Shrike
Rharrk 'Shrike' Zaltli
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Birthplace Voidborn Age 42 Rank Lord Faction(s) Independent Home Susevfi Species Rishii Gender Male Force Sensitive Yes Organisation SCA Current Assignment Susefvi Heritage Height 5"4' Weight 108 kg Hair Color Charcoal Eye Color Baleful Blue Skin Colour Pink Distinctive features Scarred Beak, oddly coloured eyes Writer Marco Truesilver Image source Abernathy, Twitter -
Profession Forensic Accountant Personality Traits Pragmatic Ambitious Intelligent -
�Ship Fondor Haulcraft Equipment Lightsaber IB-94 Blaster Pistol Clothes Brown Jacket Pendent (Crystal, Kyber)
Biography
A void-born Rishii, Rharrk Zaltli had little to no connections to his homeworld. His parents, refugees, fled Rishi aboard a Wayfinder Guild freighter. The guild operated almost exclusively within the Rishi Maze, notable for their outstanding skills as navigators and pilots, they have often been put into service by corporations and governments operating throughout the sector. To ensure renewal amongst their ranks they would accept volunteers, but more importantly, accept children as payment.
Rharrk would become such an individual, growing up amongst the stars under the protection of the guild and the stewardship of his Captain. He had several significant relationships amongst the crew, but none so significant as the quartermaster Syre. Syre would teach him many skills that would establish a strong foundation in bookkeeping. At the age of 13, their ship would be attacked by the Sith who sought to acquire artefacts the crew had been transporting.
Subsequently, many of the crew would die as they tried to repel the boarders, but it was a fight they could not win. Syre would count herself amongst them. Meanwhile, Rharrk would find himself press-ganged into the service of Murdin. No better than slaves, Rharrk received rudimentary combat training and would soon find himself amongst the vanguard of his master's conquests. The gullible and broken perceived this as an honour, but Rharrk and others were all too aware of their master's reasoning.
Repairing live machinery... Navigating a minefield... surviving a frontal assault against a reinforced barricade...
Once is Luck, Twice is a Coincidence, Thrice is a Pattern
Rharrk would soon find himself with a reputation. One that caught the attention of senior figures within Murdin's inner circle. He would be summoned and tested, resulting in his recruitment and training. Pharrk would study the Force, its origins and philosophies. During this time, he would build upon his reputation earning the respect of the ship's crew, firm but not heavy-handed. Respectful even, and willing to listen and act upon the concerns of his servants. Things that Murdin cared little for.
As his confidence grew, Rharrk would begin planting the seeds of doubt amongst Murdin's inner circle. During an attempted conquest, an elite troop of commandos would receive orders to engage a reinforced fully supplied hardpoint. The order themselves wasn't suspicious, it had been intended but only after bodies had been sent to exhaust their supplies. They attacked too early, resulting in heavy losses for the squadron until Rharrk intercepted and covered their escape forcing Murdin to abort the mission.
One of Murdin's agents in deep cover would receive a transmission warning they had been exposed and to exfiltrate via a cargo haulier. The Cargo ship docked with a prison ship in high orbit, resulting in their capture and exposing several other agents in the subsequent interrogations.
A string of failures, all in Murdin's voice. Unsurprisingly, the Sith Lord set his Spymaster to task in uncovering the traitor, Rharrk was all too happy to lend his aid resulting in the discovery of a cache of evidence indicating Murdin's betrayal. Inevitably, the inner circle collapsed into fighting leaving Murdin alive but wounded. Rharrk capitalised on the opportunity, capturing and lobotomising the Sith. For a time, Murdin was thought to be still alive and there was some truth to that, orders continued to be issued in his name and despite some irregularities, many carried out his orders. In truth, Rharrk was the man behind the curtain slowly dismantling his former master's achievements, by now Murdin was well known and likely a target and Rharrk had no interest in inheriting that kind of heat.
His fleet would soon be captured and dismantled by the RTL when found Murdin was in a vegetative state, Rharrk resuming his post as a prisoner amongst friends would lay low, carving out a respectable career as a forensic accountant under the employ of the Susefvi Chartered Accountants (SCA). For those that know him he is rather ordinary, if a little eccentric but what wealthy person isn't?
As a Sith, Rharrk cares little for conquests and looks down upon those that would expose themselves. He views the modern, crusading Sith as a problem that needs to be stamped out. While no ally of the Jedi, he is not above working with them albeit in secret. Since defeating his master, more than a few have attempted to strike against his perceived inactivity viewed as a weakness, while he does not command an army he does have a strong retinue of loyal agents who may act on his behalf.
In the worst case, he is not defenceless and more than capable of holding his own in a duel, only do not expect him to simply kill. Death is wasteful and too good a fate for many.