Riles Cole

This article has been an Imperial Archives featured article.

Riles "Hot-wire" Cole (TB-058)
Biographical Information
Race	Human - (Corellian/Mandalorian)
Homeworld	Corellia
Mother	Unknown)
Father	Unknown
Spouse	None
Siblings	Adin Cole - Living
Children	None
Born	N/A
Imperial Service
Branch	Imperial Army
Positions
Prior Service	Freelancer, Mercenary
Awards	IABG AAM DB6M DIS LOC

Riles Cole, trooper TB-058, served in the Imperial Army as a Master Sergeant. Riles first XO and CO was Hawke Truden and Bacara Kex. After a while, his XO and CO changed once more, now becoming Lee Tolten and Marcus Aurelius. After only a month or two with his second XO and CO, he gained yet new ones again, XO Karon Alfan and CO Dale Chambers. Riles currently serves under the command of his XO Endora Strax and CO Rann Van. Though unsure of the future, as his XO and CO might change yet a fourth time, he continues hard work through determination and will.

"All you need is two. No more than two, no less than two. One to hold and control the darkside of the force, the other to crave it" - Unknown speaker

Service Information

Imperial Academy

Riles slowly proceeded through the Imperial Academy as he had to much on his mind and was depressed. Not to mention that he was also not the brightest of thinkers. Failing the occasional test, he worked harder to gain his grades back and finished the courses with just above average scores. Riles enlisted into the Army for he was a groundpounder and it gave him greater strength in the end throughout the training in the Imperial Academy. Riles was welcomed into his Legion nicely and greeted kindly by his first XO and CO. Later to come to know a new XO and CO, also finally meeting up with his brother in the Navy. Riles gladly met him once more as the two were united again and now serve loyally under the Empire.

Imperial Army

When Riles stepped out of the Army, he had fresh Private bars pinned to his armor. Though, not lasting long as a Private, he was quickly moved up to a Private First Class. Again he proceeded with great speed to the rank of Corporal. Riles however, stopped there for a long period of time as he started to slack off. After a little encouragement from both his XO and CO, he worked hard once again. The few months he was Corporal he was again promoted. This time skipping the rank of Sergeant and being pushed all the way up to the E-6 of Staff Sergeant. Though only an enlisted rank, Riles enjoys it very much as he dreads the day of becoming an Officer. He prefers to be a lesser command, letting him focus on more specific things. Riles also enjoys the company and the people in Enlisted, as they all seem to share the same interest and ideas, not to forget that everyone in Enlisted is also just a goofy and strange bunch.

Operations

Mission: Hell's Paradise

The men Zane Cree, Dan Sheaff, Wiler Tiiow, and Riles Cole where lead under the lead of Bacara Kex as the CO and the acting XO of the squad was Zane Cree. The four man squad was dropped off to elimanate a Rebel force and its base. The lush jungle part of the world they were dropped off at was long with grass, and strange - while unique - flowers and bushes grew everywhere they could see from the LZ. The area they were in was also filled with dangerous animals that could harm both human and alien alike. The mission went well, countering minor patrols and light forces until Riles suffered from broken ribs and was heavily bruised with light internal bleeding on the chest by a blastail pack that attacked the squad during their walk through the tunnels under the waterfull, a way that was guessed to be quicker to the Rebel base. Zane Cree was also injured to the hand, taking very minor damage. Riles and Zane remained fit to fight none the less after a break and some patching up and continued on along with Dan and Wiler who were still unharmed.

Further into the mission after many Rebel meetings with more patrols, quite bigger in size revealing that they were getting closer to the base. The squad handled all the patrols nicely, not taking anymore injuries, until they came across a frenzied Boma. Riles was injured to the leg and chest once more while he was flung him into a tree bringing him into unconsciousness as he tried to end its frenzy with a failed attempt. Dan was trampled by the Boma but recovered later into the mission in a med-bay as the wouds healed easily in a bacta tank. Zane finally killed the Boma as Wiler attended the two wounded men of Riles and Dan. After the Boma was taken care of, the squad took a break to heal one another and a rest to recover after the horrible incounter. They continued to the base patched up and ready to go, finally taking it in the end and was evacced from the LZ by a barge and brought to a med-bay where the four man squad was healed and taken care of till the injuries were gone.

Riles Cole

Relationship

Inara Imperium

Inara, both a shy and talkative person depending on the situation at hand has come to know Riles very quickly in their first meeting with eachother. Though, both meeting after a long period of time in their Imperial careers, the day they met they both talked shyly with one another and kept all their conversations in groups. Slightly working around this, Riles came to know Inara much more quickly and the two grew closer together. Still only friends, Riles flirted with her occasionally and used small talk. Yet, still the two talked more and more as time passed and they worked around more things that blocked the way. She became one of Riles best friends now that both were comfortable talking in both private and public locations on almost anything.

When Riles asked Inara to the Winter Ball politely, she excitedly replied with a yes and the relationship between the two blossomed from there. The link with them though still didn't feel connected and they were both unsure on what to do. Shortly before the Winter Ball started, Riles asked her about the dating idea and after a short period of discussion on it, they both decided they would give it a try. Though, started out shyly again as if they were both new to eachother or had never met before, they also quickly past that. Now the two are in a steady relationship, admiring eachother and enjoying the others company trying to spend every second they can together. Even though Imperial regulations prevent most things in relationships, it can only go so far before service gets in the way but they get along just fine and have built a strong, loving relationship with one another. The two have both come to know loving to drink huge amounts of alcohol and dancing together a lot, as well as talking about military matters sometimes or just something random as most of the conversation is.

Major Injuries/Short AWOL Incident

Riles was horribly wounded once in his Imperial career. An explanation to both why he is shy, never talks about his past battles, and the scar running along his left cheek and back. Little is very known about his mission or what he was doing. No one knows where he was at the time, other than that he went AWOL. There is no detail either that if there were others involved or not. Some believe it was just adventuring out, others are curious and have questions to why he was gone for a short period of time. Keeping quiet and trying to hide behind armor all day to avoid any stares at his wounds, though his armor does tell a story of its own on some more possible clues that could have happened. Riles regained consciousness the next morning, awaken by himself and all alone. Barely able to move, he lifted himself carefully, noticing the first thing that was missing was both his helmet and weapon. Not caring though about that, he groaned as he lifted himself up and coughed up blood. Knowing he was in a dire emergancy, Riles searched for both his helmet and weapon to find them a few meters away where he had fallen. Picking them both up and suiting up again, he turned southwest into the direction of the closest Imperial garrison. Little is still known as of who was at the garrison and where he was. No other survivors were found if there were any at all. Riles made slow progress, his days coming to an end as time ran out from lack of water and food. Falling to the ground, unconscious once more as his body could not take anymore strain to it and his wounds not helping him.

Night had come and passed, sunrise started, and Riles did not move. Presumed dead, looking like a lifeless form. Shortly after a few hours further into the day, sun high in the sky and it's freezing night time, rising to a scorching day. Found by what appeared to be an Imperial patrol, Riles was picked up and put into major care. Stuck in a bacta tank for much to long as his plasma burns healed and the shrapnel cuts as well as his lack of water and to much heat/cold exposure. Still unknown of his whereabouts, Riles kept quiet and only gave his ID, rank, and Imperial number. Being healed well enough, he demanded to be released and make his own way back to where he was last stationed. He was unsure of his Legion's new location, but proceeded back on foot as it seemed to be a short distance meaning he was close by then when Riles recieved his injuries. Appearing back, he reported just some technical problems though some people wandered how his scars came to be when his helmet is removed so his cheek was clearly visible. Riles does not explain his stories, people coming up with more than one guess to why he doesn't or ever would. Only his closests friends and any family members left know his story. He is not to revealing about these things to random people or casual friends even. He prefers to keep quiet as questions could form and so would unwanted attention. Riles acts normally around others, as they act the same around him, seeming that they don't know a thing which is for the best. But due to lack of information no more can be said on this topic, if he is found and spoken to, he may mention something of it or drop a hint.

Personality and Traits

Riles, a hidden man behind the helmet and armor of a Scout Trooper class set, speaks technical in a witty and clever way. He says he has a low sense of humour, but some say he can have a good laugh though Riles still disagrees. His look is always serious and his voice is low and a bit gravely giving him a menacing and dreadful appearance to others that may not know him. He does not like killing, though he does it for revenge of his family and always thinks that: "It's him or it's going to be me," giving him no hesitation or thought making him almost cold and bloodless hunter. Under the worn armor, serious exterior, and low, rarely spoken voice always speaking military like, he's a very soft lad and cares for others.

Usually quiet about telling other how soft he is, most find out when either they need help or they ask a big favor which Riles cannot just say 'no' on. Trying to ignore the fact that he is soft and was like that since a kid, he changed himself as he went through the Imperial ranks making him seem ruthless and not having a care for anybody. Not after how much training though, and how much he hates the Rebels, it seems nothing could change him and he remains kind and caring for other beings. Once discovered by most, they usually use this against him whether it could be good or bad. He won't hold a grudge against them or become mad at them if they do use his weakness, as it seems he isn't just capable of doing that. None the less, he can still be rather impatient and always in a hurry to do something and get something done. Riles has Corellian blood in him from his birth parents, making him a strong, willed worker to complete things that are asked of him. Even the little Mando training and teaching his father showed him, it's improved his strength both mentally and physically for things.

Physical Appearance

Hardly any have seen his scarred face, revealing a cut across his cheek on his left side that will forever stay with him. And even fewer have seen Riles in a dress uniform or anything out of armor. Riles shows up very much in his Scout Trooper armor, well dented, scratched, and the white plastoid turning into a chipped silver gray over the years of use. His helmet also shows a slight scratch in the lens of the visor on the left side, though not seeable when worn. Riles' helmet is also prized with a black scorch mark too on the left side, a dent in the center of it (Perhaps this is how he got his scar on his left cheek? Both the lens and the left side of the helmet relate to it, but Riles does not talk about these things very often). Never accepting a new set of armor as he feels his armor is lucky as it has saved him more than once before from wounds and injuries that could have very well killed him. His right hand, showing an example of an accident, that was clean blown off and now replaced by a mechanical limb. Though, most cannot tell it from the ouside as it looks normal, until the feel the strength of his arm because of the enhanced mechanical units and servos giving him an upper hand in some cases.

Riles is usually seen walking around with some heavy weapon or an explosive device as he prefers the heavy things over regular. Still making a good shot and a great marksmen at sniping and longer range shooting, he found no interest to that. His armor is a basic Scout Trooper class with an Imperial Army symbol on his right shoulder pad and vibroblades hidden in his gauntlets for CQC uses. Riles rank bar also lay present on his left side of his chest plate, clearly visible stating that he was a Staff Sergeant of the Imperial Army. Riles occasionally wore a dark black cloak over his Scout Trooper armor for night ops and mission, revealing no white or any armor at all, his faceplate and helmet all too hidden in the shadow of the hood. He rarely uses it, only when he prefers to stay hidden in public or wishes to use it as camo for an operation.

General Information

Weight: 193 lbs.

Height: 6'3"

Age: 22

Eye Color: Green

Hair Color: Black

Interest: Explosives, Heavy Weapons, Exercise, Working Out, Dissing the Navy

Facial Features: Scar running from left side of face on the cheek. Scars can be seen on his chest and neck too

Fitness: Good muscle build

Status: Active, ready for duty

Appearance: Always in armor

Riles Last Mission?

Riles gripped the sturdy, gleamed metal handle along the shuttle’s inner wall. He stood in his Scout Trooper armor, two other men behind him fully geared up and three more to his left on the other side of the cramped passenger compartment. The ghostly stares under the visors kept their vision ahead, not a glance from them or a peep. Riles nodded his appreciation to himself as he admired the fine soldiers. They were great men, proud and brave. Though it was his honor to be serving with them and over them, as Master Sergeant though and the current squad’s leader, he had a duty to fulfill.

They were to scout a distant planet on the outer rim, far out and past most colonized worlds to search for rebel activity. The task force of six was also to avoid all enemy contact and report back immediately after anything was seen. It was going to be a helluva tough time, crossing over and conversing the jungle and woodland terrain. He was also sure there was hostile contact there, but Imperial Intel always needed to be correct. It never seemed like that though before missions. Things always changed, there was either less than what intel claimed or a whole lot more.

The small cabin with the six Scout Troopers hanging for their life by one hand on the bars along the wall as the ship swerved and dived through who knows what -or even just entering the atmosphere- blared and light up with noise from the speakers as their pilot spoke, “One minute till hot drop guys, we’re coming in fast and quick. Be ready and hold on tight,”

The voice came static like and washed as the pilot of the ship did its barrel roles with the ship jolting and moaning in protest from stressed metal in the hull. The speakers spoke by themselves once more with the more familiarized pilot, “Thirty more seconds,”

Riles shifted in his armor, pistol holstered at the ankle, combat knife sheathed, ammo and rations pocketed, he was ready. Turning his head at a tilt towards the others more so they could hear him more clearly, he spoke and his voice came out just like the pilots; static and gravely like, “Alright you girls, we go in fast and come out even faster. Don’t shoot anything unless ordered or fired upon,” Riles turned back to the front and resumed his position before whispering to himself quietly, “If we make it out of here alive…”

Flash backs came from how he earned the triple layered scars on his back, the one a crossed his face, and how he does not have a right hand anymore. He had promised he would never again sign up for a suicide mission, but it appears not. With one last shudder, he pushed the thoughts from his mind like a fire wall. No more and gone, hopefully for good. He had enough to worry about, to get his troops back home, and to have his own skin intact.

“Ten more seconds! The party begins boys,” The pilots voice had a rare whist to it, a faint gleam of laughter began too. Not one of the common emotions Riles shared often, he happened to be quite a secure and locked up man. Not sharing much with anyone else, he only kept to himself for the better part. He felt one last bump in the craft before the doors before him opened. They seemed landed in a clearing with woodland and brush just on the horizon swaying with the wind. The long grace added to the rhythm of swaying like delicate dancers.

He hoped out, taking point and being the spearhead of the formation. The other jumped into the grass, the lengthy green colored plants stood at their knee level. Fanning out into a semi-circle formation, the men formed up behind the craft as it took off with graceful and practiced ease. Riles stood there, maxing up his magnification and scanned the horizon through his HUD. Scans popped up and blinked open as the HUD tracked movements of wild animals and their life form readings. Nodding satisfied, he pumped his fist once and stood up before waving his hand forward. The single to move out quickly but with caution.

Keeping his eye trained as the others did, their Scout Blasters now drawn in their hands and ready for use. Everyone watched their own areas, staying at a passive stance but did not look any less aggressive than they actually were. Before Riles stepped forward there was a click, a thump reverberating through the ground making Riles stumble over due to being unbalanced and falling face first into the dirt below the grass, then screams. His HUD popped up automatically with a distracting wink before he did anything showing that PFC Will was done. The bio signs read with an erratic heart rate, high pulse, and falling blood pressure. The man was bleeding out. Propping himself up onto his elbows, he shifted his head to see what in blue blazes had just happened. None of the other four men moved, he himself not moving either. Will, being the last man in the formation was laying flat on his back with screams emitting from him. Blood curdling ones the made Riles heart break. He could see his left knee and down was missing with metal shrapnel and white plastic shards from his missing armor was seared through the other plates and into his skin on his other right leg. Squirming in pain, he grasped at what was left of his left leg. Bone was seen the blood spilling into the soil turning it into an ugly crimson red, brown.

Riles looked away in pain and tried to ignore the screams and collect his thoughts. Ringing was still in his ear from the explosion giving him a sense of shell shock. What just happened? He was already down a man and it was only two minutes into the mission and on the ground. Mines or some explosive. His eyes flared and he opened the private COM link between his squad, “Stay down! Don’t move-”

“Ambush!” Someone else yelled behind him and interrupting, making Riles glance to his other side. Movement could be seen from within the long grass. Projectiles whizzed by at high speeds, creating a pitched whistle that filled his helmet’s external speakers. Ballistic projectiles? Strange thing for a blaster age.

Riles returned fire, pushing anymore distracting thoughts in his head away. The sound of combat drowned out the pitiful howls and moans from Will. Turning again to direct a order, he was stopped abruptly by a heavy force in his chest making him fall flat on his back. With a disgruntled wish of air that escaped his lungs, he laid there both confused and worried.

Reaching a hand up, he touched the center of his chest plate to feel his gloved fingers reach into a crevice and come back with a sticky and warm feeling come through them. Riles tilted his head up to see the large wound in his chest, blood seeping out and along his armored plates. A shot of pain lanced up from his wound as he realized he had just taken a very serious hit. Reaching his hand back, he pushed his own palm over the hole trying to stop the bleeding. Coughing up blood, it filled his helmet. He couldn’t tell if he was going to die, he had cheated death more than once before. Though there was a yearning though and a sense, one that he had never felt.

Reports washed through the COM that the Sergeant was down, but his ears seemed basically deaf, or to the point of it anyways. His vision seemed to be failing too. Noting the corner of his HUD that read his bio signs, everything was failing. He laid slumped on the ground and shut his eyes for a few seconds. The light was definitely nearing. A rustle could be heard nearby making himself use all of his will to open his eyes.

A rebel stood over him, holding a gruesome and wicked blade too. Riles flinched and tried to respond in attack with his hand to defend himself. Though it still sat useless upon his chest. The blood continued to leak through the sections of his fingers and under his palm to peel down his armor. It had already begun to stain his gloves to. He knew it was the last now, no one else to save him as the squads bio signs winked one by one off or just completely flat lined.

A grin spread a crossed the rebels mud covered and dirt crested face. The blade moved up, posed just over Riles neck, then with a quick lunge and motion it swept down. His life just flashed before his eyes, quite literally with the shine of the metallic blade bearing down before him. The sharpest pain he ever felt flashed for only a second before his body went completely limp and the lights flashed out with darkness enveloping him. His right hand opened, fingers peeling away to reveal a tightly held and old fashioned style picture of a loved one and old friend. Inara’s picture slid from his palm to the ground as it laid just as motionless as he did. The rebel removing his blade with a sickening lurch, blood dripped from his blade and rained down onto Riles chest plate before he took a step back and moved away.

- - - - -

Awakening with a jolt, Riles groaned straight away as the pain pushed through his chest and neck, making both wounds sting like hot needles. His body made no response to his thoughts of trying to move, but instead just laid in the dried dirt, his body obscured by the surrounding shrub and grass. Moaning as he shifted only slightly in his position, he could feel the very well known and friendly itch of bandages around his wounds. Rolling his eyes down and using his last bit of strength to lift his head he could see that his chest plate was not positioned with his armor, but sat next to him propped up against a rock. Sun glinted off of its white, but practically now dirt crested, and bullet riddled surface. He could also see the length of the bandages stretch from the lower left portion of his neck to finish up a whole wrap around his chest.

The bandages no longer held they’re dulled grey color to now look crimson red stained with lighter red splotches nearing the edges of the bandages. Letting his head thump back onto the ground, he looked up into the sky dazed with his breaths rasped and ragged. The day was still just slightly before noon, sun almost at its highest point. But wasn’t he supposed to be dead? He saw the blade himself, it could not have been possible he survived such a wound. He should have bled out from the chest wound and the shrapnel cuts that surrounded it too. All the shards of plastic and metal seemed to have been removed from his body to be replaced by the gel like substance of bacta.

Riles shifted again as a humanoid shadow crept over his body, covering him in shade. A familiar voice rose from the unseen figure, speaking quietly and softly, “Don’t move to much sir, no need to injure yourself any further,”

“Will?” Riles asked, coughing sharply as he inhaled oxygen, trying his best to breath. Both a neck wound and chest did not help or aid him at all in this process, “Will… is that you..?”

“Private First Class John William reporting,” Came the reply. Riles could tell he saluted as the shadow’s hand shifted from his side to the brow line before dropping, suddenly remembering there was no saluting in a war zone.

Amplifying his strength to the best of his ability, Riles rolled his head to the side and stared at the man. Sure enough, it was Will. Helmet removed and clipped to the utility belt, though now he stood standing with a thick make-shift wooden cane from a branch, his upper left knee bandaged up and bacta patches applied under it with a great deal of pressure. Hoarsely speaking, Riles grinned a little, “Glad to see you. What- what happened?”

Will rubbed his chin with his hand that did not support the cane and arched a eyebrow -a common gesture that formed in the unit after repeated uses by Riles himself- and pondered his thoughts on the story. He was probably thinking of how to make it short and quick.

“Well Cole, you basically took a crap load and was nearly beheaded. I don’t think any arteries were hit, which is probably the only reason you’re still alive and holding together. Everyone else… they’re gone sir…” Will looked away and towards the horizon, sighing softly and letting it fade with the wind.

Riles continued, “And the Rebel threat?”

“Gone, they left us for dead. Obviously they have to learn a thing or to that Imperials don’t die so easily,”

Riles nodded tersely, a chuckle emitted from him, though quickly dieing out over his coughing. He propped himself up on his elbows, ignoring the pain that rocketed through his body and jetted up his spine. A frown creased itself along the line of Will’s grim face. Flinching at the sight, but he did not say a word or help any further as he already learned that Riles was pretty stubborn and preferred to do what he wanted to get done.

Whispering quietly, barely audible over the constant chirp of birds and the rushing winds Will spoke, “Are we going to get back alive?”

A worried line formed at the base of his brow, his own thoughts on the exact same thing. Just grinning and speaking his clearest which was not the confidence that he really felt, “Don’t worry son, we’ll get out of here alive. I know it,”

A nod just came from Will, nothing more, nothing less. He didn’t speak for the next few minutes, just sat down on a boulder and watched his Sergeant carefully.

Crashing onto his back, and laying in a heap, Riles sat still and watched the clouds in the sky. He knew they’d make it, they’d have to. After all, he didn’t just survive his wounds to die later. He had a lot to make up for others, and a lot more to explain. The rest of his afternoon, he drifted in and out of consciousness as Will fiddled with the common Imperial E-Band COM network, sending short range bursts that would translate into lettering and words. Oh yes… it was going to be a while, but he’d make it alright…