259-Kithan

Kithan is a former Alintean Pilot and once served as the Chief Operating Pilot of Commander Dartimien prior to the Senate War. He is known as a company joker, always quick to make light of a situation, but in recent years has also earned himself the reputation of a therapist. He has always been known to listen to the problems of his friends or the people he respects, and his wise counsel has made him a sought-after commodity among the Senate Hunters. His skills with virtually any spaceship are legendary, and he has shown himself capable of piloting everything from small vessels all the way up to destroyers and battlecruisers.

## Early Life

Kithan was born and raised in the Mengaia Province of Nihran. His parents were both relatively wealthy and specialized in the trade of exotic ores and metals which they pulled from deep beneath planetary surface. As a result, Kithan initially had no concept of struggle or hardship, and many described him as being a bully, a troublemaker and an annoyance. He would often throw lavish, wild parties with the money his parents gave him, and was an avid gambler and drinker. Eventually, his habits caught up to him and one of his parties exploded out of control and caused several thousand credits worth of damage as well as two deaths. Kithan was arrested and charged for the crimes, and given the opportunity to either join the Alintean Military or serve time in prison. Desperate to escape a prison sentence, he agreed to join up with the Fleet of Infinity.

It wasn't long after this decision that he met an older Alintean named Dartimien who took him under his wing. The two of them ended up together at the Academy on Vormaga and formed a tight-knit friendship. Dartimien was the polar opposite of Kithan, having grown up in the frozen hellscapes of Pernaria, and it helped open Kithan's eyes and show him another side to the world. Both Alinteans graduated near the top of their class, and when Dartimien was handed the role of Commander shortly thereafter, he chose Kithan to be his Chief Operating Pilot.

## Pre-Senate War

Kithan made a name for himself not only as Commander Dartimien's Chief Operating Pilot but also as a superb hand-to-hand fighter and shotgun expert. While his skill set was in high demand, he refused several changes of post in order to stay aboard Dartimien's ship, the *AESV Deep Venture*. The bond he shared with Dartimien was legendary, and often likened to the two of them having been separated at birth. Kithan's jocular nature was a sharp contrast to his Commander's cold resolve, and Dartimien's tactical superiority gave Kithan the tools to succeed in aerial maneuvers other pilots wouldn't dare attempt.

Throughout Senate Space, Kithan became known as one of the best pilots to ever touch a set of controls. Encouraged by his Commander, he practiced with every type of ship he could and began spending so much time in simulations that several other Commanders took issue with it, concerned for his health. Dartimien was eventually forced to impose a limit on his time to assuage the worries of the leadership. This continued up to the Senate War, when Kithan's own ship passed inspection and he was handed the reins.

## The Senate War

Much like his Commander, Kithan chose an unpopular side during the Senate War. Instead of allying with the rest of the Fleet of Infinity, he chose to defect and side with the Gray Syndicate alongside Dartimien. He eventually took command of a large fleet of ships and is responsible for coordinating the attacks on Chindrus and Dayislia as well as overseeing the defense of Earth and the Solar System. Later, during the final days of the war, his fleet was one of the key groups to enter the fray above Krell and break the Senate's blockade.

## Post-Senate War

After the Senate War, many of the defectors from the Alintean Military were faced with a difficult decision. Those who attempted to return to their former posts would likely be tried for treason and executed, but they had nowhere else to turn to. He was offered a position within the Gray Syndicate, but refused it. While Dartimien took it, Kithan found that he could not. For the first time since joining the Alintean Military, he had a choice of what to do with himself. Wishing his friend the best of luck, he took several years and lived on the Frontier world of Koinatt, acting as their protector, before his actions caught the eye of the Senate. Initially, he was approached by 265-Cygogal and offered the position of Senate Hunter - which he refused.

Several months later, he was approached again by the former Senate Hunter Meggothia, who spoke to him at length about the position he'd been offered. Meggothia urged him to take it, reminding Kithan that the Senate was offering him a way back to his familiar life. As a Senate Hunter, he would no longer be disbarred from his home world and the familiar places he longed to return to. Meggothia told him to at least consider it, which Kithan agreed to. Another year passed before he received the news that his Commander had passed away, which drove Kithan down a dangerous road of drinking. Rather than slip back into his childhood vices and destructive tendencies, he decided to listen to Meggothia and got in touch with the Senate. After several meetings, he finally agreed to come work for them. By fate or irony, he was assigned Meggothia's old ID number, becoming 259-Kithan.

## Senate Hunter Activity

Although older than most of the Senate Hunters, Kithan has taken on several critical roles within the organization. First and foremost, he acts as a pilot once again - this time ferrying Senate Hunters to mission destinations too dangerous for other pilots to risk. Kithan's devil-may-care attitude and impressive piloting skills have also earned him the nickname "Winged Wonder".

While it's no big secret that Kithan tends to unnerve some of the Hunters with his constant joking, he has also taken on the role of company therapist to many of them. Having seen his share of war and death, Kithan is far more mentally equipped to handle the horrors of being a Senate Hunter than some. His impromptu therapy sessions extend beyond just the Hunters as well, and he is known for sitting with Senate personnel who have seen atrocities he has experienced time and time again.

Despite having more passive roles in the Senate Hunters, Kithan is not to be taken lightly. He stays on top of his training, often utilizing the various training rooms on the Senate Ring to spar with the other Hunters. Despite not being as physically spry as some of the younger members of the group, Kithan's real-world experiences and the tactical expertise he learned from his former Commander all combine to make him a lethal and dangerous foe. Although hardly one of the most powerful Senate Hunters, Kithan still commands a considerable amount of respect.