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Revision as of 19:43, 19 February 2017

This article has been an Imperial Archives featured article.

Nathaniel Durane
Biographical Information
Race	Alderaanian
Homeworld	Alderaan
Mother	Roslyn Durane
Father	Auric Durane
Spouse	Leeanna Mailhot
Siblings	Nil
Children	Nil
Born	Year -10, Day 252
Imperial Service
Branch	Imperial Army
Positions	Army Training Officer, ACOMD Legion Commanding Officer, 2IL
Prior Service	Brigade Commanding Officer, 3IL Brigade Executive Officer, 2IL Administrative Manager, MWS Public Sales Officer, MWS Hub Manager, MM Employee, MM Army Logistics Officer, ACOMD Legion Commanding Officer, 3IL Brigade Commanding Officer, 2IL Legion Signals Officer, 2IL Legion Communications Coordination Officer, 2IL Brigade Executive Officer, 3IL Legionary, 3IL
Awards

Nathaniel Durane was born on Alderaan to a small family. Growing up he was always fascinated with the stars, and hoped to one day fly amongst them. That dream was realized on his eighteenth birthday when his father, Auric, too old to continue as a freighter pilot, passed his ship, the YT-2000 Luscient Assayer, onto his son. With his family financially secured and comfortable, Nathaniel was able to set off on his own adventures, travelling as a freelance pilot and ship's captain for transport services.

On Year 10, Day 224, while stopped on Naboo, Nathaniel was struck by a passing speeder and suffered serious injuries. Hie condition worsened as he was transported to a hospital, eventually turning critical. At the worst of the fight the medical staff almost lost him when Nathaniel suffered a cardiac arrest, ceasing upper brain activity. He was brought back from the brink, however, and stabilized over the next several days.

He was released from the hospital on Year 10, Day 245, after having spent three weeks out of commission, and set forth for Alderaan immediately to be with his family and assuage their concerns. He arrived home a week later, just in time to celebrate his twentieth birthday before once again setting off to explore the galaxy.

Krayt Station

After leaving Alderaan Nathaniel set off for the furthest he could go and didn't look back, exhilarated at the thought of what was lying in wait for him. He eventually made his way to a trading station in the Ruuria system called Krayt Station, where he met a young woman by the name of Relena Vercet. He and Relena go along together well enough, and he eventually found himself working alongside her to deliver shipments around the galaxy for others. While only a small business, Durane Shipping and Transportation nonetheless proved profitable and Nathaniel soon found himself with more credits than he ever dreamed.

With the steady growth of the business and the credits stored in the bank, Nathaniel set his sights on loftier goals. The station he frequented was starting to fall into a further state of disrepair as the owner grew disenfranchised with its operation, and Nathaniel saw this as an opportunity knocking on his door. He went into talks with the owner, outlying his long-term intent of acquiring the station with the capital he was raising through his business, and impressed him with the amount of detail and work that was being put into the plans.

Over the course of a year Nathaniel continued to run his business and gather the credits needed to finalize his goal, while the owner held up his end of the deal by stopping the station from deteriorating further. Finally on Year 11, Day 236, Nathaniel returned to Krayt Station with all the required paperwork and finances. The station was transferred over in ownership to him and he set about hiring workers to bring the facility back up to a high standard. The refurnishing was completed on Year 11, Day 261, just over a week after his twenty-first birthday.

One Step Forward, Two Steps Back

Nathaniel Durane in his early years, before joining the Galactic Empire

After finishing up with his work in Ruuria, Nathaniel set off with some basic deliveries to Banrock Station where he ran into Relena again, as well as a man by the name of Ness Shine and a woman, Adri`ana Salvatore. Before anything more than brief introductions could be made, however, Ness and Adri`ana were apprehended by the owners of the station, Alexander Fel and Mekum Campbell. Adri`ana later told Nathaniel that Ness, revealed to be Tnsumi Shine, bargained for the safe release of her and her Imperial friend Coral Dayton, though Alexander and Mekum were adamant on the Imperial being taken captive. Eventually Tnsumi gave himself to them in order to protect the others, but asked for Adri`ana to seek out Nathaniel and Relena.

Nathaniel was confused as Tnsumi was a complete stranger to him, but agreed to help nonetheless. Weeks passed and none of them could find anything about the man; during this time Nathaniel stayed close to Banrock Station, keeping his own affairs in order on Krayt Station from a distance. When the group reunited in Banrock Station to discuss their lack of progress, Mekum stormed the room with guards and demanded they come with him. Nathaniel begrudgingly acquiesced, knowing he would not do well to struggle, and the three of them were taken to a small, out-of-the-way portion of the station. Within, Tnsumi was found bent over the lifeless body of Alexander, pushing Mekum beyond his breaking point as he forced everyone together in the middle of the room, his and his guards' weapons trained on them.

An execution was narrowly avoided, however, by the sudden appearance of another man, Jamie, who killed Mekum before he could dispatch the group. The guards were neutralized by Tnsumi, but one of them remained conscious long enough to take a shot at Relena. Nathaniel had noticed this out of the corner of his eye and tackled her out of the way, instead taking a mortally wounding blasterbolt to his own abdomen and causing him to quickly collapse into unconsciousness.

He felt the same as he did before when he was run down on Naboo, his life was passing before him backwards, however this time his memories split prior to the first accident alike watching two overlapping broadcasts simultaneously; in one the memories of his own childhood on Alderaan, in the other a foreign upbringing with the familiar faces of Tnsumi, Adri`ana, and a slightly different-looking Relena constantly shifting in and out of focus. The second set of memories felt strangely familiar to him as he faded, but he was abruptly brought back from the abyss by Tnsumi, having used the Force to mend his stomach.

Exhausted over the recent ordeals, everyone choose to retire for the evening, though endless questions spun through Nathaniel's mind. He mostly felt the same but the differences were noticeable, as if someone had directly uploaded into him a new history. His questions persisted until the next day, when Tnsumi explained to everyone what he had discovered through The Project, and how it related to those around him. For Nathaniel, it was revealed that Tnsumi's son, Jason Ramius, had perished in the Naboo system about the same time that Nathaniel had his near-death experience. Jason was particularly strong in the Force, enough so that his essence had sought out a way to continue its existence, finding it within Nathaniel as he lay motionless on the planet below. Jason's essence went dormant inside and remained unnoticed until the second near-death experience, where it awakened and fully merged with Nathaniel's.

Ultimately, very little changed for Nathaniel. He had a new perspective on life, and new memories to pull experience from for guiding his decisions, but that was it. He was no more sensitive to the Force than he was before and still entirely himself, albeit with some of Jason's quirks rising through his essence. His relationship with Relena took a turn for the better as her own past was revealed, when she had much closer ties to Jason. Nathaniel's destiny from this point on was his own to shape, and he and the others bid farewell to Tnsumi who decided to finally settle down and disappear from the galactic spotlight for good.

The Galactic Empire

Nathaniel slowly began to understand a sense of powerlessness against the aggression of others, due to his inherently peaceful Alderaanian nature. His memories from Jason showed a much stronger, more confidant young man, one capable of fighting if need be; a persona which Nathaniel wanted to be able to emulate to some degree, to protect himself and those around him. He was also perplexed by Jason's parents, Tnsumi and Murrue, both having served in the Imperial military.

His curiosity eventually drove him to seek enlistment with the Galactic Empire to discover more about their decisions to serve. Specifically he choose the Imperial Army; while piloting came second-nature to Nathaniel and would provide a definite asset to the Galactic Empire, he had a much stronger desire to learn more about combat and weapons, where his knowledge and understanding were at best minimal. He and Relena spoke at length about the decision to join and in the end she decided to follow with him. They sent their paperwork soon after reading through the rules and regulations and on Year 11, Day 291, Nathaniel was accepted into the Imperial Academy as a new Recruit.

Nathaniel pushed himself to learn everything he could during his time in the Academy and graduated on Year 11, Day 301, assigned to the Imperial Army with the rank of Private. During his time in the Academy, however, Vodo Bonias had stepped down from the Throne, Thomas Cherokee ascending in his stead. Some of the exams were outdated by the new changes, leading to Nathaniel's answers being marked wrong by the automatic scoring matrix. The errors were rectified in the end by his Academy tutor, and Nathaniel was reassigned to the rank of Corporal on Year 11, Day 308.

Imperial Army

Third Imperial Legion

Time Immemorial

Soon after finishing in the Academy and being posted to the Third Imperial Legion, Nathaniel was assigned to an operation in the Fornax system, alongside a friend from the academy, Edward Canfield. It was a joint operation between the Navy and Army involving a criminal syndicate being led by one Salak Radmir from a stronghold in the deserts of planet Fornax. The Army forces, led by Graeda L'Annan, were tasked with assaulting the stronghold, neutralising the enemy forces within, and securing the criminal leadership alive. This would be the first time Nathaniel was placed in a military combat situation, and he was relieved to be thrown into the midst of conflict quickly rather than waiting for the inevitable day.

The operation ended up running smoothly with a successful routing of the stronghold and no major casualties were taken by the Imperial forces. Several small battles broke out during the assault, some of which Nathaniel was present for, after which the syndicate leadership was apprehended and taken into custody. Nathaniel found within him a resolve he was previously unaware of, able to stand his ground and bring the fight to the enemy. His new-found strength was initially startling, but as the battles wore on he grew accustomed to it, providing himself as a valuable asset to the assault.

Operation PANDORA

Following the operation in the Fornax system and his promotion to Corporal, Nathaniel was dispatched to Ansion for what was meant to be a simple infiltration and capture mission. Op PANDORA was launched to subdue a cultist uprising on planet Ansion, where they were believed to be involved in genetic testing and the disappearance of civilians from city streets. The mission started off badly when the arriving transport ship carrying the Imperial soldiers was struck by a missile, killing dozens and scattering the remaining forces across the target city. The ship had been close to the ground when it was attacked and Nathaniel and his squad were thrown free from the craft by the explosion, suffering minor injuries. He managed to gather eight other survivors and they collected inside the rubble of a nearby building, but came under contact soon after by a dozen cult members intent on gaining entry to their shelter.

With the Squad Commander incapacitated, Nathaniel was left to take charge when no one else stood up to the task. He quickly formulated a basic assault plan and the squad pushed back against the cultists, hoping to engage in a counter assault and drive them from the position. In response the cultists dug in and took cover, extending the battle, but their defensive was disrupted when Gunther Rall and his soldiers arrived opposite Sandy Griffen in the road, pincering them in a cross-fire. Nathaniel took the chance they provided him to conduct a frontal assault, disorienting the cultists with stun grenades before pushing out into the streets, himself leading the attack.

Eventually the remaining soldiers regrouped after the initial battles subsided, pushing forward to the main objective and successfully subduing the cultist uprising. Nathaniel was recognized for the quick response and leadership of his squad despite his inexperience, and returned to his unit unscathed and with the majority of the soldiers under his command surviving. This would be the fire steps in Nathaniel's career as a leader in the Imperial Army.

Operation DARKSTORM

Nathaniel was reunited with another friend from the Academy, Arek Lindemann, who had become a sniper specialist in the same Brigade, when the two of them were assigned to another capture mission. Deep in the arid regions of Bimmisaari, Op DARKSTORM was a Task Force mission against a positively identified compound with minor rebel leadership present. In command was Athrun Zala, with Josef DeLaurel leading the ground forces. Nathaniel's reunion with Arek would be brief by the very nature of Arek's job keeping him independently operating from the platoons, while Nathaniel was tasked as a Squad Executive Officer due to his experience and skills displayed on previous combat missions. Nathaniel assisted the Squad Commander by maintaining high morale and drive amongst the soldiers as the attack progressed, however mortar fire soon pinned down all but his Squad.

While the other forces were pounded by the incoming rounds, Nathaniel's squad successfully made it to the compound wall and, upon a breach from friendly artillery fire, pushed in once the platoons had become coordinated again. His squad was at the front of the battle for almost every engagement and cleared several buildings inside the compound itself, including the one with the rebel target. In the end, thanks especially to the Squad Commander, they suffered only minor injuries and one major wound, and were successful in the capture of the rebel leadership.

Exercise SHADOWSTEP

Nathaniel was given a short time to relax upon the conclusion of Op DARKSTORM, however it wasn't long before he was back to the frontline, this time in an exercise conducted by Legion Command. Ex SHADOWSTEP was to be a training confirmation of Brigade-level tactics and coordination, pitting two brigades against one another before they would be allowed to step up to more complex training involving Legion-level operations and coordination.

Initially Nathaniel was assigned to headquarters as an assistant to Alleria Shepard, the Mission Commander for their brigade. He showed incredible promise in his leadership capabilities during this time and eventually assumed command of the mission when Alleria had complications. For his own part in the successful establishment of an initial plan, as well as recognition for his previous display of leadership and skill, Nathaniel was field promoted to Sergeant on Year 11, Day 348.

The exercise progressed smoothly and Nathaniel found himself assisted by Arek yet again, this time with his friend calling in fire missions with the planetary defences against the opposition fleet that had amassed overhead. The fleet, unable to penetrate the shields and taking heavy damage to one of their destroyers, pulled back from range, removing any orbital assets allocated to the other brigade. Unfortunately, during this time the Exercise Commander, Dante Wehr, had decided to pay the brigades an unannounced visit, and Nathaniel neutralized the shuttle without hesitation, assuming it was part of the tactical scenario. The weapons systems were firing blanks, but Dante was hardly pleased nonetheless.

Operation WOUNDED

Ex SHADOWSTEP came to a premature halt when the legion was ordered to depart to the Sacor system immediately. The planet of Sacorria was under attack by the New Republic, who were intent on liberating the planet from CorSec. The Imperial Army was deployed in response to this aggression against an ally, and the legion arrived within days of the distress call going out. It was ultimately too late, however, as the New Republic had gained a considerable foothold on the planet, and despite multiple battles raging across the planet, they were too entrenched to rout.

Nathaniel was involved in a large battle against roughly a company-sized group, half of which were neutralized before his unit was recalled. Op WOUNDED overall did not manage to repulse the enemy assault, but the Imperial Army saw it as a victory for their forces, demonstrating they were able to react quickly and efficiently to any danger. For his own part in the operation, Nathaniel was awarded the now obsolete Army Activity Medal; his medal was authorized to be replaced by the Imperial Activity Medal upon the unveiling of the new Imperial Honours and Awards system.

Operation SANTA CLAWS

The first major break in Nathaniel's career came with Op SANTA CLAWS, where his brigade was tasked with scanning the Fakir Sector for any unusual activity. Over the course of the holiday season Nathaniel found himself the pilot of a TIE/sr Starfighter with little more to do than keep a watch for anything out of the ordinary. It was a welcome change of pace from the constant adrenaline of the prior months.

One notable event that stood apart from the rest of the mission was when Nathaniel was recalled to Brigade Headquarters on Year 12, Day 30, and promoted to the rank of Master Sergeant. No longer just a Squad Commander, with the promotion he would be a Company Sergeant Major at Brigade Headquarters under the Brigade Executive Officer.

Second Imperial Legion

Nathaniel Durane and Relena Vercet on a rare moment off duty in 2IL

Nathaniel's time in the Third Imperial Legion was cut short when he met again by Josef, now working at Legion Command for the Second Imperial Legion. Josef had been keeping an eye on Nathaniel's career ever since Op DARKSTORM and, impressed with what he had seen, he wanted Nathaniel to work alongside him in Legion Command. Nathaniel agreed and on Year 12, Day 48, only eighteen days since his last promotion, he was transferred to the Hellhounds and promoted to the rank of Command Sergeant. Nathaniel would serve as a Regimental Sergeant Major for the Infantry Battalion under Legion Command, working closely with the Legion Communications Coordination Officer.

Nathaniel's work was noticed quickly and his superiors soon saw him as a potential candidate for commissioning. He had shown himself to be a capable and extremely hardworking soldier during his short time in the Galactic Empire and the Imperial Army. His new position was no different, and he threw himself into it with an enthusiasm his superiors had rarely seen. He displayed a strong capability of handling the pressures of being a leader in the Imperial Army, and some saw him as a shining example of an Imperial soldier. His commission to the rank of Second Lieutenant was made official on Year 12, Day 113, marking Nathaniel as one of the few officers in the Galactic Empire to have risen through the ranks into the officer corps before receiving his first set of duty bars.

5th 'Inferno' Brigade

Nathaniel was transferred out of Legion Command after serving for several months as a staff officer. With the onset of the Imperial Army transformation two new brigades were established within the newly-minted 2nd Legion, and he was placed in the 5th Brigade under the Brigade Commanding Officer in the 8th Heavy Armour Battalion. This was a massive change of pace for the Infantryman and placed him back on the battlefield once again, albeit under much thicker protection. It was at this time that Nathaniel learned Relena, herself rising through the ranks steadily, had been transferred into his Legion from the now-renamed 3rd Legion, and was performing a similar role to his own in the 2nd Brigade. The two of them were both promoted at the same time, Nathaniel to First Lieutenant, and Relena to Command Sergeant, on Year 12, Day 198.

Operation FROSTBITE

For several months Nathaniel worked within the Battalion of AT-ATs attached to Brigade Headquarters as a Platoon Commander. His superiors saw his potential immediately as a future leader and pushed him constantly harder, and in response he tackled each new task more fervently. Throughout Op FROSTBITE he worked alongside Josef within Mission Command aboard the Imperial Star Destroyer I Bakfiets, drafting and ensuring orders were sent out to the proper channels well within the needed time frame, as well as using his initiative to have tasks accomplished when ambiguity or a lack of direction arose. This became a problem throughout the Op as Josef's attention waxed and waned, though Nathaniel was able to make due with the situation to keep the soldiers active and engaged.

On Year 12, Day 236, Nathaniel was commended for his efforts with a promotion to the rank of Captain, signed off by the Army Commanding Officer, Seele, and with it a rise to the position of Company Executive Officer.

3rd Legion

After four months of service in the 5th Brigade Nathaniel was transferred back to his first home in the 3rd Legion. His return brought with it familiar territory in the Infantry Corps as he was assigned to Legion Command. It would be the first time he was reunited with Arek and Edward since his departure to the 2nd Legion, though there was now a tension settling between he and Arek. Whereas Arek had remained with the Senior NCOs of the Enlisted Corps alongside Edward, Nathaniel was now an Officer and well on his way towards the rank of Major and his own sub-unit command. Arek's disintegrating attitude and lack of respect towards his peers and superiors eventually culminated into his discharge from the Imperial Army, where Nathaniel had the unfortunate duty of being the one to escort him off the Imperial Star Destroyer Thanatos; it was the last time Nathaniel heard from the man.

On a brighter side note, this was also the first time Nathaniel met Jason's uncle and brother to Tnsumi, Rainer Shine, who had just recently graduated from the academy with Honours. Soon after this reunion Edward's own career launched higher as he was promoted to Command Sergeant and appointed to 6th Brigade's Headquarters, resulting in he and Nathaniel working together more often.

Several months after returning Nathaniel was approached while in the Corellia system, along with the rest of the soldiers in Legion Command and the soldiers of the 3rd Brigade, by a member of the Order of the Sith. They conducted testing of everyone who was available to see if there was anyone among the ranks who showed promise as a wielder of the Force. As expected and explained long ago by Tnsumi, Nathaniel was found not to have any particularly strong ties to the Force, resulting in both relief and disappointment. The feelings passed quickly however, as he was greeted by Graeda, now the Army Commanding Officer, on Tralus several days later. On Year 12, Day 345, he was honoured to be promoted by Graeda to the rank of Major, and given command of his own company as the Officer Commanding.

His position as a Company Commander was marked with much less battle experience and more management, but this didn't deter Nathaniel who took a liking to his own sub-unit command. His dedication to his company was publicized after several months when he was awarded the Achievement Medal in recognition of his consistent hard work, devotion to duty and keen eye for tactical details. He was noted as being an exemplary officer and a fine representative of the Imperial Army. This was further reinforced by Nathaniel being the recipient of the Brigade Command Medal not long after in recognition of his dedication as a very capable commander and his contributions and dedications that he made each day to his unit as well as the Imperial Army. The attention being paid to Nathaniel by his superiors culminated when, on Year 13, Day 87, he was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel, and entrusted as the Commanding Officer of the 3rd Infantry Battalion under Legion Command.

Operation ISOLATED AXIOM

Nathaniel's time as a Commanding Officer was relatively short, spanning the duration of Op ISOLATED AXIOM, where the army furthered its capabilities and understanding of combat in preparation of potential upcoming hostilities. Upon its completion he was promoted to the full rank of Colonel, dated Year 13, Day 193, and moved into a senior staff officer position within Legion Command. It was soon after, alongside his friend from the 2nd Legion and his former Executive Officer, David Terrio, that Nathaniel was awarded the Army Medal of Progress. Both officers were recognized as the finest the Imperial Army had to offer, having worked tirelessly and diligently to make the Imperial Army the best fighting unit in the Galaxy.

With the completion of Op ISOLATED AXIOM, many of the soldiers in the 3rd Legion, Nathaniel included, were awarded the Exercise Achievement Medal for their efforts, while those who already had the award were granted Letters of Commendation. It was a short while later during an Imperial Monthly Meeting that Nathaniel's name was mentioned alongside David's for their tenure in their respective Legions; Nathaniel's own posting in the 3rd Legion was now pushing over a fourteen months. They were both also recognized with Letters of Commendation for their recent contributions to Army Command regarding training operations.

Army Command

Nathaniel Durane in Army Command

The comment during the Imperial Monthly Meeting regarding Nathaniel's time in Legion Command ended up being more than just mere observation, as he was soon transferred out of the 3rd Legion for the second time in his career. He was posted to Army Command, where he would be working as a junior command staff officer within the Army Logistics division. Nathaniel's initial probationary period serving within the Logistics division saw him excel at the role, and it was noted that he always worked to his utmost, something to be commended. His superiors saw that he never shirked from a task and was constantly on the lookout for ways to further himself and better His Majesty’s Armed Forces. To that end, on Year 14, Day 40, Nathaniel was promoted to the rank of Brigadier General, with all the privileges and responsibilities that befell his new position as a Command Officer.

The Logistics division thrived with Nathaniel among its senior staff. The Army Commanding Officer commented that keeping the machine of the Imperial Army well-oiled was a complex and often thankless task. It was seen as unquestionably a vital enterprise in the Galaxy that must be commanded, for empires, like people, dismiss such complex and thankless errands at their peril. While the job could not be made less complex - for that is the nature of logistics - it could be made less thankless, and for that reason Nathaniel was honoured for his hard work since joining the Logistics division four months prior. Darius Morettius, the Vizier of Infrastructure, recognized both the Director of RADE, Zakath Atesca, and Nathaniel for the administrative and logistical undertakings that resulted in an efficient transition of equipment to the Imperial Army, both on and off the battlefield, directly supporting the efforts of the soldiers on Derra IV; Darius presented both Generals with the Commissioner of Betterment award.

Operation SOVEREIGN CANOPY

While working within the Logistics division Nathaniel was also given the opportunity to be attached in with his old legion on the first rotation of Op SOVEREIGN CANOPY, a deployment to the planet Derra IV which had seen an outbreak of both the Great Animosity Plague and - inadvertently through trying to cure the former - the Metamorphosis Plague. Engagements against the forces of the Galactic Alliance were fierce and highly contested, the enemy having had substantial preparatory time to develop a deliberate defensive position within the primary urban locations on the planet. Nathaniel and the infantry battalion that he was assigned to came under fire multiple times, resulting in high casualty rates and Nathaniel himself being wounded - at times badly - on several occasions. These setbacks were tempered by the achievements they made against enemy forces, including engaging and neutralising several known Jedi combatants.

Throughout Op SOVEREIGN CANOPY, the 3rd Legion met frequent and intense resistance, in often overwhelming numbers. Many of the soldiers proved their dedication and valour in the face of great adversity and were appropriately honoured for it. Edward, now a Colonel holding a senior staff position in Legion Command, and one of the primary driving forces behind the mission, was awarded the Achievement Medal for displaying exemplary performance of his duties as a battlefield commander on Derra IV, resulting in highly effective soldiers and unit manoeuvres. The 3rd Legion as a whole, its brigades and attachments were granted the Unit Distinguished Service award for consistently distinguishing themselves in their actions on Derra IV, accomplishing great strides in combat against an entrenched enemy with superior numbers. They were also awarded the Battle Efficiency Medal for demonstrating highly effective and efficient skills in the advance to contact, engagement, and withdrawals involving enemy combatants during several combat engagements on Derra IV.

During Nathaniel's final engagement on the operation, his overzealous drive got the better of him as he took command of the mission, despite actual mission commanders being present and able. The mission itself was one of the most successful counter-attacks of the tour against Galactic Alliance forces, whom retreated from the planet soon after. Expecting praise for his efforts in putting himself in danger and leading the soldiers to victory, he was caught off-guard when he was instead reprimanded. He took offence to the charges which were coming directly from Graeda, and lashed out against them and her. To him the lack of the mission commanders voicing any concern made it a moot point, but Graeda saw it differently. Exacerbating the issue was further charges levied by the Imperial Security Bureau for falsifying Imperial records, which Nathaniel denied and reacted poorly against.

Communications between Graeda and Nathaniel broke down as his arrogance continued to escalate. Behind the scenes of his career Nathaniel was known to react poorly to negative criticism and discipline, and this was no different than the history he had demonstrated. He displayed a vastly different personality than anything he was used to from before joining the Galactic Empire and he eventually realized it was a conflict between his Alderaanian calm passivity and Jason's Corellian impulsive aggression; but the realisation came far too late for him.

Nathaniel attempted to make a final stand on Year 14, Day 167, by resigning from the Imperial Army, but he would not get the last word; Seele, now the Executor of the Galactic Empire, responded to Nathaniel's resignation, poor attitude, and dismal behaviour in a lengthy communique. In it he chided Nathaniel for his inability to develop beyond his petty attitude thoroughly, ending with an embargo on his career in perpetuity. Until further notice from the Imperial Throne itself, Nathaniel would be unable to serve within any branch of the Galactic Empire, with the sole exception being the Ministry of Industry.

Ministry of Industry

Magnaguard Manufacturing

Nathaniel Durane attending the Imperial Army Ball as a civilian

The lessons within which Nathaniel should have learned long ago were painfully absorbed as realisation crept in for what he had done. He retreated inward for several days to seriously re-evaluate who he was and what he had become, before taking an external step in making a statement before an assembly of Imperials about his actions, behaviour, and consequences. He accepted his self-inflicted fate and sought out employment with anyone who would be willing to take him in. His search finally landed him at the doorstep of Tyris Elensar, the Executive Director of Magnaguard Manufacturing, who took pity on the man and gave him the opportunity to begin anew. On Year 14, Day 176, Nathaniel was accepted under the employ of the company as a Senior Engineer.

Keeping himself busy with product lines, Nathaniel kept his head down and off the radar for several months. Not longer after joining Tyris departed the company for a position in the Ministry's head office as both the Executive Director of Corellian Engineering Corporation and the acting Minister of Industry. In his wake Malius Thaxton took the head of the company as the new Executive Director. Not long after he arrived Nathaniel was given a welcome surprise as Relena joined the company under his watch as an Engineer. The reunion was a breath of relief for him, a light at the end of the tunnel he had dug himself into. His quiet diligence paid off over time as he was given the position of Hub Manager for Lansono, coordinating the distribution of resources, goods, income and expenses throughout the system.

Myorzo Weapon Systems

Eventually Nathaniel's work became noticed by the Ministry's head office, where Tyris was now confirmed as the Minister. He and Saedrial Elensar, the Ministry's Second-in-Command, were keen on further developing the rough edges of leadership that Nathaniel had from his time in the Imperial Army into something more suitable for a civilian career. The decision was made that he would become a Second-in-Command-in-Training within Myorzo Weapon Systems under Executive Director Kavash Orr. This change of pace was made on Year 15, Day 30, when Nathaniel was moved into his new position to begin working closely with Kavash in the field of weapons production.

The spark which was meant to light the expected fire of leadership never burned for very long, however, and Nathaniel soon found himself unable to find the energy to devote to his work like he had in the Army. He committed to the minimum effort required until he and Kavash worked out the best way for him to be productive and support the company, while still accomplishing his own goals. Nathaniel ended up working on a large-scale infrastructure construction project in Dostra for the company in the hopes of drumming up some much needed income through rent and sales. The project was well under way over the course of a couple months when disaster struck and the half-completed project yielded a major loss for the company, due to a higher-than-expected crime rate on one of the planets, coupled with many more jobs available than workers to fill them.

This eventually reached the ears of Tyris and Saedrial, who were both in no way pleased with Nathaniel to begin with due to him not taking on the mantle of civilian leadership as they had expected him to. Nathaniel was lambasted for the error and he set out to correct the errors in the company's calculations, erecting several skyscraper districts in the matter of a single month. This resulted in a net positive return on the project, which came as a relief to Nathaniel who just wanted the project done and over with. Tyris and Saedrial continued to be disappointed in Nathaniel's performance despite his claim that he had been working diligently over the months that had passed, and tensions grew until Nathaniel stopped communicating with them directly, instead speaking with Kavash on any company-related matters.

He did have a couple chuckles during the project, though; on the planet Thosa having named one of the constructed cities Durania, after himself, and hosting a mock revolution as the citizens on Colsa temporarily handed over the leadership of the planet to the company over Moff Everard de Montfort. The bustle of activity died down over the course of a day and most citizens just returned to work, glad to have something to break up the monotony of everyday life on the icy planet.

A couple chance encounters at the annual Imperial Army Ball, where Nathaniel attended as a civilian, brought with it an opportunity for redemption when the throne sanction on his career was finally lifted, nearly two years after it was put in place. Not long prior to this he had spoken with Tyris and Saedrial and resolved the differences between he and them, which were largely borne out of miscommunication on Nathaniel's part. He also underwent a second round of testing at this time for Force Sensitiveity by Saedrial, also known publicly as Darth Astlyr. While he started to get excited over the potential, in no small way assisted by his friendship with fellow ministry worker Sigmund von Ismay, it was ultimately the same story as before: he had no more capability in the Force than the rest of his family.

Imperial Army

2nd Legion, 2nd 'Hellhounds' Brigade

Shortly after the Imperial Army Ball concluded Nathaniel started the required paperwork for a transfer and, on Year 16, Day 39 it was approved with his appointment to the rank of High Colonel as the Brigade Executive Officer of the Hellhounds, the same Brigade Relena had once been a part of. Nathaniel worked quite closely with a young colonel at headquarters, Julian Valendrift, and found that the two not only had a fair bit in common, but that Julian was proving to be an extremely capable and promising officer. However their time working together would be cut short quite abruptly, as Army Command saw fit to transfer Nathaniel back to his other home, the 3rd Legion, once again.

3rd Legion, 6th 'Pathfinders' Brigade

On Year 16, Day 60, Nathaniel was appointed as the Brigade Commanding Officer of the Pathfinders, still holding the rank of High Colonel. With this move he had come full circle and had now been present in every Brigade within both the 2nd and 3rd Legions.

He immediately took to transforming the Brigade administratively and operationally, scouring its equipment and personnel to ensure they were up to his standards. Assisting him in this task and generally making his life far more manageable was Kathleen Tate, a recently appointed staff officer at Brigade Headquarters who was quickly turning out to be a commander's best friend in the staff world. Between the two of them they were able to bring the Brigade into an operational state of readiness and begin executing new training activities almost immediately.

Exercise ALAZHI TROOPER

Nathaniel had the Brigade deploy to the Polith system, specifically on the planet Thyferra, where they conducted an exercise aimed at testing the interoperability of the various units in the brigade with each other, and to a lesser extent their coordination with the Navy. The exercise saw limited success due to the unavailability of several units, however it was used nonetheless as a stepping stone to launch the brigade towards a more cohesive end state.

Not long after the conclusion of the exercise, Nathaniel was returned to his previous rank of Brigadier General on Year 16, Day 117 by Army Command.

Army Command

It didn't take long for Nathaniel's career to one again start moving upwards. He applied for and was appointed to the position of Army Training Officer on Year 16, Day 163, however he maintained his position in his brigade concurrent to the appointment. Tasked with developing the future training regimen of the entire Imperial Army, he was determined to use his double-hat in order to have direct access to testing of training objectives with his own brigade, which in turn led to a much higher degree of activity for the formation. Operations such as HIDDEN DRAGON would be used to test, confirm, and implement the theories and documentation developed under his new position.

Several months into this new posting, Nathaniel was recognized for his years of service to the Empire and the Army. On Year 16, Day 203 at the Imperial Monthly Meeting, the Army Commanding Officer promoted him to the rank of Major General, commenting on how the officers under his command and his peers spoke highly of his mentorship. He would be further honoured later in year Year 16 for his work putting together Army-wide scenario packs from his Army Command position by being awarded an Army Medal of Progress, the second for his career.

Regional Government Masquerade Ball

Nathaniel Durane meeting with Leeanna Mailhot at the Regional Government Masquerade Ball

During his tenure at Army Command Nathaniel had the privilege of attending a Masquerade Ball hosted by the Regional Government on Year 16, Day 259 at the planet Aaragu's Conservatory of Music in the Zug system. He had originally intended to go to the ball by himself as Relena was already going with Draelor Nah`utal, a friend of both of theirs who was working in the Regional Government at the time. However a chance encounter a few days prior to the ball with an officer of the Imperial Security Bureau that Nathaniel had met a couple times before, Leeanna Mailhot, resulted in the two of them being each others' dates. While many of the guests arrived to the planet early and stayed in the newly built Escrow House, Nathaniel's work with Army Command and his brigade precluded him from being able to make it to the Zug system until the evening of the ball itself. He had chosen to forego any military attire for the night and instead wore a simple tuxedo with an accompanying mask and cape, figuring medals, ranks and uniforms would just detract from the atmosphere of the event.

The event progressed smoothly with Nathaniel meeting several familiar faces scattered amongst the guests, the Army Executive Officer, Zhaff Orikan, included. When he spotted his date, however, all attention was immediately focused on her, as she blew away all expectations Nathaniel had. It took him a second to register that she was in fact his date, and after gaining his composure he gathered his wits and approached her. As the night progressed he found himself drawn to Leeanna, which was something that Nathaniel had never really experienced through his career in the Empire. Her status as a member of the Order of the Sith intrigued him, and he could sense in her something far deeper than most others, in the way she held herself, the way she spoke, and how she reacted to his own presence. He was particularly impressed by how well she danced with him, despite her claims otherwise earlier in the night. It would prove to be the beginning of a somewhat unlikely relationship between an army general and a senior ISB officer, with a twist of the Force thrown in for good measure.

Imperigroup

A couple months after the government ball on Aaragu, Nathaniel began looking back to his roots in trading and business. Since his time in the Empire his investments in his old company and Krayt Station had steadily increased to the point that Nathaniel held a substantial amount of wealth in credits and assets. Some choice sales with several prominent Imperials resulting in Nathaniel having enough to make a major investment into Imperigroup. It was enough that Nikolaus Ephranor, the creator and manager of the program, invited Nathaniel onto its Board of Directors.

Nathaniel stayed with the board over several months as membership fluctuated, and assisted in drastic reformations that were recommended by Seele, a new Board member and now the Director of Imperial Intelligence, to turn the group into a bond-based scheme to differentiate it from its main bank competitor, CorEx. The Board - now consisting of the Navy Commanding Officer, Jacen Varos, the CEO of CorEx, Geoff Jackson, Seele, Sigmund von Ismay, and Nathaniel - voted unanimously in the adoption of the new program and set the wheels in motion for its conversion.

Imperigroup was an extremely successful venture - so much so that on Year 17, Day 235, it was eventually sold to Honnete Mercantiles Capital Group, an investment company headed by Lords Cherokee and Seele, Togan Jano of Centrepoint Trading Station, and Geoff Jackson, which would be honouring the new bond scheme put in place by Imperigroup. With the sale complete, the Imperigroup board was disbanded.

Crisis in Barma - The DAKSHEE Defence

Nathaniel was given a short tour as the equivalent of a Legion Commanding Officer in Barma when the system of Dakshee was hosting several high profile Imperials overseeing the final stages of a Ministry of Industry project. While he was in system the sector came under attack from unknown enemy belligerents, severing communications with many Imperial worlds, Carida included. The planning and execution of army operations fell to him and his staff, and with a sizable opposition mounting an assault on the system, time was of the essence. Nathaniel developed a mobile defensive plan for the system to best utilize the terrain available to him, trading space for time to allow for any possible Imperial reinforcements to balance the weight of power in the system.

While aboard the Imperial Star Destroyer Reverent, Nathaniel and his newly-married spouse, Leeanna, were caught up in a successful sabotage attempt by an enemy infiltrator. Nathaniel managed to rescue several engineering staff before departing the doomed capital ship, and was redirected to the planetary surface of Dakshee I, where initial contact was about to be made with the enemy assault forces. With their naval support cut off, the army forces on the ground would have to hold position until an air corridor could be established to withdraw them back to their primary defensive positions on Dakshee III. The Army forces held to the cities during the initial contact in the morning hours, falling back slowly towards the center dropzone in an attempt to cause maximum attrition to the enemy forces, while also buying as much time as they could for the Navy to regain air superiority.

Not long after events settled in Barma, Nathaniel returned to his regular duties with 6th Brigade. On Year 17, Day 98 at the Army Monthly meeting, Nathaniel was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant General by Zhaff for his leadership, dedication, and - Zhaff having a particular sense of humour - very rarely burning anything down around him. Zhaff also noted that it'd been years since he wanted to kill him, which considering their mixed history with one another, was also a plus.

His time spent as a Lieutenant General would only last for two weeks, at which point the Imperial Army implemented its new policy on General officers. On Year 17, Day 112, Nathaniel was promoted to the rank of General due to his position in Army Command as the Army Training Officer. Shortly afterwards, Nathaniel stepped down as the Commanding Officer of the Pathfinders in order to focus on his duties with Army Command; he was replaced by newly promoted Brigadier General Alex Rinose.

2nd Legion

Nathaniel Durane shortly after taking command of the 2nd Legion

What Nathaniel thought was going to be an eventual retirement and change of pace came to an abrupt end when the 2nd Legion's Commanding Officer, Liam Conrad, inexplicably turned on his fellow Imperials, acquiring equipment from the Legion Reserve, arresting the command team for the 2nd Brigade, and holding many officers of the 5th Brigade hostage. The situation was resolved in essentially a best-case scenario with everyone released from captivity and the traitor himself captured. Nathaniel stepped up to the plate in coordinating with ACOMD, II, ISB, and the Throne to help ensure details did not get missed, and kept the flow of communication open throughout the entire ordeal. For surpassing Army Command's high expectations for commanders, he was awarded his second Imperial Activity Medal.

It came as no surprise when Nathaniel, already deeply invested in the well being of the 2nd Legion in light of the aftermath, applied for and was accepted into the position of Legion Commanding Officer, appointed as of Year 17, Day 236. After several months of successful leadership and development within the 2nd Legion, Nathaniel was recognized not just for his work there, but for his continuing efforts as the Army Training Officer, a role which gave him a unique situation to offer guidance from an overall army perspective that also directly influenced army-wide policies. Through this, he was able to play a key role in ensuring that the Army's tools for training and assessment were continually relevant. For these consistent contributions, and a patient and positive attitude despite an often revolving door, he was formally recognized at the Imperial Monthly Meeting; over the course of his career Nathaniel had been recognized many times with Letters of Commendation, and in lieu of receiving his 8th, he was granted the Imperial Medal of Commendation.

Not long after at another Imperial Monthly Meeting on Year 18, Day 55, Nathaniel would again be recognized for his efforts, this time by the COMPNOR Select Committee. For providing much needed command structure, being thoughtful in operations and logistics and instructing BCO's on proper execution of their tasks, he was awarded the Imperial of the Month. During the same meeting, alongside fellow Legion Commander and Army Command officer Emilio Peares, both men were noted as being long standing members of the empire, representing the last vestiges from the former ranking system before the officer revamp, and were promoted to the rank of Command General.

Ranks

Grade	Insignia	Rank	Time In Grade (CGT)	Time In Grade (OOC)	Positions Held
[E-1]		Recruit	Y11 D291 - Y11 D301	16 Sep 10 - 26 Sep 10	Recruit
Grade	Insignia	Rank	Time In Grade (CGT)	Time In Grade (OOC)	Positions Held
[E-2]		Private	Y11 D301 - Y11 D308	26 Sep 10 - 03 Oct 10	Legionary
[E-3]		Corporal	Y11 D308 - Y11 D348	03 Oct 10 - 12 Nov 10	Legionary
[E-4]		Sergeant	Y11 D348 - Y12 D30	12 Nov 10 - 29 Dec 10	3rd Brigade Executive Officer
[E-5]		Master Sergeant	Y12 D30 - Y12 D48	29 Dec 10 - 16 Jan 11	3rd Brigade Executive Officer
[E-6]		Command Sergeant	Y12 D48 - Y12 D113	16 Jan 11 - 22 Mar 11	2nd Legion Communications Coordination Officer
[O-1]		Second Lieutenant	Y12 D113 - Y12 D198	22 Mar 11 - 15 Jun 11	2nd Legion Signals Officer
[O-2]		First Lieutenant	Y12 D198 - Y12 D236	15 Jun 11 - 23 Jul 11	5th Brigade Commanding Officer
[O-3]		Captain	Y12 D236 - Y12 D345	23 Jul 11 - 09 Nov 11	5th Brigade Commanding Officer 3rd Legion Commanding Officer
[O-4]		Major	Y12 D345 - Y13 D87	09 Nov 11 - 24 Feb 12	3rd Legion Commanding Officer
[O-5]		Lieutenant Colonel	Y13 D87 - Y13 D193	24 Feb 12 - 09 Jun 12	3rd Legion Commanding Officer
[O-6]		Colonel	Y13 D193 - Y14 D40	09 Jun 12 - 07 Jan 13	3rd Legion Commanding Officer Army Logistics Officer
[C-1]		Brigadier General	Y14 D40 - Y14 D167	07 Jan 13 - 14 May 13	Army Logistics Officer
Grade	Insignia	Rank	Time In Grade (CGT)	Time In Grade (OOC)	Positions Held
[O-3]		Senior Engineer	Y14 D176 - Y14 D338	23 May 13 - 01 Nov 13	Magnaguard Manufacturing Employee Magnaguard Manufacturing Hub Manager
[O-5]		Senior Engineer	Y14 D338 - Y16 D39	01 Nov 13 - 06 Jan 15	Magnaguard Manufacturing Hub Manager Myorzo Weapon Systems Public Sales Officer Myorzo Weapon Systems Administrative Manager
Grade	Insignia	Rank	Time In Grade (CGT)	Time In Grade (OOC)	Positions Held
[O-7]		High Colonel	Y16 D39 - Y16 D117	06 Jan 15 - 25 Mar 15	5th Brigade Executive Officer 6th Brigade Commanding Officer
[C-1]		Brigadier General	Y16 D117 - Y16 D203	25 Mar 15 - 19 Jun 15	6th Brigade Commanding Officer Army Training Officer
[C-2]		Major General	Y16 D203 - Y17 D98	19 Jun 15 - 05 Mar 16	6th Brigade Commanding Officer Army Training Officer
[C-3]		Lieutenant General	Y17 D98 - Y17 D112	05 Mar 16 - 19 Mar 16	6th Brigade Commanding Officer Army Training Officer
[C-4]		General	Y17 D112 - Y18 D55	19 Mar 16 - 21 Jan 17	6th Brigade Commanding Officer 2nd Legion Commanding Officer Army Training Officer
[C-5]		Command General	Y18 D55 - Present	21 Jan 17 - Present	2nd Legion Commanding Officer Army Training Officer

Grade	Insignia	Rank	Time In Grade (CGT)	Time In Grade (OOC)
---	---	Sith Acolyte	Classified	Classified
---	---	Sith Apprentice	Classified	Classified
---	---	Sith Knight	Classified	Classified
---	---	Sith Master	Y18 D55 - Present	Y18 D55 - Present

Awards

• Commissioner of Betterment [COB]
• Achievement Medal [ACH]
• Army Medal of Progress x2 [AMPx2]
• Imperial Medal of Commendation [IMC]
• Unit Distinguished Service [UDS]
• Battle Efficiency Medal [BEM]
• Exercise Achievement Medal [EAM]
• Order of the Sith Member [OSM]
• Brigade Command Medal [BCM]
• Project Management Medal [PMM]
• Imperial Literacy Contest x2 [ILCx2]
• Imperial of the Month [IOM]
• Letter of Commendation x7 [LOCx7]
• Imperial Activity Medal x2 [IAMx2]
• Imperial Service Medal - 5 Years [ISM-5]
• Corporate Service Medal - 1 Year [CSM-1]
• Sith Service Award - 1 Year [SSA-1]
• Imperial Campaign Medal x2 [ICMx2] - Planetary Audit, Operation SOVEREIGN CANOPY
• Imperial Academy Basic Graduate - Honours [IABG-H]
• Mentioned in Dispatches x3 [MIDx3]
• Medal of Support [MOS]
• Imperial Meeting Medal - 12 [IMM-12]

Qualifications

• Elite Infantry Corps - Elite Infantry Badge
• Armoured Corps - Advanced Armour Badge
• Reconnaissance Corps - No Badge
• Government Staff - No Badge

Quotes & Notable Dialogue

• "When it comes to war, it's not the bullets with your name on it you need to worry about. It's the ones labeled 'To whom it may concern.'"
• "As much as battle strengthens a man's resolve, so too does the thought of a tactical scenario and its reprecussions keep the blade of a man's mind sharp."

Graeda L'Annan: Durane has a way with people.
Nathaniel Durane: Yes, for the record when it comes to dealing with people you don't like, ask yourself one simple question.
Nathaniel Durane: "How would Durane handle it?"
Nathaniel Durane: And then do something else.

Nathaniel Durane: [Speaking to Dratt Darkstar in public] Empire - Imperials - Individual. A mantra we would all do best to remember.
Nathaniel Durane: Serve the Empire first, your Imperials second, and yourself last, and you'll never steer far from the right path.

Edward Canfield: There are only bad options. It's about finding the best one.
Graeda L'Annan: You don't have a better bad idea than this?
Nathaniel Durane: This is the best bad idea we have, Sir... [sighing] by far.

Trivia

• Nathaniel is 6'0" tall, with wind-swept brown hair and deep blue eyes. He used to be somewhat sleek in shape, however his military career built him up. While he lost his more boyish features, he has remained physically attractive nonetheless as he aged. He has no other distinguishing features.

• Nathaniel's demeanour developed as he aged, from a courteous youth to an arrogant, pushy young adult. As an adult he has settled in the middle, maintaining a respect for authority figures and a sense of calm during crisis, but not hesitating to speak his mind or make aggressive moves when the situation calls for it.

• Nathaniel is a bit of a book worm and an intellectual. He doesn't mind drinking, though has never been seen completely intoxicated. He holds himself with an air of calm confidence, tempered by the demons of his past and the self-inflicted challenges he faced.