Kiith Kohath

> - "Thank you, Captain, but I have no need for gratitude."
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Kiith Kohath is a cyborg mercenary specialising in the training and development of naval forces. Most commonly afforded the rank of Admiral by his employers, he has worked with most of the Assembly races in his five-hundred years of existence.

## Origin

Kiith Kohath (Bringer of Victory in the old Guardian language) was assembled on Korxonthos in 430 ATA. He was an early example of the Synergy's expansion to animates that utilized both cybernetics and organic tissue (rather than purely mechanical constructs). As such, he is one of the first animates that can be considered a true cyborg. He possesses a mostly mechanical form including a reinforced titanium endoskeleton, with an organic dermal layer designed to make him reflect human appearance. This dermal layer has been replaced several times throughout his lifespan, causing his appearance to alter slightly with time.

Kohath is one of a relatively small number of animates designated with the class of Preceptor. Programmed with a higher degree of autonomy and self-modification ability than regular animates, Preceptors are encouraged to evolve beyond their initial function, with the purpose of expanding their - and thereby the Synergy's - knowledge and capabilities.

Programmed as a military strategist, Kohath has been employed by various governments and organisations over the centuries of his existence. As a result, he is widely travelled, familiar with the dispositions, doctrines, and capacities of most species' militaries, and has an excellent network of contacts in both formal government and black market circles. He has a measure of renown among the galaxy's professional militaries, where the moniker "The Iron Fist" is a respected byword for tactical excellence.

Kohath is known to have participated as a fleet commander in at least one Assembly-sanctioned campaign, and has made his services available via Shan'Chael's recruitment network on at least one occasion. Currently, he is retained by the Neomorph Polity with a brief to train and develop their naval forces in response to ongoing border aggression from the Leviathan Giants.

## Conflagration (Book One)

Kohath, placed in command of the Neomorph Polity's fleet, takes personal charge of a skirmish with the leviathan Giants in the Mendillo system. His fleet prevails in the battle, however, upon refusing to allow the neomorphs to destroy the retreating Giant vessels, he falls foul of the fleet's commanding Champion, General Selina Kronosius. Realising that to stay would risk becoming embroiled in a border war, he resigns his post and returns to Korxonthos.

Shortly after his return home, Kohath is called to a meeting with the Legislature where he is given a new assignment. The Reavers' recent assaults on Assembly space are threatening to destabilize the galaxy, and making the organic races vulnerable to attack from the building Wraith presence on the rim. Kohath is charged with finding out why the Reavers are engaged in hostilities, and to stop them. To aid him, the animates Dolos and Praetorius are assigned to his command.

Kohath begins researching while waiting for Dolos to return from an assignment to Modeus, but after a few days Korxonthos comes under attack from a Reaver fleet. Kohath is given command of the defences, and repels the attack with ease, however, the reason for the assault remains unclear. The evidence from the assault suggests the Reavers are building an army of new animates, predominantly of human origin, and this is the lead Kohath and his team need to begin their investigation.

## Conflagration (Book Two)

Kohath travels with Dolos and Praetorius to the Shackleton system to collect evidence pertaining to the Reaver attack there, and then to Chios with a similar goal. Once Kohath deduces that the next attack may occur in the Oceanhill system, the cyborg team travel there, but are intercepted by Reaver raiders, who severely damage their ship.

They are rescued by the Bronwen's Fortune, and Kohath engages Jen and Keera's services to take them back to Korxonthos via Asgard (where Kohath wishes to consult with Shan'Chael) after their business on Marinaris is completed. During the trip, the cyborgs explain to their new allies the reason for the Reavers' existence and their suspected motives.

En route to Asgard, they are intercepted by the Marauders, and Kohath and the other cyborgs hide in one of the Fortune's smuggling compartments, powering down to escape capture.

Upon arrival at Asgard, the crew encounter Arkaion when they meet with Shan'Chael. As the Ronin's offer is not relevant to him, he continues with preparations to return to Korxonthos, but receives word before he can depart of the invasion of Ice Serpent, and his appointment as fleet commander for the Assembly to deal with the crisis. Before he departs, he secures Jen and Keera's aid to "protect" Dolos.

## Conflagration (Book Three)

Kohath travels to a rendezvous with the cyborg fleet, where he boards the titan, Koios, to assume command of the Assembly forces.