Term 1- Joined the Navy Military University, sent off planet

Term 2- Navy Officer of the Line, met Oskar and saw Captain Brannigan ruin Oskar’s life and limbs.
Got promoted despite Captain Brannigan. Served on the USS Saratoga
Term 3- Sent on a special assignment, did Not get promoted (though I should have been), tired of the
Navy and its politics and inept leadership. Retired from the Navy early.
Term 4- Tried to land a job as a Scout Surveyor but they were not hiring in the systems I was in.
Drifted for a while and ended up on the Cornelia Marie. Met (dan) the enforcer/merchant and we
became drinking buddies.
Term 5- Got the job as a Surveyor Scout on the Survey Frigate Bright Horizon and Dan tagged along.
Met my current girlfriend, Kaylee. On route to (the current star system) their interplanetary war
broke out and through sheer luck and some fudging of documents acquired the salvage rights to the
Falling Star. However, in order to secure the salvage rights I had to disregard orders from the Wylan
Mining Corp and they are not pleased with me (enemy).

Zand hails from Roma Prime. A TL 11 world where life on the streets is vastly different than the life’s
of the affluent population. Families work seven days a week just to get by. Many people die while
working in the factories that keep the powerful in power. There are rarely opportunities to get out of
this life, only the smart or the pretty can leave this life behind. The military offers the best chance to
escape.

Zand’s parents were factory works, who worked extremely hard. One day, when Zand was 12, his
father did not come back from work. This being a common occurrence on Roma Prime the only
response the family received was an email telling of his father’s death. Zand vowed to never end up
like this father, a nameless worker. He worked harder in school and frequented the Navy recruiter,
determined to get off planet. All his hard work and dedication paid off when he was accepted to the
Navy Military University, off world, when he turned 18.

Life in the Military University was not nearly as difficult as on Roma Prime, but there were different
challenges. Many of Zand’s classmates were the rich and privileged who did not feel he should be
there. Zand studied tirelessly and endured his peer’s attempts to discourage him. Though he
narrowly missed graduation with honors he did graduate on time with his class. Needless to say Zand
did not retain any friendships from this time in his life.

Zand’s first commission was as a line officer on the star frigate USS Saratoga. Zand loved sailing the
sea of stars and dreamed of being a captain one day. Being a fair and just leader, Zand earned the
respect of many of his enlisted sailors. He also befriended an up and coming pilot Oskar (young
Geoffrey). Zand worked hard to learn his role in CIC (combat) and earned the respect and favor of
Captain Corsi and was promoted to sub-lieutenant. But Zand continued to be an outcast with the rest
of his peers in the officer’s mess. The change of command to Captain Brannigan signaled the
downward spiral of Zand’s military career.
Captain Brannigan took an instant dislike to Zand. He felt that Zand was too familiar with his
subordinates and was threatened by the crew’s high regard for him. Life became miserable for Zand.
Captain Brannigan and Zand butted heads frequently, and Zand was not welcome in the officer’s
mess. After one spectacular dispute over the alignment of the SPY-1B radar system Zand was
assigned to the marine contingent onboard for “extra duty”. The marines did not mind Zand and
taught him many small arms tactics, if they were stuck with him then he might as well be semi useful.

The Saratoga was patrolling the Tartarus system and there were reports of piracy. The Saratoga
stopped a suspect pirate vassal and prepared to board it for inspection. Captain Brannigan, not
pleased that Zand was fairing well with the Marines decided to also torment his protégé, Oskar.
Instead of piloting the boarding craft, Oskar was armed and assigned to a marine detail for “a special
learning opportunity”. The situation onboard the pirate vassal went sour quickly and violence broke
out. Oskar was terribly wounded and lost his leg and was medically discharged from the Navy. With
the guilt associated due to Oskar’s wounding and not getting a deserved promotion Zand broke ties
with the military.

Zand tried to get find work with the Scout Surveyor’s but they were not hiring in the systems he
frequented. But a man’s gotta eat so Zand found work on the Cornelia Marie as a manager. There he
befriended a grizzled Enforcer turned Merchant named, (dan). The two became drinking buddies and
(dan) made them both fair money using Zand’s TAS membership while brokering deals, some not
always legit.

Finally, after drifting around for several years, an opening in the Scout Surveyor’s presented itself to
Zand and he hungrily jumped on it. The Survey Frigate, Bright Horizon (owned by the Wylan Mining
Corporation) needed merchants, managers and admin workers and (dan) and Zand were perfect fits
for this ships long term mission. Life onboard the Bright Horizon was perfect for the pair. They got
along great with all the crew, Zand even found a love interest in the form of Kaylee, a brilliant and
beautiful engine mechanic. Life was good but still missing something. Zand wanted to be his own
man, beholden to none. Zand always dreamed of being a captain of his own ship and when
opportunity knocked he was quick to open the door.

Upon arrival in the (current) star system an interplanetary war broke out between the 2 habitable
planets. This war disrupted (and likely destroyed) many of (dan’s) trade contacts but all was not lost.
The Falling Star is an old Free Trader starship, who was an antique before Zand was born, that was
pressed into service by the rebels. She was damaged during a space battle and her crew absent when
the Bright Horizon found her adrift.

Zand wasted no time and quickly went to work acquiring the salvage rights to the Falling Star for
himself and (dan). Not all practices during this admin period were ethical but time was of the essence
and fudging information here and there made the process move quicker. Zand contacted his old
friend from the Saratoga, Oskar, and arraigned for him to meet up with the Falling Star so he could
serve has her pilot. Oskar brought along a doctor and cook in Kentucky Jones. Clearly needing a
mechanic Zand went to his girl Kaylee with a proposal, leave the Bright Horizon and crew their own
ship. Being an adventurer at heart Kaylee agreed to be the Falling Stars mechanic and the group
made arrangements to depart.

At the same time the Wylan Mining Corporation contacted Zand and the Bright Hope with a new,
time critical assignment. Zand was presented with a conundrum, stop what he was doing and go to
the next mission while losing out on the Falling Star. Or, ignore and lose the Wylan transmissions and
secure his new future. The choice was easy and the Falling Star has a new crew.