Seth Qorbin
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| Seth Qorbin | |
| Military Information | |
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| Biographical Information | |
| Homeworld: | |
| Language(s): |
Galactic Basic, Bocce, Durese, Huttesse, Mando'a |
| Occupation: |
Smuggler |
| Nickname: |
Golden Boy, Goldy |
| Family: |
Presumed dead |
| Residence: | |
| Hobbies: |
Piloting, shooting, clubbing, gambling |
| Fighting Style: |
Dirty fighting, exploiting weaknesses and vulnerable spots |
| Motto: |
Nothing ventured, nothing gained |
| Physical Description | |
| Species: | |
| Gender: |
Male |
| Age: |
27 |
| Skin color: |
Very light |
| Height: |
6'1" |
| Weight: |
196 lbs |
| Hair Color: |
Auburn |
| Hair Style: |
Short and spiky |
| Facial Hair: |
Goatee |
| Eyes: |
Amber |
| Scar(s): |
A blaster burn across the chest and a slashing scar across the right forearm |
| Tattoo(s): |
The Mandalorian symbol on the right shoulder |
| Cybernetics: |
None |
| Naval Certifications | |
| Top Gun | |
| Tier 1: |
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| Tier 2: |
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| Vast Imperial Marine | |
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| Special Warfare Combatant | |
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| Naval Doctor | |
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| Ancillary Skills | |
| Skill 1: |
Advanced Fighter Maneuvers |
| Skill 2: |
Fighter Tactics |
| Skill 3: |
Interrogation |
| Skill 4: |
Piloting Shuttles |
| Skill 5: |
Environmental Survival |
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Starfighter Mechanic |
| Skill 7: |
Xeno-Martial Arts |
| Skill 8: |
Marine Squad Tactics |
| Skill 9: |
Ground Attack |
| Skill 10: |
Logistics & Supply |
| Skill 11: |
Scouting |
| Skill 12: |
Diplomacy |
| Skill 13: |
Vehicle Mechanic |
| Skill 14: |
Astrogation |
| Skill 15: |
Hyperspace Mechanic |
| Skill 16: |
Infiltration |
| Skill 17: |
Slicing |
| Skill 18: |
Zero-G Combat |
| Skill 19: |
Political Subterfuge |
Contents
Status[edit]
Duties[edit]
- In charge of the Academy - new recruits, returning vets and all manner of classified projects
- Captain of the CcLC Unchained, a ship sometimes operating outside the regular chain of command
- Working for VENI under the moniker of Commander Grey - further information is CLASSIFIED
Skills[edit]
A proven ace in the cockpit of such crafts as TIE Interceptors, TIE Avengers and TIE Defenders, employing a large and varied array of maneuvers (both individual and as part of a group). As a former Squadron Commander and Wing Commander Seth Qorbin knows all about fighter tactics and to some lesser extent about boring, unimpressive logistics and supply operations.
During his often and lengthy stays inside the hangars and docking bays of various ships, the man has also learned a thing or two from the various techs and mechanics he encountered and spent time with. Although he cannot brag about being a mechanical guru, Seth is still capable of usually identifying problems and subsequently trying to fix them, either by following textbook procedures or just going with his gut feeling...
Although a former pilot and nothing else according to his service record, Seth Qorbin has taken advantage of the Vast Empire's various training programs and opportunities. He has learned the basics of surviving in a hostile environment, has improved his accuracy with side arms, shotguns, carbines and even sniper rifles as well as learned various new unarmed moves to employ in close range situations. He has also proven himself capable of leading small teams during short operations.
By associating and eventually even joining with VENI, Seth has further broadened the scope of his abilities. Scouting and gathering information, infiltrating enemy installations, slicing military systems and even fighting in unusual conditions such as Zero-G... these were but a few of the skills the man has so far learned from VENI. Not everything he studied was meant to turn him into a better spy or assassin however. The Onderonian has also studied more about diplomacy and the fine arts of negotiation and manipulation. He has also learned that when diplomacy failed, interrogation and intimidation were often better tools than regular combat.
Biography[edit]
Appearance[edit]
Seth is a rather well built human specimen. Towering at 6'1" and weighing almost 200 lbs he isn't the type to easily be pushed around. Most of that weight lies in his muscles, which he has developed through countless hours of training. The few fights he managed to get himself into likely also helped with that development, if only in some smaller measure at any rate. Speaking of fights he's been in - some provided him with a few mementos in the form of a blaster burn across his chest area and a slashing scar on his right forearm. Both could have been removed to again provide Seth with an apparently perfect body but the human chose against such a course of action. Since they were neither threatening his health nor his prowess, Seth decided to keep them in order to never forget the cost of certain decisions. Besides, scars tended to be admired by both males and especially females... not to say this actually happened to be a large enough part of the reason for keeping them.
Back to describing the Onderonian however. Seth's light skinned, meaning he tends to be slightly more sensitive to direct sunlight than most other members of his species. This also means that even if he wouldn't be trying to protect himself against strong light sources he'd still not really be able to get a good tan. Then again why would a ship captain need a nice tan anyway, right? Ah yes, perhaps now it would also be a good idea to explain how he got his nickname - Golden Boy. The answer well is really quite simple. It was mostly because of his auburn hair and amber eyes, both appearing golden-like under the right lighting conditions. Speaking of his hair and eyes, Seth's got a short spiky haircut and a set of eyes that often received compliments from members of the opposite sex. His nose is fairly average, and weird thing about it is that no matter how many punches were received in that area Seth never ended up suffering a nasal fracture. The Onderonian's mouth is also rather average for the most part - middle sized rugged and sensual lips hiding underneath a perfect set of white teeth. For what it's worth, Seth never had a cavity for as long as he can remember...
The above is how Seth Qorbin looks like. But is knowing that enough to say identify him in a large crowd? Maybe, maybe not. To make such a task easier however one would merely have to get some more information regarding his preferred types of clothing as well as other accessories for example. Well if we're talking off duty then Seth's usually seen wearing a pair of black jeans, a comfortable shirt and if needed a leather jacket almost always worn unzipped. If we're talking about his choice of clothing whilst on the job on the other hand... well come to think of it there really isn't a matter of choice, is there now? As ship captain he's expected to wear the Vast Empire's standard uniform - which he does... at least some of its pieces anyway. Things were so much easier when he was still a pilot, only having to wear a padded flight suit with a thinsuit underneath it. Depending on the chances of him getting into trouble a few weapons are also carried along. A pair of heavy blasters are strapped to his thighs and a neuronic whip is used as a belt whilst a vibroblade is kept attached to the right ankle. Whether all or for that matter any of the weapons listed are carried along again depends on the likely chances of there being any trouble. Trouble... when is an Imperialist not either facing trouble or creating it though?
Personality[edit]
Seth's not the easiest fellow to describe. To some people he might show some side of himself whilst to others he might show a completely different side. Which one is real? Which one is fake? The answer is both... and neither.
He is curious by nature. He was as a kid and he remains so as a young adult. It's not like he can't resist unraveling certain mysteries, but rather that he simply is the kind to prefer learning as much as possible in as many fields as possible, all in order to better help him survive and even thrive in the galaxy.
He is not afraid to try out new things, regardless of society's views on them. What matters to him are his own views of right and wrong, good and evil. He can follow the rules and laws just fine so long as he agrees with them but at the same time he does not hesitate bending or downright breaking them if so doing means he can further advance his own goals.
He is most loyal to those he considers friends. If he finds himself in a position to help them then he usually does so, at times even without being asked for beforehand. He also doesn't mind taking a blaster shot to the chest if that means someone important to him will remain safe because of it.
Amongst friends and acquaintances he tends to be an easygoing person, one that others can easily enjoy having a conversation with. On the other hand he can also be the exact opposite - silent and brooding, hiding who knows what violent thoughts. Or perhaps just being silent, gloomy and bored out of his mind. With him one never knows for certain.
He doesn't mind discussing almost anything, so long as the topic isn't too personal for him. In other words Seth isn't likely to start discussing family, friends or enemies. Although he might mention acquiring certain skills to others, he isn't likely going to elaborate on the issue. At least he isn't likely going to provide the real or true story.
His childhood and everything he experienced thus far have turned Seth into a rather ruthless individual. He might end up regretting certain actions but at the same time he would never hesitate taking them in the first place should that mean that something good would happen because of them or otherwise that something worse would be avoided by taking them.
During his time in the Vast Empire's Starfighter Corps Seth proved himself a smart pilot rather than a passionate one, his movements and decisions always being driven by logic rather than by emotion. Also during his time as a pilot, the man has proven time and again that he prefers operating alone or at the very least in such a way that he would not have to rely on others for help.
His affiliation with the Vast Empire Naval Intelligence agency has also shown him to be capable of extreme acts of cruelty and an almost disconcerting lack of mercy or sympathy. The fact that the man has learned how to easily deal with psych evals is all the more worrisome for some of the higher ups. Then again nobody can say he's not an excellent agent, one that can always get the job done.
As captain of the Unchained, Seth tends to appear calm, uncaring and at times aloof even. Whilst it is true that discipline isn't one of the virtues the man tries to inspire in his crew, it is nevertheless just as true that loyalty and camaraderie are. Above all else however the Onderonian is interested in one thing really - efficiency. So long as something works then he is satisfied.
History[edit]
A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away. . . .
Onderon - a world ever in conflict both thousands of years ago and now as well. A world divided by political ideology, by status and by credits. Royalists fighting imperialists for the right to lead, citizens suppressing the beast riders whilst the latter sabotage the former in retaliation, the rich and powerful residing close to the Palace whilst the less fortunate had to make ends meet in the Commoner Quarter... or worse. A rather pitiful world indeed, and yet even on such worlds the cycle of life continues as if to spite everything else. Yes, even during such times a newborn human boy opened his eyes for the very first time in one of Iziz's many free clinics. His birth alas wasn't really impressing anyone present. It was not impressing the bored elderly doctor, it was not impressing the assisting droid and it wasn't even impressing the woman giving him life. No, Kiala had already given birth to two other healthy children and as such the third hardly posed any further intrigue or mystique. She might have been happy with the new addition to her family if only her mind wasn't struggling to figure out how they would all manage to survive afterward.
Kiala was a 28 year old woman who worked as an assistant for one of the shops in the Merchant Quarter. Her husband Akil was some clerk serving in the Onderon Navy. Their eldest child Silus was at the time 5 and their daughter Tali was 3. The newborn was to be called Seth, as was decided beforehand should he turn out to be a boy. Together, everyone would have to live in a shabby apartment located in the Commoner Quarter. The kids were of course too young to care about such things but the adults did not like that fact one bit. Akil blamed part of this planet wide situation on the ones ruling them - the Kira royal family. He was as such one of the many imperialists wishing for a change... wishing for hope.
I’ve got a very bad feeling about this.
The first seven years of Seth's childhood were pretty boring and not really worth mentioning. He did what most normal kids usually do - play, learn to read and write and more importantly learn some things about his surroundings. Things like how his father appeared not to like the pretty and elegant Queen he would at times see in holovids or how the world outside the small apartment wasn't always safe given the random fights occurring in the streets every now and then. Those fights though hardly stopped a young Seth from sneaking out and exploring. He was the curious sort - wanting to see and experience as much as possible.
During such explorations Seth somehow managed to stumble upon a group of other local kids, a group that he ended up befriending shortly after. The youngest Qorbin member ended up spending quite a bit of time hanging out with his new friends which helped him better understand the world around him and his position in it. He felt tiny and insignificant and at the same time he wanted more for himself - an opinion that one of the other kids also appeared to be sharing as well. Rosh was a year older and was really a great kid. A great kid whose father just happened to be a beast rider - reason enough it seemed for others to look at him funny and whisper in his presence. Being a kid himself though Seth couldn't care less about his pal's genealogy though. He couldn't care less about the whole discrimination issue either for in his own books that was ancient history by now. Why hang on to the past rather than survive the present whilst bracing for the future - it was something that at the time Seth could not answer.
I find your lack of faith disturbing.
"Don't worry about it, you're our good luck charm you know? The day something is to happen to our Golden Boy here is the day the universe implodes..."
The other kids laughed and nodded whilst looking back at Seth, wanting to see whether the teen would still try and say anything else. He of course couldn't. In all the past six years since he had known Rosh, he couldn't recall a single time when he was able to out-talk his friend. Shaking his head in defeat Seth smiled at his buddy as he began admitting his newest defeat:
"Why do I even bother? Although I find your confidence in this legend you created for myself most intriguing... and most disturbing at the same time, you should know that someday your luck - or rather make that our luck - will eventually run out. Still, if today is to be that day then know that I'll yet again stand by your side if only to tell you I told you so."
The others just smiled amongst themselves, already familiar with this kind of outcome. Sure the details always differed but the end result however was pretty much always the same. Even Seth was slowly getting used to being proven wrong time and again. His slightly bruised ego aside, the teen was always happy whenever things did after all happen to work out the way Rosh hoped they would. This after all meant that they would get paid for their services and on Iziz every credit mattered. How were a bunch of brats making money one might ask? The answer should be obvious - the only way they could. They would watch certain establishments and note who would go in and out or they would tail some fellow for a few days and report the findings or pick up some package and deliver it to a destination or other similar activities... The payment for these services came from one of the local crime lords. At least the Onderonian in question was proclaiming himself a crime lord, though his venues were pretty much restricted to smuggling and trafficking for the most part.
He’s the brains, sweetheart!
Truth be told if any of them had the brains then they would've stopped what they were doing whilst they still could but alas the sweet taste of success was simply intoxicating. In just three short years their little gang became quite good at what they were doing. They steadily expanded and ended up trying more and more things - which wouldn't have been a bad thing had those things not also been more and more dangerous as well. Still, Rosh proved himself a good enough leader - one capable of not only understanding how the Onderonian thugs were thinking but also capable of negotiating with them in order to get even better deals. Seth was usually by his friend's side, ensuring he wouldn't become too blinded by arrogance and also ensuring he would be safe during such meetings. Blasters could easily enough be procured by means of scavenging the corpses of those not surviving certain encounters and the teen made sure to get one such weapon. It was a crappy old thing not at all reliable, yet it was the weapon with which he taught himself how to shoot. It only felt like a logical course of action considering his chosen lifestyle wasn't likely going to allow him to die of old age and thus some means of protection would be useful to carry around.
The teenager's family wasn't really a concern either. His father was almost always working, hardly ever being around to notice what was happening with his family. Kiala was still around, yet she wasn't strong enough to keep her kids from doing whatever they pleased. Silus decided to use some of his dad's connections and enroll with the Onderon Navy hoping he'd someday soon become a pilot protecting his homeworld from enemies - both foreign and domestic. Tali as well proved to be a somewhat troublesome kid though for different reasons altogether. The girl apparently fell in love with some young officer and decided to marry him. Akil never approved of their union for the officer happened to be a convinced royalist, one not scared of making that position perfectly known to all around them. Perhaps Seth's entourage and lifestyle weren't quite as surprising considering the messed up family he turned out to be a part of. It wasn't just him however. No, most of the kids in their little gang shared similar stories, all rather tragic from a social point of view.
You can't stop the change any more than you can stop the suns from setting.
By the age of eighteen Seth had accumulated enough knowledge and experience to survive in the streets of Iziz, a city that was growing more and more dangerous with each passing day. Everyone could tell that it was only a matter of time before the whole city, no... make that the whole planet would explode into a new civil war. Not everyone chose to prepare for the inevitable in the same manner however. The military for instance chose to train harder, secure more provisions and station more troops throughout the city. The civilians chose to merely stand back and watch, hoping they would not get directly involved in the coming mess. The underworld chose not to let this opportunity pass by. The demand for smuggled goods was getting larger and larger each day but this in turn caused the local smugglers to become envious of one another. Those that were too weak to defend themselves easily succumbed to those that weren't, leaving the latter category to try and sabotage each other all in the name of greed.
Seth and his gang were one such cell employed to attack a rival's shipment and thus making the target lose some respect and hopefully some clients in the process. The deal appeared simple enough and quite profitable as well. Needless to say Rosh accepted despite the usual warnings voiced by his top lieutenant. Like so many times before, Seth merely shrugged it off and agreed to go through with his friend's plan. A decent plan for that matter, one involving ambushing the shipment from two sides at the most vulnerable spot on its route. Everyone prepared themselves, reached the target area and awaited for the transport to reach them. When it finally did, two members blocked the road with a couple of swoop bikes, whilst everyone else approached the vehicle with blasters already drawn. What came next was something that nobody could have suspected however. As a few of the guys approached the back of the transport all hell got loose. Two blaster shots, a scream, a few moments of silence that felt as if eternal followed by three armored individuals jumping from the vehicle and starting shooting some more.
Unlike their own group, the hired mercenaries actually had some proper battle experience and were also better shots as well. Not to mention that most of the guys hanging out with Rosh, Seth included, had never killed before. What followed next couldn't really be described as a fight but more as a blood bath. Two more members were gunned down before Seth finally snapped out of his surprised state and yelled a single word - "Shoot!". That apparently was enough to make everyone else begin using the weapons they still held unto. The fire exchange lasted for less than half a minute but for Seth and everyone else every single one of those seconds felt like forever. When it was finally over all three mercs were down, along with three other casualties and two wounded of their own. Seth at least had the satisfaction of knowing that he managed to wound one merc whilst also getting the kill shot on another. He was approaching Rosh to ask about what the hell just happened and what they were to do next when the vehicle's driver hopped out and pointed a blaster at the young leader. Seth never hesitated for a moment as his body seemed to move on its own, stopping between his friend and the blaster pointed his way. A flash of red light, warmth, the sound of more blasters being fired and finally the impact with the ground. That is what Seth still recalls experiencing right before seeing Rosh's face worriedly staring down on him and slowly fading into darkness...
"Hey Rosh, I think he's coming through."
The voice was familiar. It belonged to one of the younger members of their small group. Their even smaller group now - Seth realized after remembering what happened before the darkness took him. Lazily opening his eyes, the teen looked around and knew he was likely in one of Onderon's crappy clinics. There were a few of his friends around and he could see Rosh elbowing his way to get closer. Weakly Seth motioned for his best friend to get in closer before whispering something in his ear. The other teenager burst out laughing as he took a step back and smiled sadly. When asked by the others what was said, Rosh spoke in a slightly trembling voice:
"I told you so. He said I told you so..."
It would be another couple of days before Rosh would return and explain the situation to his still recovering lieutenant. Apparently the guy they were supposed to rip off intentionally leaked information about five shipments taking place at the same time. Their own employer sent men to take care of each of those shipments but that proved to be a fatal mistake for it was exactly what his opposition waited for. The attack that took place at the lightly guarded headquarters was bloody but successful nevertheless. The self proclaimed crime lord that had been their main source of income was no more. About half their gang was no more either - lost either in that botched ambush or lost in the aftermath as the weaker individuals realized that a life of adventure wasn't their thing after all. The lifestyle Seth knew was slowly beginning to change...
You’re all clear, kid! Now let’s blow this thing and go home!
Seth's recovery was fairly fast and the teen was up and running in no time. What came next was the truly hard part though. Rosh had the option of either trying to find work with some other hotshot in the Onderonian underworld or try something different instead - try to slowly become a hotshot himself. Seth's counsel was requested and the teen thought about it for quite a bit before finally approving of the bold alternative. He knew full well that such an endeavor would be even more dangerous but at the same time he also knew that if anyone could pull it off, his charismatic and intelligent friend could. And if not... well it wouldn't really matter anyway at the rate things were going around them.
The next couple of months were spent slowly gathering more members, gaining more contacts and putting down the foundation of a small smuggling operation. Everyone tried to keep things at a small enough scale so as to ensure some profit was made - big enough for their needs but at the same time small enough for others to really become envious over. It worked since the other smugglers were either involved in small operations themselves or were otherwise involved in an almost full scale war between each other's larger groups. Things were working more or less fine until the inevitable finally occurred and Onderon found itself dealing with yet another civil war. Chaos enveloped Iziz as well as all of Onderon, and as the military factions fought against each other, the smugglers and opportunists thrived. It was great for anyone not minding the danger and wanting to live on the edge. Seth didn't really want to live that way but at the same time doing so no longer bothered him either.
Two more years were necessary for Rosh to finally complete preparations for his grandest scheme yet. A scheme that would end up having more serious implications than originally planned... The charismatic leader managed to in all that time create a phantom client - one apparently always in demand for supplies. He made sure this client he had created would end up working with all major Onderonian smugglers, thus making sure they would all further trust him to be the real deal. The shipments got from the other smugglers were then re-sold on other planets and even though this meant a steady loss for Seth and the others, the promised end result was enough to keep them all in line. Finally the time came when everything was set and under the guise of a huge business deal, Rosh managed to trick every major smuggler in the system to take part in the deal. This was however merely step one of the complex operation. Step two was leaking information to the imperialists that the New Republic was coming to help the royalists and also leaking information to the royalists that the Remnant was coming to help out the imperialists. Coordinates were given to all parties involved and thus the following set of events was set into motion.
It was never clear which side managed to ambush the other first but from later accounts of the survivors, apparently the imperialists came first and took up ambushing positions. Next came a wave of smuggler ships and whilst a small portion of the imperialists was fighting them, most of the royalist navy joined the fray. What came next was complete and utter chaos as reports state that every single ship present there was shooting at anything it did not recognize as an ally. Many ships were destroyed that day and many good pilots were lost. On the other hand this meant two things for Seth and his gang. One, the military presence above the Onderonian skies would weaken making smuggling operations safer and thus even more profitable and two, the other major smuggling bosses managed to either lose too many ships in that incident or managed to cripple themselves financially upon losing the large cargo that the phantom client was no longer around to buy anyway, meaning that the opposition was no longer as threatening as before. Rosh's plan proved an absolute stroke of genius.
That very same plan that would in the following months ensure Seth and his gang would finally become key figures in the Onderonian underworld also led to a major turn of events affecting everyone else as well however. Hearing that republican forces may join the royalists and fearing that would make the latter too powerful, imperialists launched a renewed attack. They were determined to succeed and thus weren't overly concerned with possible civilian casualties. If they would finally manage to take the palace then they would merely call those who lost their lives martyrs having sacrificed themselves in the name of democracy. This was apparently enough to make the imperialists fight like there was no tomorrow. They continuously pushed the royalist lines further and further back until their aerial superiority started taking hits. Losing that edge was enough to demoralize the ground troops, causing them to break formation and eventually pull back to the safety of the Commoner Quarter - the one sector in Iziz that even royalists would think twice before openly attacking.
This turn of events proved good for business as over time the imperialists would come to rely not only on their own official supply routes but on the smugglers help as well. They had to win and for that goal they were prepared to deal with anyone capable of helping them out in someway. Although the coming months would be most lucrative for Seth and the others, the teen would find out that the price payed for such ambitions was a tad steep - both his mother and brother lost their lives in that fight. Kiala happened to be caught in a crossfire whilst his brother managed to get shot down by some rookie that later rumors said wasn't even a full fledged pilot yet. The remaining members of his family followed soon enough. Tali was gunned down together with her husband by imperialist fanatics. The news neither surprised nor saddened Seth however. Knowing his brother-in-law's tendency to flaunt around his political orientation, such an ending was to be expected really. As for Tali, she had chosen to both live and die with that man. It was her decision and Seth couldn't stop thinking that she probably died without regretting it - the kind of death that anyone should aspire to. The one that probably still held on to his regrets as he departed that wretched world was Akil. Royalists overran his position and as the other imperialists realized they were likely going to lose, they chose to instead initiate a self-destruct mechanism. Whether his old man died at the hands of the royalists or in the blast - that is something Seth will likely never know...
What a piece of junk!
In less than a year Rosh found himself pretty much controlling the Onderonian smuggling ring as well as other somewhat questionable venues. With Seth having managed to remove or convert the competition and with half of the military not only turning a blind eye to their activities but in fact supporting them for their own benefit it was hardly surprising though. Onderon was more or less safe for the time being and that provided the gang with a new challenge - that of expanding their business venues to other systems as well. For starters, three other systems were chosen - the one with the Mandalorian homeworld included. That was no doubt the most dangerous of them all and that was the one that Seth volunteered to go to. He no longer had anything else to keep him on Onderon and he knew Rosh would be safe in his absence. Besides, he was getting somewhat bored of his usual job activities - negotiating, intimidating and every so often fighting small fry. Rosh was somewhat reluctant at first, not because he wasn't trusting his friend's motives or skills but precisely because in a way he came to depend upon that support. They'd been together for almost a dozen years and no matter what they faced they were always in it together. In the end though Seth managed to convince his pal that this was a good decision after all. It was one of the few debates that the teen actually managed to win in all those many years...
So it came to be that Seth found himself on board a shuttle heading for Mandalore. There he was to meet with Riyec Keithel, a Mandalorian that had seen his fair share of battles and that happened to also have contacts all over the system, including the palace, the local underworld and even the Death Watch. He was as such a most valuable individual to keep around, one that would end up playing a huge role in the teen's life. The first thing Seth would notice upon finally dealing with the Mandalorian would be the latter's hands-on approach to pretty much any problem. Rather than sitting back and ordering others around, he would instead choose to do as many things as possible by himself. Since Seth was supposed to learn some trade secrets from him, the Onderonian found himself accompanying him pretty much anywhere. This proved a wise decision, for during those times alone, the two of them often spent their free time discussing local and galactic politics, military strategies and even philosophy. The Mandalorian history and culture also happened to be one such subject of discussion and Seth found himself intrigued by the things he was learning from his new found mentor.
"Loyalty. Honor. Might. Bravery. Wisdom. Stick to these five virtues and you can think yourself a tiny Mandalorian..."
It was a joke that Riyec made during a routine job, yet Seth found himself taking heed of it nevertheless. It sounded like as good a code as any other... except perhaps the honor part. Was honor supposed to be upheld all the time or could it be forgotten during wars and similar in order to increase wisdom for example? Nothing like a deviously created plan to win a fight with as few casualties as possible, regardless of whether the circumstances happened to be honorable or not. This was a dilemma that Seth however decided to keep to himself, not really wanting to hear the answer from the older Mandalorian.
During the next two years Seth pretty much accomplished his goal - that of creating a somewhat safe and steady operation on Mandalore. He also happened to learn a great deal more from Riyec in that time, including the finer points of piloting a ship which was an ability that came in handy when facing pirates and dodging military blokes.
"You have some talent there but it's still raw and unyielding. It's good you rely on your instincts but a truly good pilot needs to have a bit more discipline as well. I've pretty much taught you enough to keep you alive in space but I can't teach you how to unleash your true potential. That kiddo you'll have to discover for yourself."
That simple comment was enough to make Seth consider an alternative he never previously thought of. His father tried luring him into the Onderon Navy a few times in the past but that never really appealed to the teenager. Too much wasted time on simple sims, lectures and drills and too little time actually honing one's abilities. The fact that smugglers and even regular cadets could take on full fledged Onderonian pilots was proof of this. There were however a couple of Navies out there that were stronger than the rest. One was the New Republic's but their might came from carefully planned out attacks. The other was the Remnant's and their might came from actual skill and teamwork. The latter is what Seth decided to give a shot. First he set everything in order on Mandalore and after bidding his farewell to Riyec, Seth returned to Onderon where Rosh and the guys were pretty much thriving thanks mainly to the smuggling business. This was in turn giving the allied imperialists some small advantages but overall the political situation on Onderon was still unchanged. Seth rested on his homeworld for a couple of weeks before he once again set out, this time to join one of the Remnant's factions - the Vast Empire.
This will be a day long remembered.
Joining the Vast Empire's Naval Academy was easy, especially since the recruiters were accepting anyone in. The knowledge Riyec imparted unto him, as well as Seth's own skill quickly helped turn the Onderonian into one of the most promising recruits of his class. Upon graduation he was placed in one of the Empire's top squadrons - the 153rd Rhegent's Reign. There the blond pilot flew as Gamma-3 until tragedy struck the Vast Empire's Naval brass. In a single terrorist attack, many of the veteran leaders were taken out thanks to poison. Given the urgent state they found themselves in, the newly reformed Naval Council had no choice but to make many - and in some cases extreme - changes throughout the entire Navy.
One such change also involved Seth Qorbin as well. The pilot was being taken away from the squadron he had served in thus far and was instead being transferred over to the ISD-II Iron Duke to serve as Squadron Commander of the 82nd Nightshrike squadron. It was a huge step up for the Petty Officer. The man was certain the move would only be temporary - until such a time that a proper replacement could be found and brought in... but that never happened however. Whether it was because no replacements became available or because Seth actually seemed to function well in the new role - the man was never able to confirm which was the case. Not that he allowed that dilemma to trouble him for long though...
No, Qorbin chose to instead focus on his new position and try to help the other pilots survive for longer as a result. Slowly but steadily Nightshrike's performance improved - so much so that it eventually made the top 10 squadrons in the whole Empire. The Onderonian planned to take it all the way to #1 but alas was once more transferred before he got a chance. This time around Seth Qorbin found himself on the massive mSSD Atrus, commanding not only a different squadron but being named Wing Commander as well. Using that position, the man was able to outfit his new squadron, the 412th Razor with not only the best crafts but also with the best pilots he could get his hands on.
I suggest a new strategy...
His subsequent performance in the field was nothing short of stellar - the Onderonian quickly turning the Razors into the best squadron in all the VE. As Squadron Commander he was fully entitled to feeling proud, smug and arrogant about such an accomplishment. Although his squadron performed almost flawlessly each time, the rest of his wing did not unfortunately reach as impressive results. Seth was actually partly to blame for this... Rather than moving his elite pilots in the other squadrons and thus homogenizing the entire wing, the blond pilot preferred to stack similarly skilled pilots in the various wings. Some were thus more successful than others. Some alas had more casualties than others too... It was unfortunate but it was at the same time also unavoidable given the Vast Empire's conquering campaigns.
It was around this time that Seth Qorbin also caught the eye of some VENI handlers. At first he was asked to run a few ops - one or two of them black ops at that - against various targets both outside VE's borders as well as within. Successful completion of those missions finally earned him a place as a spook within VENI's ranks. The Onderonian's time was next split between being a Wing Commander officially and doing various odd jobs unofficially.
As time passed he witnessed further changes in the Navy - eventually being once more assigned to a new squadron and wing, this time aboard the ISD-II Adjudicator, under Wyl Trykon's command. This time around the change wasn't as sudden or as abrupt however and the veteran flyboy managed to pull enough strings to get many of his old pilots reassigned to his current post. The newly reshuffled squadron, the 38th Vornskr easily rose to the top once more, again thanks in no small measure to Seth Qorbin's mentality - that of maximizing a unit's potential whenever and wherever possible. The man was also doing quite good for himself as far as his undercover position was concerned. For his ability to take care of problems - as well as his ability to keep silent about them - the man was eventually promoted within the unknown ranks of the VENI agency.
You came in here and you didn’t have a plan for getting out?
Alas, it would be this very affiliation to VENI that would end up causing the man to lose his best friend Rosh Kayryht to some rogue agent bent on revenge. Rather than breaking as a result of such a tragedy, Seth Qorbin instead returned to Onderon and after taking over his friend's position as local crime boss, the man made use of every resource at his disposal to find and kill the wretched rogue agent that had dared go against his friends.
A great deal of credits were used to finance the following operation. Allies were sought out, favors were purchased, mercenaries employed, guns and explosives acquired and lastly information was delivered by a loyal VENI colleague. Weeks of planning and preparations finally came at an end when a window of opportunity presented itself and Seth, aided by his associates, managed to not only kill the treacherous VENI agent, Johnathan Tyrell but also succeeded in capturing a Remnant Moff in the process. The latter was delivered back to VENI's leader, the man known only as Captain Grey.
To award Seth's dedication and ability to pull all that off, Captain Grey further promoted the Onderonian within the organization, giving the latter the moniker of Commander Grey and essentially giving him almost free reign as far as most rules were concerned. As a full fledged Grey, Qorbin also managed to step outside the regular chain of command, being offered a chance to fly his own ship, with his own crew. So long as his actions would continue to benefit the Vast Empire, Seth Qorbin would essentially be able to enjoy the highest degree of freedom such a regime could possibly offer one of its followers.
Service History[edit]
Ranks[edit]
| Ranks | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Insignia | Rank | Start | Until | Reason for Promotion |
|
Crewman | July 1, 2010 | July 7, 2010 | Graduated Flight School |
|
Senior Crewman | July 7, 2010 | October 25, 2010 | Outstanding writing and activity |
|
Petty Officer 2nd Class | October 25, 2010 | March 20, 2011 | Display of leadership and activity |
|
Senior Chief Petty Officer | March 20, 2011 | May 16, 2011 | Activity |
|
Master Chief Petty Officer | May 16, 2011 | August 13, 2011 | Leadership in Nightshrike |
|
Warrant Officer 2nd Class | August 13, 2011 | August 30, 2011 | Work alongside Supreme Moff Kadann and continued service |
|
Warrant Officer 1st Class | August 30, 2011 | November 28, 2011 | Work within 2nd Fleet: High Stakes at Belgaroth |
|
Chief Warrant Officer | November 28, 2011 | June 30, 2012 | Work within VEN: Out of the Invisible |
|
Ensign | June 30, 2012 | December 5, 2012 | Auto promo for IM cert completion |
|
Lieutenant Junior Grade | December 5, 2012 | February 8, 2013 | Quality of posts in both Fleet and VENI |
|
Lieutenant | February 8, 2013 | February 8, 2013 | Delayed FOCE completion |
|
Lieutenant Commander | February 8, 2013 | March 12, 2013 | Auto promo for SWC cert completion |
|
Commander | March 12, 2013 | May 17, 2013 | Naval Ranks reform |
|
Lieutenant Commander | March 17, 2013 | October 12, 2013 | Great writing and dedication |
|
Commander | October 12, 2013 | Present | |
Positions[edit]
| Positions | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Position | Start | Until | Reason | |
| Trainee | July 01, 2010 | July 03, 2010 | Joined the Vast Empire | |
| Flight Member - Raptor 6 (Raptor) | July 03, 2010 | July 07, 2010 | Graduated Flight School | |
| Flight Member - Gamma 3 (Rhegent's Reign) | July 07, 2010 | February 4, 2011 | Switched Squadrons | |
| Squadron Commander - Alpha 1 (Nightshrike) | February 4, 2011 | February 4, 2012 | Big changes all around the Navy | |
| Wing Commander (Javelin) | February 4, 2012 | November 30th, 2012 | Naval Reform | |
| Wing Commander (Blade) | November 30, 2012 | July 4, 2013 | More Naval reforms | |
| Ship Captain (CcLC Unchained) | July 4, 2013 | Present | Switched from SFC to FC | |
| Chief of Naval Training | July 4, 2013 | Present | ||
Awards[edit]
| Awards | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ribbon | Award | Award Name | Date Received | Reason |
|
|
[MC2] | Merit Cross, Second Class | July 18, 2010 | Writing Skills |
|
[IG] | Imperial Guardian | October 25, 2010 | Writing Skills and constant activity |
|
|
[SoV] | Star of Valor | March 20, 2011 | Display of leadership and activity |
|
|
[CoB] | Cross of Bravery | August 13, 2011 | Leadership in Nightshrike |
|
[BWC] | Bronze Writing Commendation | February 10, 2012 | Self-awarded |
|
[SWC] | Silver Writing Commendation | February 10, 2012 | Self-awarded |
|
[NS-H] | Half Year Service Ribbon | February 10, 2012 | Self-awarded |
|
[NS-1] | One Year Service Ribbon | February 10, 2012 | Self-awarded |
|
[NS-2] | Two Year Service Ribbon | July 19, 2012 | Self-awarded |
|
[GWC] | Gold Writing Commendation | July 26, 2012 | Self-awarded |
|
|
[LSM] | Long Service Medal | July 26, 2012 | Self-awarded |
|
|
[CC:F] | Counterpunch Campaign: Famine | November 30, 2012 | Participation and completion of Counterpunch: Famine |
|
|
[MiD] | Mentioned in Dispatches | November 30, 2012 | Suggestions regarding ways to simplify the roster and incorporate VENI ranks/positions |
|
|
[*IG*] | Imperial Guardian | February 8, 2013 | Quality of posts in both Fleet and VENI |
|
|
[CC:W] | Counterpunch Campaign: War | February 8, 2013 | Participation and completion of VEN: Counterpunch: War |
|
[VC:B] | Victory Cross | February 8, 2013 | Quality of posts in both Fleet and VENI |
|
|
[VC:E] | Victory Cross | May 12, 2013 | "For the story, to which he contributed almost 10k words, and for his continuing work on his outstanding – and innovative – series of linked stories for VENI, incorporating Ancillary Skills posts and Naval Certifications work" |
|
|
[DSM] | Distinguished Service Medal | May 12, 2013 | "For the story, to which he contributed almost 10k words, and for his continuing work on his outstanding – and innovative – series of linked stories for VENI, incorporating Ancillary Skills posts and Naval Certifications work" |
|
|
[CC:D] | Counterpunch Campaign: Death | May 12, 2013 | Participation and completion of VEN: Counterpunch: Death |
|
|
[CNQST] | Legion of Conquest | May 12, 2013 | Contributing to the Navy’s #1 story of all time |
|
|
[PWC] | Platinum Writing Commendation | July 20, 2013 | Self-awarded |
|
|
[NS-3] | Three Year Service Ribbon | July 20, 2013 | Self-awarded |
|
|
[WM0] | Wiki Maintenance Award lvl 0 | August 1, 2013 | Wiki Maintenance |
|
|
[*IG*] | Imperial Guardian | August 2, 2013 | Excellent story posts and duty as CNT |
|
|
[LoM] | Legion of Merit | October 12, 2013 | Great writing and dedication |
Story Participation[edit]
| Story Participation | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Story | Start Date | End Date | Type | Post Count |
| Operation: Raptor Squadron: A Simple Course | July 5, 2010 | ? | Basic Training | 3 |
| 153rd Rhegent's Reign: Over victory | July 8, 2010 | ? | Rhegent's Reign Introduction | 1 |
| May the Wicked Never Know Rest (Prospectives) | July 10, 2010 | ? | Osk Recruitment | 2 |
| Asteroid 19: Mihawk showdown | July 14, 2010 | ? | Joint Squadron Training Exercise | 5 |
| Dead Men Tell No Lies (The Osk Company) | July 28, 2010 | ? | Osk Story | 6 |
| Rhegent's Reign: Forgotten Lights | August 1, 2010 | ? | Rhegent's Reign Story | 7 |
| Raptor: Man vs. Wild | August 12, 2010 | ? | Raptor Story | 2 |
| Rhegent's Reign: Reasons for War | November 10, 2010 | ? | Rhegent's Reign Story | 5 |
| Raptor: Overwhelming Odds | November 24, 2010 | ? | Raptor Story | 1 |
| VEN:Into the Invisible | January 27, 2011 | ? | Navy Story | 10 |
| DeepSix: Fighter Tactics | February 17, 2011 | ? | Skill Story | 1 |
| DeepDix: Interrogation | February 18, 2011 | ? | Basic Training | 1 |
| Nightshrike: Shore leave! | March 21, 2011 | ? | Nightshrike Story | 2 |
| 2nd Fleet: A Page from the Rebels' Book | March 29, 2011 | ? | 2nd Fleet Story | 3 |
| All in a day's work | April 22, 2011 | ? | Osk CD | 1 |
| Nightshrike: The Spread of Corruption | May 14, 2011 | ? | Nightshrike Story | 5 |
| Wheels Turn and Gears Grind. | July 12, 2011 | ? | Osk Story | 2 |
| Taskforce Aurek: Veni Vidi Vici | June 6, 2011 | ? | Task Force Story | 3 |
| 2nd Fleet: High Stakes at Belgaroth | August 8, 2011 | ? | Fleet Story | 9 |
| Nightshrike: Bones and junk and darkness too | December 11, 2011 | ? | Squadron Story | 3 |
| VEN: Out of the Invisible | March 1, 2012 | ? | Navy Story | 7 |
| DeepSix: PS, ES & SM | July 11, 2012 | ? | Skill Story | 5 |
| DeepSix: IM t1, IM t2, X-MA, MST | July 12, 2012 | ? | Skill Story | 9 |
| Tuk'ata: A story of awesomeness | July 1, 2012 | ? | Wing Story | 6 |
| DeepSix: Logistics & Supply | July 25, 2012 | ? | Skill Story | 1 |
| DeepSix: Ground Attack | July 25, 2012 | ? | Skill Story | 1 |
| DeepSix: Imperial Marine Tier 3 | July 28, 2012 | ? | Skill Story | 6 |
| DeepSix: Logistics & Supply (take two) | July 29, 2012 | ? | Skill Story | 3 |
| DeepSix: Scouting | July 29, 2012 | ? | Skill Story | 1 |
| DeepSix: Astrogation & Hyperspace Mechanic | July 31, 2012 | ? | Skill Story | 3 |
| DeepSix: Diplomacy | August 1, 2012 | ? | Skill Story | 1 |
| DeepSix: Vehicle Mechanic | August 1, 2012 | ? | Skill Story | 1 |
| Tuk'ata: Of Warriors and Men | July 29, 2012 | ? | Wing Story | 1 |
| 2nd Fleet: Counterpunch: Famine | September 28, 2012 | ? | Fleet Story | 2 |
| VEN: Counterpunch: War | December 4, 2012 | ? | VEN Story | 23 |
| Peace of Mind | February 9, 2013 | ? | Skill / VENI story | 5 |
| VEN: Counterpunch: Death | February 9, 2013 | ? | VEN Story | 9 |
| DeepSix: Zero-G Combat | February 10, 2013 | ? | Skill Story | 1 |
| Pits of Passion | February 24, 2013 | ? | Skill / VENI story | 4 |
| Unwavering Strength | March 10, 2013 | ? | Skill / VENI story | 6 |
| Fall from Power | May 8, 2013 | ? | Skill / VENI story | 4 |
| A Pyrrhic Victory | July 2, 2013 | ? | Skill / VENI story | 5 |
| Unchained! | July 19, 2013 | ? | VENI story | 7 |
| Chapter 9 Prelude: Navy | June 28, 2013 | ? | CHAPTER 9 | 8 |
| CLASSIFIED | May 26, 2011 | ? | CLASSIFIED | 18 |
| Total: | 209 | |||
