Thel Valamdaee

Faction: Mandolarion Military
Department: Intelligence/Special Forces
Rank: Corporal

Name: Thel 'Valamdaee
Race: Levianeili
Age: 36
Height: 7'5
Weight: 269 lbs
Birth place: Leviantalos

Appearance: Thel, like the rest of his species, is a monster to look upon. From the top of his head to the tips of his toes is a being designed to be a warrior in every way. Like all members of his kind, Thel has a brownish colored skin that has a leathery shine to it. The skin is as touch as leather as well, making it strong enough to take a minor hit with relative ease. His eyes, a dark shade of green, is an uncommon color among his species, yet this attracts little more than a possible second glance. Mixed with the yellow slit in the middle with a black core, Thel's eyes give him a frightening stare even to the most hardened. Four powerful mandible's, lined with six razor sharp canine teeth on each one, form his mouth. A large scar digs its way across his upper scalp, from below his left eye up to the tip of his head and down to the crown of the back of his head. Because he almost always is seen with his helmet on, not many know of or have even seen this scar.

Like his breathen, Thel's body is a muscular work of art. Finely toned muscles give him an imposing figure, increasing his already incredible size. Standing at 7'5, an above average height for his kind, Thel rarely has to look up to meet someone's eyes. His form is often hunched however; knees bent, back hunched forward, his neck allowing him to easier look down to his smaller comrades. His arms, powerful and lean, extend down to just below his waist, giving him a reach much longer than your average human. Along with the muscles earned over years of training are countless scars, rights of passage obtained in his training. The scars vary in shape and size, most of them from fights against his fellow Levianeili. The others, more specifically the much longer ones, come from his swordsmen training and trial. Unlike the scar his helmet hides, these scars are too numerous to be hidden by his armor; bits and pieces of them are clearly visible even while he is fully armored.

Thel almost always wears his customized Levianeili armor, even while not on duty. Since leaving his planet, Thel has modified his armor's appearance from its normal black tinge, coloring it a dark green to match his own eyes. Crimson lines dot the chest, shoulder and leg guards, while a black symbol from his home dots his gloved hands. Being a former Nra'ke, Thel's helmet is a completely sealed one, hiding his facial appearance from others. Like the rest of his armor, it had been colored to match and a single curved fin has been added to the top, extending backwards to the back of his head. A T shaped visor of the Mandolarion people extends from the tip of his nose to reach either side of his helmet, extending over his eyes. To further add to it, Thel has added two elongated spikes that extend from either side of his helmet just below the eyes to rest several inches past the main helmet, resembling tusks. However, he still retains his standard helmet and wears it whenever he does not feel the need to mask his face. Usually, this is because he is speaking with a superior or wishes to express fear in someone, even though either helmet would serve to do that. Thel's armor is also made with Mandolarion Iron, or Beskar. He was granted the right to build his armor when he passed the verd'goten, which granted him official status as a member of the Mandolarion culture. This makes it highly resistant to energy based weapons on top of its hard exterior.

The only time Thel does not wear his armor is when he is alone, resting or visiting his homeworld. In the armors place lies a basic robing of his species. Covering his body from the upper neck all the way down to his ankles, the robe is fairly light and allows for a great deal of movement despite its hulky appearance. If one had to compare it to a form of clothing worn by humans, it would most resemble a kimono. The robe completely masks the body underneath, save for the head, neck and bare feet. The sleeves reach down to the wearer's wrists, with enough room for one to place their arms in the opposite robe without difficulty. The bottom fits loosely over the legs, allowing them enough room to move but not leaving a lot of excess. Rarely do robes from Leviantalos match one another in design however, even if the differences are small and subtle. In Thel's case, his robes are a sandy beige. Green adorns his collar, cuffs and the base of the robe, while a light brown covers his chest area on either fold. The sash matches the robe in color, although it has a slightly darker tint to it to make it stand out more.

Personality: Every situation requires a different approach. It is by this ideal that Thel acts, depending on the circumstances at hand. Since there are thousands of ways for a situation to play out, Thel usually sorts and orders those situations into four key areas: the way he should act while visiting home, the way he acts while on other planets, the way he acts while on duty and the way he acts while in combat. Although they share similar traits, there are differences that can be spotted by those who know him well enough or just have a good eye.

When Thel is visiting home, he acts like a Levianeili should. He holds his head high. He greets his fellows with the honor and respect they deserve. Even though he is still a relatively young warrior, Thel still commands great respect from his fellows, mainly because of his accomplishments at such a young age. Thel does not look down upon any of his kind, unless they have greatly shamed themselves and their respective family name. He admires children, seeing in them a part of himself that he knew so many years ago. Among his people, Thel rarely has to express anger or hatred, expect in the most cursed of circumstances. An example of this would be those who have yet to earn their honor flaunting it anyway in an attempt to gain false respect. Thel shows great disdain to other members of his family name who shame themselves, but he does not abandon them completely. Thel often tries to push them in the direction they need to go to regain that honor, for both the individual and the good of the family. This includes challenging them to honor duels if the need arises. Thel also wishes to have children but shows great sorrow at the fact that he cannot have a single wife and lover because of his swordsmen status. Being in the company of people who raise their own children has also made Thel start to question if doing so would be such a bad thing, but he has yet to fully follow through with that idea.

Then there's Thel when he's on planets that aren't his. Outside his own species, Thel almost downright refuses to speak to anyone unless he has too. This stems from years of being told that compared to his kind, all other species are inferior; in both intelligence and physical ability. He has been told many species care more about their pockets than honor and from what he has seen, Thel cannot disprove that notion. When he has to speak to them, Thel makes sure to slacken his posture so that he looks less imposing. He forces his tongue to speak kindly to them, having learned that when not on duty, intimidating people doesn't always lead to good results. He wears his armor while traveling, for he feels his robes are meant only for his own time, whether it be at his homeworld or aboard the ship he is on while he is resting. Still, his obvious dislike of other species is easy to see. He sits away from others whenever he visits a place to eat, tries to keep his distance from them while walking their streets and sleeps outside if he has to, much preferring to sleep in nature than in a dwelling with them. Of course, sometimes he is forced to, in which case he simply gets what he needs and locks himself away until he leaves or has to go out.

Military action is where Thel feels truly most at home. Its in this environment that Thel can take advantage of all that he has learned, all that he has been trained for. If it were his military that he served, he would proudly stand beside his brothers, order and respect them in accordance with their rank and standing. Since that is not the case, he does the next best thing. He acts towards people based on their accomplishments and actions. Because most Mandolorians fight with honor and have usually performed great deeds during their lifetime, Thel finds that he can treat most of them with almost the same respect he treats his breathern. Like at home, he despises those who would shatter this honor by using cowardly and cheap tricks. Thel knows, however, that not all species or cultures are as honorable as his is, so he leaves some room for understanding when they use them. Not a lot of room, but enough so that he doesn't backhand them the second they try them. Luckily, the Mandolorians tend to fight fair and square. Or they improvise to handle the situation, a tactic Thel finds acceptable depending on how one makes use of it. Since Thel's race has a high level of intelligence, Thel often assists on tactical meetings, putting in his input. Thel looks at all angles of of a situation and looks for the one that leads to more success than failures. He looks at terrain, numbers, weather, weapons, etc. He also looks at what would cause the less amount of damage to non-combatants. Although Thel knows that anyone can be a potential combatant, he constantly has to remind himself that his people and other species can be different in that regard. He does agree that woman and children should not be targeted, even though a small Levianeili child can easily become a combatant. Thel's favorite saying about battle is that a warrior's greatest pride comes from two things: how many they can fell before they fall and how many they can save with that sacrifice.

Finally, there is Thel's personality when in direct combat. Analyzing battle from afar is much different than analyzing a battle when in the heat of one. Decisions have to be made faster, with less time to break down the facts. Luckily, Thel's intelligence and experience allow him to make those critical actions much easier than some fresh off the rack rookie. If Thel is alone, facing a single enemy, he faces them head on, using whatever kind of combat the enemy tries to use. Gun for gun, fist for fist, sword for sword. In each of these areas Thel is exceptionally well trained, making him deadly either way. He shows respect, like in all aspects of his life, to those who fight and die honorably. For cowards, he grants them the honor of a death they do not deserve. When he has to lead a team, Thel takes a slightly different approach, utilizing the same tactics he uses when viewing a holo of a battle. He uses every advantage he can get and aims to do the most damage to the enemy with the least damage to his side. He will kill only those who require it, armed soldiers and leaders. If a child or woman arms themselves, Thel tries first to handle the the simple way, which in his case is by disarming them. If that fails, he will not hesitate to slaughter them. Most of the time, he manages to do the first approach. Thel also commands with a calm head and usually assigns people to tasks based on their skills and how well they performed before. A test is something he often does for new recruits, one that he uses to determine their role in the upcoming battles. Thel will never ask any man or woman under his command to do something he himself would not do. Finally, he follows many of his kind's military policies, such as being the first on the field and the last off and the pray for the respected fallen.

Skills: Battlefield Tactics - 6
Piloting Skills - 5
Computer Use - 5
Demolitions - 4

Attributes:

Physical Strength: 8
Intelligence: 6
Speed: 6
Leadership: 6

Unarmed:7
Melee Weapons: 7
Ranged Weapons: 5

Alignment: +2

Bio:



On 3637 BBY, on the planet Leviantalos far into the Outer Rim, a small Levianeili child took his first breath and opened his eyes for the first time. His mother, Rima Valamdaee, gripped her son tightly into her arms after nearly losing him, naming him after her grandfather, a well respected warrior. Then she passed out from the exhausting efforts of her labor. And thus, Thel Valamdaee was born into the world. Normally, this was no real cause for celebration; hundreds of children were born everyday. But Thel's birth had been special. Rima had come to term much earlier than expected, something that had almost cost her the life of her child. Even though she was able to make it home in time for those who would help her in the birth to assist her, more bad luck had followed. Thel had gotten stuck on the way out of his mother's womb and worse yet, he ended up coming out feet first. His head remained inside the body, unable to breathe. And a minor cut one of the doctors had accidentally inflicted had turned into a hemorrhaging flood. Time for both mother and child was short. However, some god or stronger force guided events that day and just when all seemed lost, Thel broke free. The child safe and the mother out cold, the doctors rushed Thel from the room in order to perform an emergency procedure on Rima. They knew they would be disgraced for it, but they could not let a child's mother be taken from him so soon. Meanwhile, Thel's father, a great warrior who's name Thel would only learn later, took his son in his arms and held him high, examining him. He did not smile on his face, instead settling for a smile in his heart, then handed Thel over to his brother. Then he left, knowing that he could only watch his son from afar.

Erpa Valamdaee took Thel to a basin to cleanse him while he waited to hear the results of Rima's condition. For two days, he waited. Meanwhile, one of his fellow Levianeili looked over Thel, checking to see if there was any visible damage to him from the almost fatal birth. The doctors were not allowed to examine him themselves, for while both the father and Erpa had agreed they could perform their dishonorable act in order to save Thel's mother, they would not taint Thel's new existence with their tools. If the child was incomplete, it would show later in life. On the night of the second day, one of the two doctors silently came to Erpa and informed him of the news; Rima had died from the wound. Without hesitation or even a second thought on the matter, Erpa snapped the man's neck, then carefully laid him down on the floor. Praying for him to find a more honorable position in his next life, Erpa snapped at one of his fellow's to see that Rima's body was properly taken care of. He informed his brother himself of the event. He knew that his brother would not be able to visit Rima's body until after it was buried, an honorable sacrifice for one who earned the rank of swordsmen, but the sooner he knew, the less of an effect it would have on him. Snapping at the other doctor to see to the dead one's affairs, Erpa took Thel and left Rima's home, intending never to return to it.



Thel was only kept with Erpa for six months before he was placed into the Fra'mi, a gathering of young infant Levianeili. Here Thel would live until he was old enough to be taught and trained to be the warrior he could be. But the Fra'mi itself would be a very test of Thel's ability. The newborn child, only now learning how to walk, would be faced with a daunting task everyday, even if he didn't quite understand it yet. The task of being the best one could be. The Fra'mi Thel was placed in only had children born within the last year, mixed together at random in order to avoid mixing children of great warriors on purpose. Who one's father was mattered not in this small little family. To these children, they would all be the same and only the one's who desired it most would be seen differently. They were of different families and of different parts...and yet within this small room they would spend all their time in over the next few years, they were all brothers and sisters.

The first of these years were uneventful, as many of them were still young, just barely becoming familiar with their own bodies. Thel was one of them, spending his first year and a half learning the basic things that small children learn. This included learning to speak, learning to walk without falling flat and starting to interact with his fellow children.For these first few years, Thel and his "family" were no different than the offspring of any other race. It was after that brief incubation period that the differences began to show. As purposeful thought started to begin within the children minds, so did their training. Once all the children reached that stage, members of their families would come and go, teaching the children minor tasks at first, like how to read, how to write, how to speak. For Thel, Erpa was that family member and his first words to him every visit was the same. He told him that every day is a struggle. Every day he would have to show why he was better, why he deserved to stand atop the heads of his fellows and declare his might. This phrase would eventually be burned into Thel's mind so deep that even his small child brain would never forget it, even as years passed.

As if the gods had blessed him when he was born, Thel showed himself to be of a higher class than most his brothers. Everyday was the same in his teachings from Erpa. Write this phrase out, then write it again over and over until its burned into your mind. Then speak it. Then speak it again. Then speak it while writing it. Read this passage, speak this passage, copy this passage. Other children were learning other things along with their common ground tasks, but Erpa insisted on repetition of the most basic kind. Gradually, the phrases would grow harder, longer in length and much more difficult to read. Day in and day out for the next three years molded this style of learning into Thel so that he did it with his everyday tasks as well. Within a year of being taught how to speak, Thel was speaking sentences with proper grammar, even if they were childish phrases. Two years in and he was speaking with a more mature attitude. And by the third, he was able to read, write and speak better than any of the others, even with stuff he had yet to ever read or write. Each family had a different way of teaching and raising their own and Erpa's method of repetition focused on performing something till every fiber of that task was engraved into the learner's mind. This way, he told Thel one day, that event would be remembered for years to come, even if one missed a day or two. Fine tuning was the way his father and him had been raised and it had lead to great results. Erpa then told him that the next few years of life would be much more difficult, for soon he and the others would be old enough to start hunting. And that's when his methods would truly show their effectiveness.

"To be the best, one must WANT to be the best"

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As Erpa had told him, the following years of Thel's life was unlike his earlier ones. Physical training became something they had to do daily; smaller stuff at first but it was only a matter of time before they would advance, just like their basic learning. Thel's day became a complicated schedule of various tasks and teachings, all designed to weed the strongest out in front while putting the weaker in the back. And then finding a way to force the weaker ones to become the stronger ones and so forth in order to promote competition among the children and better the group as a whole. An average day of Thel was a short job around the cities streets, followed by a quick decent breakfast. Then they would learn basic classes, such as reading, writing and other important subjects. This was again taught to them by their relatives, although now they switched up who was teaching them every now and then. Of course, the switched members were relatives of the specific child only. Learning from another family would take away any advantage they might have during the hunts. After their teachings, they would again perform physical activity, followed by lunch. After that, the children were free to interact with one another and explore the areas near the Fra'mi common room. Then, when supper had come and passed, the children would be taught history of their kind before being send to bed. Thel, following his uncle's methods, would repeat whatever he was taught in both words and writing, going so far as to write it several times over to make sure he got it.

Finally, when all the children were around the age of seven or eight, the hunt's began. The hunts were a basic test the children were to take every day, without exception for the first few months at first. When they were given their free time, all of the children within the Fra'mi would locate and kill small feathery mammals known as Chi'po's. The Chi'po's were fast, quick and clever enough to know how to evade predators much bigger than them. Being a native species to the planet, there was never a short supply of them; in fact, the secondary reason for the hunt was to keep their numbers down, for the reproduced quickly and often in large litters. In order to kill them, the children would have to use their wit in combination with their physical abilities in order to succeed. The child with the most kills at the end of the day would be acknowledged as the greatest in the group for the remainder of the day. That honor would be stripped as soon as the morning sun of the next day rose and the ritual would be repeated. Obviously, the more times one came out on top, the better it was. In accordance with their traditions, their families were not allowed to teach them anything about the Chi'pos, nor give them something that would give them an advantage over the others. Again, one would only achieve this task by relying on their own strength.

Thel's first day on the hunt was horrible. The Chi'po's proved to be worthy foes to the young child, dashing as soon as Thel caught sight of them. They ran into places Thel could not reach, ran off into crowds of people in order to hinder Thel's pursuit and otherwise showed how clever they could really be. At the end of the day, Thel hadn't managed to catch one, while his fellows had all at the very least managed to catch one. As a result, Thel was forced to repeat study instead of having dinner with the rest of his brothers, getting only water to drink. It was a punishment Thel hadn't faced yet, having always been one of the best in the Fra'mi. This setback, however, did not dim the fire within Thel's heart. Instead, it inspired him to find a way to succeed. Finishing his extra lessons, Thel went about replaying the day in his mind. Since they had no advance knowledge on the Chi'po's and he couldn't obtain information from Erpa or texts, Thel could only use what he remembered from the day. And from what he heard from the others. As night fell, Thel sat close to the three who had caught and killed the most Chi'po's, but kept his back to them. The three of them were talking amongst each other, talking about how the kills they had made. While they were smart enough to not speak about how they caught them, they did let slip little details about the creatures that Thel did not have himself. He factored in this new information along with what he saw from the day. He spent the most of the night lying awake, running through that information in his head and how to use it.

The next day, after all their early classes, the children were let loose again. This time, Thel kept his distance from the first Chi'po he encountered. Just like the other children had said, he'd found it nearer to the darker places on the streets. In this case, near an alley. From what he saw the other day, if he approached the Chi'po directly, it would flee. If he made too much noise, it would flee. He could try and kill it from far away with a throwing weapon of some sort, but he wanted his first kill to be with his own hands. Thel knew that the longer he stood around waiting, the farther and farther behind he would fall compared to the others. But Thel accepted that. To rush headfirst at this would most likely cause it to fail and all his thinking would have been for nothing. Still, he knew he had to think of something. Glancing around, Thel covered his eyes to block out the rays from the sun that were blinding him as he searched. Then an idea came to Thel. Moments later, a dark shadow fell atop the Chi'po, pinning it to the ground with two powerful hands. It squealed as it tried to escape, then went silent as Thel snapped its neck. In the moments that followed, the outside world became silent to Thel/ He could only hear the beating of his heart, the warmth of the blood on his hands, the rushing of his blood. Was this what it was like to take a life? Curiously, he lifted the creature to his face and looked at it. Its eyes were closed, the body lifeless. Despite the Chi'po having a beak instead of a mouth, Thel could swear its expression showed the fear it had in the last moments of its life. And it looked so peaceful now that its life was gone. The rush he felt was soon replaced by regret for the life he had just taken.Looking around, Thel took the Chi'po and placed it under a series of refuse, apologizing for having taken its life. A shadow behind him made Thel spin to see who had come up behind him only to meet Erpa's piercing gaze. Thel broke eye contact with him, afraid his uncle had seen his act of regret. Silence followed for a few moments, then a hand rested on his shoulder. And Erpa nodded in approval.

"Now the real work starts"

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As it turned out, Thel's regret at the lost of life was the correct choice. In battle, commanders had to make orders that would send at least some of their soldiers to their death. To not feel anything about this action would be disrespectful to those that died as a result. But the pain could only come after the fight had ended, not during. If it did, it could compromise the commander's ability to lead safely and send even more to the same fate. Regret was good....but he had to learn to put it past him until the proper time to grieve. Erpa had told him that he would understand the meaning of it when he was older. For now, he had taken his first step towards becoming a warrior. He came in last again, unable to take another life that day. But he had plenty of time to improve. Days turned to months and months turned to years. After the first few months, the hunt's were no longer mandatory. Still, many of the children continued on with them, using it to hone their skills. Training and studies grew longer and more intense with each passing day. With each day that passed, Thel adapted and grew, turning whatever knowledge he gained from the day before into another way to obtain more. Gradually, he increased the number of Chi'po's he managed to take down each day, moving greatly up the ranks. Within about a month of the mandatory hunt ending, Thel had become the best hunter, being able to grab a Chi'po with lethal precision. This was a direct result of all that he had learned about hunting them, along with the development of his body. Strong muscles were beginning to form all over his body, allowing him to be faster and stronger. As the days went on, Thel noticed someone watching him from afar every now and then, but figured it was just another Levianeili observing the next generation. Unknown to him, the Levianeili that was watching him was his actual birth father. Even though he would never know, his father had visited as often as he could to observe just what kind of child he had produced. And so far, he was impressed.

Soon, many of the children had reached the age of fifteen. Once the last child turned that age, they gathered them all in the common room. Every child had their relative at hand that day and one other made up the room's patrons. Clad in blinding white, the Levianeili soldier inspected the children one by one. He prodded them, felt their muscles beneath his hands, asked their relatives or themselves a question. When he reached Thel, his eyes widened for just a moment, noticing Thel's features resembled his fathers. A quick glance and nod from Erpa confirmed that for him, but he showed no more emotion over the matter. After hearing that Thel had become without a doubt the most skilled member of the class, the warrior suddenly snapped a strike at Thel's head with the back of his hand. Thel responded, ducking the sudden blow and charging towards the warrior's chest, sweeping in his arms low to hook the warriors legs. The idea was to slam his body weight into the warrior's chest, grabbing his legs as he did and pulling them back, allowing him to slam him to the ground hard on his back. Erpa had told him that when someone attacked you, you attack back. No matter how strong they may be. The warrior didn't even flinch from the charge, instead simply reaching out his other hand and connecting hard with Thel's face. Thel snapped back from the blow, but stomped his feet hard onto the ground to keep from falling on his behind.He was about to attack again when the soldier raised his hand to inform him to hold, then moved back to the head of the group. In a loud, gruff voice, the soldier identified himself as a Pra'ko of the Levianeili military. He had been sent to assess this Fra'mi and to decide which of them would be recruited. Those that failed would be sent out to the fields to further train until they were deemed ready. After that, silence followed. Every child in that room remained upright, their inner voices kept quiet as they waited for the Pra'ko to speak. Thel himself was running through thoughts in his head the whole time. Had that attack been a test? Had he failed? Had he passed? What was the look in the Pra'ko's eyes when he had looked at his face?

To his relief and probably to the relief of the rest of the children, the Pra'ko turned his mandibles into what passed as a smile for the Levianeili. All of them would be accepted into the military academy. However, there would be no special treatment or punishment based on how they performed in the class. Just like they had come into this common room all the same, equals with no names to live up to, they would enter the military at the bottom. And just like here, they would earn respect and advancement through their own skills and power. Before he left, the Pra'ko told them to repeat a phrase he would speak. Translated into Basic, the phrase said "Respect and honor for all that deserve it. Swift death to those that have none." With that, the Pra'ko told them all to defer to their relatives for details about their enlistment, then left them to their own devices. The second he was gone, the children started talking, to each other and to their relatives inquiring it. There were no praises or offers of congratulation, only talk of what the next day would bring. Erpa pulled Thel aside while the others talked and patted him on the back. A sign of his respect.Erpa told him although he had made a poor move against the Pra'ko, only the Pra'ko's experience and training granted him the ability to shrug off Thel's attack. Against any of the others in the common room, it probably would have worked. Thel bowed his head towards Erpa, thankful for the advice. Erpa gruffed a response, then told Thel when and where to go the next day to begin his real training. Turning to leave, Erpa was stopped when Thel gently put his hand on his shoulder. Erpa turned to face him, curious as to what had made Thel stop him. Thel didn't meet his eyes for a moment, then met his gaze. He asked what the Pra'ko had asked Erpa about regarding him. Erpa crossed his arms, looked out the door at something only he seemed to see, then turned back to him, growling a little. He told him that the Pra'ko had inquired to who his father was and Erpa had informed of who it was. He waited for Thel to ask him the same question, but Thel remained quiet. Erpa gave off the same grin that the Pra'ko had given, nodding his approval. He had learned well. Bowing to Erpa, Thel returned tot he common room to talk with his fellows. Before they had been rivals in order to become stronger. Now they would become brothers for the same purpose. The real tests were about to begin.

The Military Academy

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The next day, Thel and the rest of his Fra'mi arrived at the Academy. They weren't the only ones. At least a hundred more stood outside the Academy, conversing in small groups . Some looked stronger physically, others looked like they had been through the ringer, and some even looked like they had lived the life of luxury even though they probably hadn't. When all of them had gathered at the entrance, a Levianeili clad in blue armor approached them. He told them to separate so that they were broken up into the groups they belonged to. To Thel's surprise, they didn't group as he had expected. Aside from his group and one other, the remaining students grouped in smaller groups no more than ten. One Levianeili even stood by himself. Once they had all were grouped, the soldier nodded, then indicated them to follow. The group traveled into the large academy, moving about large hallways and open atrium's. Other students wandered about, eying the newcomers. Thel, located somewhere in the front of the pack, eyed them carefully as well. They would soon become his classmates and fellow soldiers, so any details he could commit to memory now might be helpful later. Thel noticed that there were no females but this was to expected. Even his Fra'mi had been all males. Females were cared for in a different Fra'mi; trained just like them but also taught other tasks that males didn't need to know. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity of watching those who watched them, the group arrived in a room just large enough to allow them all to sit in rows. At the end of the room stood a single man, who wore simple robes with a military tone. The warrior turned to face them, reading their posture and faces. He motioned for the soldier to take his leave, then barked at them to stand at attention. The sound of a few hundred feet snapping up and thumping together echoed around the room and down the halls, like a bomb going off. Every one of them tilted their heads up, clasping their hand behind their back. Little by little they had been prepared for this day and now that it was finally here, anticipation creeping into Thel's veins. There was a little hint of fear as well, but he knew he couldn't show it. As soon as they were all quiet and standing firmly, the warrior gave them a small speech. The speech was simple, a brief talk about what they had come from, what they would aim to become and what was in the in between. After that, he gave them a chant for luck in their language, then shooed them away. As Thel left the room, he buried that little thought of fear. It would only cripple him here.

And so life at the Academy began. Like he had been told, life at the Academy was similar to life in the Fra'mi. However, whatever he learned in the Fra'mi was, pardoning the bad pun, child's play compared to what the Academy threw at him. The days all started the same, waking the students before the sun had started to rise. Their first task of every day was a mass gathering outside the Academy, grouping them into groups of thirty or more. From there they all recited the speech they had been given, albeit altered slightly to acknowledge them as a whole. Following that, the groups of thirty would go about their daily schedules. The groupings were always changing with each passing day, cycling the members so that every student worked with one another at least once. Because this initial training would last for at least a year, they would soon become very well acquainted with their new brothers. After the morning prayer and a quick gathering to have breakfast, the students were ushered into various kinds of classes. Each group started one day with one class, then started the next day with another one. They would alternate like this for two standard weeks, then for one whole week each class would focus on only one area for a day. Since this was random and determined by the staff the night before, no one could predict what they would be doing the next day, forcing them to adapt quickly when they found out. This itself was an old training technique, designed to prepare one for the ever changing conditions in the field and how to adjust themselves quickly to them. Most of the students figured this out right away, including Thel.

Classes were broken down into several key areas: military tactics, physical training, history, combat drills and piloting were just some of them. In each of these areas, Thel did what every one of them had been trained to do. Succeed. However, he did not aim to succeed by sabotaging his brothers; many of them in fact helped each other along, sometimes at the cost of their performance. Commendable as it was, they only failed because the idea was to succeed as equally as your brother. Thel found this to be the most daunting task of all. In order to find that balance, one had to find the correct way to aid their comrade and yet still perform to the same level. One could not take a bullet for another or help one up unless they could be sure they could continue on as easily. And of course, to need that kind of help in the first place was shameful when it alienated your ally. This underlying principle was found in all the classes, especially ones concerning teamwork. As daunting as the task was, Thel knew he had to find that balance. He would find that balance. Anything less was shameful to him and to his uncle, who had given all his knowledge to Thel so he could succeed.

As the days passed and the first year dragged on, Thel looked in every way possible to find the answer to that balance. It was not easy. The history classes yielded the simplest answer; what one did not know, the other might. By sharing this knowledge, they both gained the rewards without risking the other one's status. Collective knowledge, something they would have to do on the battlefield in order to accomplish their duties quickly and effectively. Other classes weren't so easy to come by. Day in and day out, Thel went into the individual classes looking for the those answers. And slowly but surely, he was finding them. In truth, it was the teamwork classes that helped him to find the answer. It first dawned on him when he realized the reason they were constantly cycling the student groups. By doing so, every student got to know each other. This included their habits, their likes and dislikes, something that makes them who they are. And also their strengths and weaknesses. Military tactics had taught him that the more one knew, the better they could use that knowledge to create an effective plan. If Thel knew what and where his teammates would be the most effective, he could move to his full ability without having to worry about them as much. It probably wasn't the best answer, but for the moment, it was the only one Thel could find. And for the most part, it worked.

Using this idea as a basis for his classes, Thel started to show great improvement. While flying, Thel would cover the things his wingmate was poor at and his teammate would cover his weak points. By observing how his teammate flew to cover those weak points, Thel found the things that he was doing wrong and finding the right method to correct them. Sometimes he would even use his teammates methods, if it yielded the best results. He only used his teammates methods once though. After that, he found a way to adapt that method to his own style so that his weak points were covered by a more permanent solution. This applied to his combat training drills and teamwork sessions as well. What he could not do he left to others, focusing instead on what he was good at. That turned out to be close quarters combat and reading the battlefield. He also had some skill in hacking and demolitions, although he left those to others unless he had to perform them himself. Tactics was the one place he didn't need to rely on others, something he could perform exceptionally well on his own. That didn't mean tactics didn't require the help of others. The battlefield was always changing. Sometimes an unexpected event would happen, or the enemy would change their own tactics. One had to be aware of these changes as soon as possible and that's were teamwork came in. While one would lead, the others would continue to supply that leader with updates on the evolving battlefield. The teachers liked to shuffle the situations, throwing in different traps or tactic changes to keep them guessing. It was through this that the entire class learned to switch tactics on the fly, to find the best answer based off what they knew and what they had at their disposal. And Thel excelled at that. Of course, the teachers also threw in scenarios that there could be no victory. Impossible scenarios. The teachers way of showing the students that not every battle could be won. They encouraged them to fight until the bitter end, inflicting the maximum amount of damage possible. The student would be judged based on when they decided to retreat. The later in the battle, the better. They would also get more points based on how many of their troops were able to actually leave the field. Thel found it hard to decide when to retreat, often leaving too early or leaving too late. Something that he knew he would have to correct for future dates.

By the end of the first year, Thel was quickly showing just how good he could be. Already he was at the top of the class in combat tactics and combat training. Others were better at piloting and there was no real leader during teamwork sessions, unless the teacher designated one to be group leader during the class. When they did, they often choose the ones who showed the best results from previous sessions. Thel's body was progressing nicely as well, the heavy physical training sessions doing their job well. At the end of that year, the same group he had been admitted with was gathered again, with the same teacher who had greeted them when they first arrived. Unlike their first meeting, the group quickly folded into the room and stood at attention, silent as a mouse. The teacher nodded in approval, then addressed them on their progress. He had to admit he was impressed with how quickly this group had progressed in terms of skill. Other groups had progressed faster, making them no special case. But it was impressive nonetheless. Still, their training was far from over. They would spent another four years in this place, repeating the same lessons over and over again. More lessons would be added in as time passed, gradually becoming more and more difficult. They would most likely not experience anything they hadn't already dealt with; only more extreme manifestations of them. After that, the best of them would be admitted to the military forces while the rest would be forced to repeat another year. He did not tell them that "the best" was not the top students, but rather the students that fell into that area as suggested by their trainers. By not telling them this, they would all try to become the best, effectively increasing each others potential in the process. The entire class could become soldiers or none of them could. With a curt nod and a repeat of the saying he had spoke when they first met, the teacher left them to their schooling.

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Four years could be an extremely short time when everyday was filled with harsh physical and mental training. Time itself was lost to Thel; his mind filled only with thoughts about how to succeed the next day. And with each passing day, Thel found those ways coming faster and easier. The rigorous training both his mind and body went through each day showed in his day to day tasks. His body, now filled out with strong muscles; his mind honed to the peak of its intelligence. Always more was there to learn, always more he could do to strengthen his body. And in no time at all, Thel was meeting again below that same watcher's gaze. This time, the teacher was flanked by two members of the military, dressed in the clothing and armor of the military's recruiters. Recruiters, as Thel had been taught, were trained specifically in the art of spying the best and weeding out the weak. They would find the ones in their group who stood a head above the rest, even if they stood only an inch above the others. Standing in single file lines numbering ten per set, Thel and his brothers kept their heads held high, holding their respective stances for the recruiters to investigate. And for what seemed like hours Thel stood in his stance, his body stiffening from being in the same place for so long. One by one, the students were taken into a room just beyond the large one they stood in. Inside, the recruiters would view the students in much greater detail. When it was his turn to enter the examining room, he marched into the room with his head held lower than the others. Out of all the students, Thel was probably the best overall. But he knew he could better himself, that some of his classmates were better in other areas. Until he could prove completely that he was the best, he would not raise his head above the others. When he entered the chamber, Thel met the recruiters hardened gaze with one of his own. The recruiter snarled at him, then rose his hand to strike Thel. Thel didn't flinch as the hand came at him. Years of training and instinct kicked in and he slipped his head to the side, catching the hand firmly in his grasp as he did. He dumped all the power he could into the grab, pushing down hard on the recruiters wrist. The snarl became a chuckle, followed by a nod of approval.

Thel released the recruiters wrist and gave him a curt nod in response. And for the next few minutes, he went over Thel's statistics, both in and out of class. He reviewed his test scores, looked over his physicals, even looked at how much food Thel consumed each day. After a screening that took roughly about twenty standard minutes, Thel was excused and told to inform the next student to enter. Returning to his place in the lineup, Thel waited with the rest of the reviewed students for the others to finish. The completed group didn't have to stand at attention, so Thel rested against the wall, reading from a datapad information about the swordsmen rituals. Someone had mentioned that he was the child of a swordsmen, a thought that could have been spurned from fact or rumor. It didn't' matter to Thel. Becoming a wielder of the sword was a great honor and only the best of the best were given that role. If he passed this test and firmly suited himself into a military role, he would look into attempting the trials. It would the greatest test he could conquer. A test that would show his earned skills, not the ones he obtained via genetics. As much as it would seem that he was simply following in his father's footsteps, if his father was indeed an honored swordsman, Thel would find a way make it his own. Thel was so absorbed in his reading that he did not notice that the last of the students was being ushered out of the examination room and that the recruiters had called for them to assemble. A nudge from his fellow brother snapped him from his thoughts and Thel quickly lined himself up, keeping his head held high despite his small blunder. After making sure all the students were lined up and at attention, the teacher praised them for their excellent scores. Others before them had proven better, but they were among some of the best in recent years. And although he wished all of them could pass, it was not meant to be at this current time.

Only the best could be recruited and the military had a certain standard they used to select their new recruits. They wouldn't go into specifics about those standards, but told them that those who passed were chosen for very good reasons. Those that did not pass should not be ashamed of it; they should use it to spur themselves to become better for next year. The military would gain because of it and so would they. Calmly and quietly, the teacher took a list from one of the recruiters and started to read it aloud. Thel waited patiently, tension tightening every muscle in his body as the teacher went down the list. The teacher wasn't only calling out the names of those who passed. He was also saying who was not accepted this time as well. As such, the teacher went through the whole list alphabetically, the failing students leaving as soon as they were told. As the teacher approached Thel's area of the alphabet, Thel felt the world slow around him. He expected to hear his name, hear them say he hadn't passed. That he would have to walk out of this room with his head held down in shame. To his inner joy, the teacher called his name with the words of praise that accompanied the ones who passed. And indeed he had. Thel snapped his head high, locking his eyes on the teacher. He inclined his head for a moment, a sign of respect and acceptance towards his superiors. He waited while the rest of the list was called out, then tightened the lines when the teacher motioned for them to do so. All in all, about forty of them had passed. Each of them rivaled Thel in body and more often than not, excelled in an area that Thel did not. Still, the reverse was also true. Thel excelled in areas that they didn't as well. Each of them waited for the teacher to speak several words of praise and congratulations before leaving himself, leaving them at the mercy of the recruiters. Once the teacher was gone, the recruiters informed the students when and where they were to report the next day. To Thel's surprise, he was being posted on board the Vigilant Justice, a small war cruiser. As soon as all of them had been assigned, the recruiters beckoned for them to leave and prepare. As Thel went back to his room and gathered his things, his mind went to the future. And it was only looking brighter. But that light was soon replaced by darkness and Thel would learn just what he had walked into.