable comrade. When Gates learned of his death, she internally remarked that he'd been a good man, one that was both capable and dependable- a rare combination.

He cared deeply about the lives under his command, and that care extended to his Titan. On Nedar, he opted to fight alone rather than with KT because he believed that the other forces needed her help and protection more than he did- a belief that would cost him his life. And though he upheld the belief that the mission came first, KT would later reminisce about the fact that he always at least placed her safety second on his list of priorities.

It can also be assumed that he was rather forgiving in nature, or at least not one to hold a grudge. Though he fought against the IMC, he was more than willing to accept Tobias's company as he died, and helped Tobias see that perhaps peace between the two interstellar factions was still possible given the right circumstances.

Trivia

 * Shears has no actual dialogue in the book- everything he's 'saying' is interpreted through his behavior by Tobias
 * Shears is the first named Militia character to die in the series