Captain:Aoirtae Valaeris

"May your sword of light defend us all in the darkness to come!"

-, Lord Regent of

Aoirtae is a female student of a mysterious group of sages, warriors and philosophers based on the planet, located somewhere deep in the Unknown Regions of the. The daughter of parents killed by Panthrea slavers, Aoirtae managed to escape a life of servitude as a young girl by stowing away on a starship bound for the remote Outer world of Andustar. There, she eked out a living on the frigid world as a hunter and trader with the native Andustarans. Though convinced that she was destined to live out the rest of her days on the backwater world, her fate would be quite different. Soon after her eighteenth birthday, Aoirtae was encountered by the crew of the Auethnen Raptor, a New Republic starship masquerading as a smuggling vessel for top secret missions in Imperial space.

During her initial encounter with the Auethnen Raptor and particularly her interaction with figures such as and Master, Aoirtae discovered that she was strongly attuned to the mysterious energy field of the Cyrannus Galaxy. This sensitivity was first unleashed when agents of the attempted to detain her in the insidious mines of the planet Vurdon. Upon defeating the sinister Imperial Inquisitor known as, Aoirtae began to train to control and utilise these powers under the tutelage of Master Ryen on Aldár. There, she trained under Ryen, in addition to the mysterious, both of whom saw in Aoirtae a chance to stand against the rising darkness.

During the Battle of Aldár in 10 NE, Aoirtae proved her strength by fighting against the Phaedric Lord and ultimately destroying the former Emperor of the, , ridding the  of a great threat and ensuring the foretold rise of the Lord of Light to stand against the darkness of. Standing as a sentinel of the, Aoirtae stood ready to defend the New Republic as the erupted across the Gigaquadrant.

Early Life
Aoirtae was born on an unknown Outer Rim planet during the opening stages of the. While the planet's remote location within the galaxy's outer fringes prevented the conflict from spreading to it, the distraction caused by the invasion of the Core resulted in the outer systems of the  to suffer from an increased number of raids by criminal cartels such as the. During one such raid, Aoirtae's parents were brutally killed while Aoirtae herself--now four years old--would be doomed to a life of servitude under a Panthrean whip. Though briefly captured by the aliens, Aoirtae managed to take advantage of her small size to smuggle herself onto a starship bound for another sector of the Outer Rim. She soon arrived on the frigid planet Andustar beyond the borders of the United Republic of Cyrannus, where she would spend both her childhood and her teenage years struggling to adapt to a harsh lifestyle. In order to stay alive in the wilderness, Aoirtae became a proficient hunter, utilising a self-made energy bow to hunt the large mammalian gnastor in addition to trade with the native Andustarans and occasionally off-worlders.

New Beginnings
"You want to leave Andustar? Can't say I blame you."
 * The Auethnen Raptor

Soon after her eighteenth birthday, Aoirtae had a mysterious vision in which she saw elements of the future passing before her eyes. When she awoke, she caught sight of a landing star freighter at a nearby landing platform. Overcome with lonelyness, Aoirtae was desperate to escape Andustar, seeing the freighter has a chance to finally escape. Though the condition of the ship initially led her to believe that it belonged to smugglers, it soon became apparent that it was a scouting and spy ship seeking to negotiate the establishment of a listening post on Andustar. Aoirtae introduced herself to the crew, which consisted of, Master and a Mon Nahdar named Munalur. Ryen sensed something in the young Ortella and managed to convince Captain Inviá to allow her to use the ship, the Auethnen Raptor, to escape Andustar.

Aoirtae spent the next two days on the vessel, where she quickly befriended the three crewmembers with her gregarious and humorous nature. She made the biggest impression on Ryen, who revealed his past as a student of as well as her attunement to mysterious energies which permeate Cyrannus. Aoirtae did not believe the old, claiming that she was simply a "worthless hunter from the ice plains". During their conversation, the Raptor was attacked by an Imperial patrol led by Inquisitorial Justiciar. Captain Inviá commanded Aoirtae to man the laser cannons of the Raptor, where she used her skills with aiming to destroy an Imperial fighter. However, just as the Raptor was about to flee into hyperspace, she was forcibly translocated to the Inquisitor's ship, where she faced interrogation by the insidious.

Captured by Vandalion, Aoirtae revealed to him that she was merely a passenger on the Raptor, falsely informing him that she knew nothing about them when asked about Master Ryen. Quickly, she became increasingly more aggressive when confronted by the detestable agent of the Empire, giving her name as and laughing in his face when he claimed he would gain the information he needed through less pleasant means of interrogation. Frustrated, Vandalion abandoned the questioning and travelled to the infamous world of Vurdon, home to mines used by the Empire to punish political dissidents and terrorists. Aoirtae was horrified by what she saw, hundreds of slaves - many of them children - being used by the Empire to mine the planet's worthless natural resourses.
 * Skirmish on Vurdon

When Vandalion handed her off to the planet's processing team, Aoirtae began to feel a build up of energy within her. With her eyes filled with determination and resolve, she finally unleashed her power, blasting away the nearby Imperials just as the Auethnen Raptor arrived to rescue her. The sheer level of energy she released caused her to collapse to the ground. By the time she awoke, Master Ryen was engaged in a deadly duel with Inquisitor Vandalion. Though Ryen effortlessly deflected the Inquisitor's attacks, his compassion was exploited by Vandalion, who gravely injured the Osteola when he attempted to rescue some young slaves. Just as the Inquisitor was about to kill Ryen, Aoirtae took up the Osteola's blade and used it to deflect Vandalion's attack. At peace in the moment, Aoirtae aggressively pressed her advantage, eventually using her power to throw the Inquisitor to the ground.

Unwilling to sink to his level, Aoirtae, Ryen, Kara and many slaves escaped Vurdon on the Raptor.

"Despite all the horrible stuff that has happened to me over the past few days, this is the first time I feel like I truly belong."
 * Aldár Bound

- Aoirtae

Escaping through hyperspace, the Raptor managed to avoid Imperial sensors and soon arrived in Republic space. Chatting with Kara, the young women discussed the loss they both felt when they were young, Kara's father and their shared connection to something larger than themselves, and perhaps larger than the galaxy itself. Now fully healed, Ryen offered Aoirtae a place as his pupil, informing her that at last hope is beginning to shine throughout the cosmos, a galaxy unwilling to live under the tyranny of the Empire and their foul Phaedric agents. Aoirtae gladly agreed, claiming that despite the events of the previous few days, her time on the Raptor was the first time she truly felt like she belonged somewhere. Ryen revealed that their new destination was the unknown world of, where Aoirtae's destiny would truly begin.

Student of Ryen
Over the next four years, Aoirtae and Kara would make their home in an ancient temple on Aldár, where they would train daily under Master, who utilised many of the training techniques utilised by , the legendary warriors who trained him. Almost four years after arriving on Aldár, Aoirtae received a vision while training with Kara, with a deep voice telling her to travel to the Peak of Ages for a "true test". The next morning, Aoirtae voyaged into the wilderness of Aldár toward the Peak. As she walked, she encountered a small known as, who joined her for much of her trek.
 * The Final Trial

Intrigued that the Yodian knew her name, Aoirtae and her new friend travelled to the summit, where Aenaró remained, prompting Aoirtae to continue alone. On the Peak, she encountered the mysterious dragon Master, who shared his wisdom with Aoirtae before directing her into a nearby cave for her final trial. Though Aoirtae was initially hesitant, the kind nature of Du'utahrovin convinced her that she was destined to experience the mysteries of the cave.

"You have faced great trials, young one. Are you ready to face what lies ahead?"
 * The Cave

- Unknown

Travelling into the cave, Aoirtae was confronted with the horrific spectre of the Phaedric Lord, who challenged Aoirtae to a duel. Igniting her blade, Aoirtae was seemingly outmatched, but managed to gain the upper hand by blasting the spectre into the wall of the cave. When she recovered, she travelled to another chamber of the cave, where she was confronted by the image of her parents. Though she knew them to be dead, she attempted to embrace them, only to pass straight through them. Nevertheless, her mother and father expressed their love and pride in their daughter, before telling her that she'll never be alone. As she began making her way to the cave's exit, she encountered a mysterious energy field, which guided her toward one final trial. The voice, which exuded calm and wisdom, expressed his faith in Aoirtae's abilities, telling her that only she could decide her own path in the future. As she neared the cave's exit, she experienced a vivid vision of the future, which ended with the Dark Lord pledging to destroy both the  and the Aldárae Order.


 * Aecor

When she emerged from the cave, Aoirtae was shocked to find Kara, Ryen and Master Aenaró awaiting her alongside Du'utahrovin. The Aldárae began to discuss the coming darkness, with the voice from the cave telling Aoirtae that they needed to travel to to retrieve the Zevian Skull. Though Ryen was sceptical about the logistics of reaching the Skull, given the Rambo and Cognatus presence on Aecor, Kara managed to contact her father,, who organised passage for the Auethnen Raptor to the Quadrantia planet.

When they arrived, Aoirtae met Apollo, Kara's brother —who was smitten with her, the Lord Regent, Doctor and the Cogsangui warrior. Within the chamber of the Zevian Skull, the group bickered about Aoirtae's plan to bring the Skull to the Aldárae Temple as the voice suggested, though ultimately Rambarth agreed to let Aoirtae approach the Skull and investigate it. When she did so, she received another vision, in which the temple was sacked by unknown dark forces. Just as she informed the others, they were all translocated by the Skull all the way back to Aldár, where darkness had indeed found them.
 * Battle of the Temple

The temple was under siege by, and Morgandaûr, in addition to Morgandaûr's servants  and , with the latter two engaging in a vicious duel with Aoirtae, who fought alongside Master Ryen. However, when Ryen was injured in combat with Morgandaûr, Aoirtae, distracted by the loss, was approached by Venatorius. The Phaedric Lord ignited his blade when he failed to persuade Aoirtae to join him, with the two figures engaging in a vicious duel as the temple crumbled around them. Though Aoirtae put up a great fight, she was ultimately overpowered by the dark Phaedric Lord, who gravely injured her before blasting her unconscious into a wall.

Though unconscious, Aoirtae was seemingly revived by the arrival of Master, who unleashed his full power, forcing Venatorius and Meketanor to retreat, weakening Morgandaûr enough, along with Ryen, Apollo and Rambarth, to destroy his magical shield. As Morgandaûr struggled to regain his power, Aoirtae approached him, firmly announced the end of his reign of terror and stabbed her blade through his chest, killing one of the greatest threats of the.

With the battle over, Aoirtae listened as Du'utahrovin recited an ancient prophecy which seemingly foretold the events which had just transpired. Filled with a sense of purpose, Aoirtae finally approached the Zevian Skull and was transported to another plane of existence, where she encountered, the Lord of Light and Aoirtae's guide from the cave.

Steps into the Light
"You have come far, young one, though there is still far to go. The Republic will not be alone in hearing your message. Know that, my friend. Know that the Vector of Order felt my return, as I felt his. His weakness has always been hubris—an arrogance which dimishes wisdom. Nevertheless, do not underestimate him. His followers will show no mercy in their march to victory, but never give up, Aoirtae, no matter how dark things seem."

Meeting with, Aoirtae was caught off-guard by the Oikoumene's kind and friendly demeanor, quite unlike her image of a haughty and enigmatic Ultraterrestrial. Though behind his kind words, Aoirtae could sense a deep sadness in the Lord of Light—attributable to his actions deep in the ancient past of the Oikoumene and the conflicts between the Vectors of Chaos, Order and Light. When they returned to Aldár, Aoirtae was shocked to discover that what had been mere hours for her, had been two years in her own reality. Reunited with Kara Inviá and Ryen, Aoirtae and Apolithanatár were brought before the Ethelnór Aldaráe, which rejoiced at the long-awaited return of both Aoirtae and the Lord of Light. After the meeting, Apolithantár thanked Aoirtae for giving him the chance to atone for his sins, before dematerialising to watch over the Aldárae as it struggled to become a formal organisation. Before she could catch her breath, the Aldárae received a transmission from, whose ship had been ambushed during a top secret diplomatic mission to the homeworld of Rihanae. Joining Kara and the ancient Nagith warrior, Aoirtae travelled aboard the Auethnen Raptor to Apollo's last known coordinates. There, they discovered that his ship had been attacked by a Rihanaen warbird, which promptly decloaked and began firing on the Raptor.

Due to Vanikaimar's quick thinking, the trio managed to board the warbird, where they rescued Apollo,, and the deactivated chassis of the. However, before they could escape, their route was blocked by Inquisitor. The Basileus taunted Aoirtae, before launching a vicious duel, which due to Aoirtae's weak state in the aftermath of the Battle of Aldár, resulted in her defeat. Just as Vandalion was about to strike her down, they were rescued by Vanikaimar, who took Vandalion prisoner to stand trial on Aldár. Arriving back at the temple, Aoirtae watched as Vandalion revealed that the Inquisition had destabilised the Rihanaens and that the Empire had deployed a superweapon known as Ecimaex close to the Neutral Zone with the New Republic. However, to her shock, Vandalion, whose actions had apparently been orchestrated by a mysterious Imperial Grand Admiral, escaped from custody.

Nevertheless, though left with the horrific revelation that the Empire was gearing up for war, Aoirtae was instrumental in convincing Senator Apollo to make the case for an alliance between the Aldárae Order and the governments of the New Republic, the and the. Before retiring for the night, Aoirtae bore witness to Ryen officially declaring the reborn—to stand as the sword and the shield of the Republic against the Empire.


 * Battle of Ambar

During the first week of 15 NE, Aoirtae was summoned to the chamber of Ethelnór Aldárae to hear the words of Apolithanatár, who told them of the oppression of the, who had been enslaved by the Empire. Aoirtae and Kara, along with Vanikaimar, Northarr, and  all volunteered to free the Milueil from their homeworld Ambar. Coordinating with the, the team landed on Imperial occupied Ambar, working their way through the dense forests toward the command and control centre, built by the Oikoumene countless millennia prior. There, they met with, who informed them that the had arrived to stop them. On the pinnacle of the centre, they were confronted by a group of Phaedric Lords including, , and , sparking a vicious battle for control of the facility. Using superior skill, Aoirtae managed to defeat Vandorallen and disarm Cythonia, though was caught unaware when arrived. Being the first time she had encountered a Mornûnendur, she was terrified, though became heartened when Apolithanatár arrived, driving Thaurlathrón and the Phaedra off. With the battle concluded, the Miluiel were freed from the Emperor's grasp and Aoirtae and her friends returned to Aldár.

Second Great War
"It's not hopeless! We have this one chance and if we fail, we doom the galaxy to an eternity of tyranny and oppression. We can't let that happen."
 * Opening Stages

- Aoirtae

Over the next two weeks, Aoirtae experienced intense and foreboding nightmares which she would later identify as premonitions, showing her glimpses of the future. After a particularly vivid vision, she attended a joint Aldárae and Republic mission to destroy the Ecimaex Wall, a system of superweapons placed along the Imperial border which had the potential to cripple the Republic fleet. Along with the other members of the Aeuthnen Raptor crew, Aoirtae met Agent and Commander, who joined the mission. Boarding the Star Destroyer Silencer in the midst of the Battle of the Ecimaex Wall, Aoirtae and the team fought their way through the ship, set explosive charges and captured Captain, the commander of the vessel. However, they were prevented from escaping by Vandorallen, who had sought revenge on the young Ortella since his defeat at Ambar. As the others escaped, Aoirtae remained to hold him off, in full expectation that she would sacrifice her own life to save theirs. However, she felt a suddenly clarity of the Light during the duel with Vandorallen, taking advantage of his hubris and striking him down. She regrouped with the others and escaped the Silencer as they detonated the charges, destroying the Ecimaex Wall and ending the first battle of the with a Republic victory.

While docked with the , the crew of the Raptor learned that, the capital of the Republic, had been destroyed by the , killing billions of innocents. Once again, she was called upon to take the fight to the Empire by destroying the station. During the subsequent Battle of Cadian, Aoirtae boarded the Battlestation to destroy its hypermatter reactor, only to discover her long-lost sister. Though sceptical, given Caranye's occupation as an Imperial agent, Aoirtae felt that she was telling the truth and agreed to escort her off the station. Due to their efforts, the Battlestation was destroyed before it could target another world, much to Aoirtae's relief. On the voyage back to Aldár, Aoirtae reconnected with her older sister, informing her of her life's journey and learning about Caranye's in turn.

When she arrived back at Aldár, Aoirtae received a Delta-class starfighter as a gift from Ryen, who warned her that the coming days would be dark, but through resolve and perseverance, that they would win the war. During the first weeks of the conflict, Aoirtae took her starfighter, which she named Stardust, to participate in the Coru Secundus Campaign, where she piloted it during the First and Second Battles of the Mou'Cyran Remnants.

Physical Appearance
Aoirtae stands at 1.8 metres tall, the average height for an adult female Ortella. She has hazel eyes and a light shade of skin tone with a very slight gold tinge shared by many of her people. With long brown hair, Aoirtae often let it hang loose during her years on Andustar, though when she began training under Master Ryen, she began tying it in a pony-tail in order to avoid it getting in the way during training. Though she has a slight figure, Aoirtae is well-built thanks to years growing up in the harsh tundras of Andustar, which also aided in the development of her considerable athleticism and natural agility. Though considered to be beautiful to fellow humanoids, reptilians and saurians who have no sense of such beauty standards consider her to be small-featured and un-adorned.

During her years on Andustar, Aoirtae generally wore a thick armour self-made from the resources of the tundra, with strong shoulder pads, an insulating body suit and a set of ear protectors against the frigid cold. When she joined the crew of the Auethnen Raptor, she began wearing a swash-buckling outfit in order to further her disguise as a smuggler while as a student of Ryen, she often wears a red and black body suit, which provides her with extra agility during battle.

Personality and Traits
Aoirtae is a kind-hearted, confident, witty and somewhat brash young woman who despite her age has amassed a great deal of experiences which have painted her view on life in the galaxy. Despite spending both her childhood and her adolescence in a harsh environment, namely the tundras of Andustar, Aoirtae did not become cynical or world-weary, instead possessing a great deal of generosity and optimism in the face of impossible odds. Nevertheless, her time eking out a life on Andustar was not a happy one for the Ortella, who dreamed of visiting far off planets beyond the atmosphere.

Despite her lack of experience with regard to interaction with other individuals, Aoirtae nevertheless developed a witty and playful personality much to the amusement of her friends on the Aeuthnen Raptor. Nevertheless, she can still be quite socially awkward during conversations, epitomised when she insulted the Auethnen Raptor in first of her crew when she first encountered them on Andustar. Aoirtae quickly befriended and  in particular, with the young Libertus being the first person around her own age that she has ever talked to. Even after knowing them for barely a week, Aoirtae was fiercely loyal to the crew of the Raptor, refusing to give Inquisitor information about them, even if doing so may have prevented her execution. Aoirtae lacked confidence in her abilities during her early life, remarking to Ryen that she was merely a worthless hunter from the Andustaran ice plains. However, when she learned that she was attune to the power forces of Light, she grew more confident in her skills with both energy manipulation and with her energy blade, which emits a golden beam of light, symbolising her appreciation for light and the power and warmth of a star. Aoirtae is, however, quite stubborn and headstrong, even to the point of risking her own life to protect her friends or the innocent against impossible odds. Quick to anger, she hides an inner ferocity that is feared by her many enemies.

Friends
"I got your back."


 * : I'm with you to the end.
 * : Master, I'll make you proud.
 * : We get along dandy!
 * : With you on our side, nothing is impossible.

Liked
"Need something, buddy?"


 * : He's got my vote.
 * : How can I help, master?
 * : He's cute, though saurians aren't my cup of tea.
 * : Without you, I doubt we would have been able to access the Zevian Skull.
 * : I'll try to be more... diplomatic.
 * : I'll always remember your sacrifice, mandible mouth.
 * : A gifted healer.

Neutral
"Err... do I know you?"


 * Unknown

Disliked
"Jerk!"


 * : I'll send my regards before too long.
 * : He seems pretty cowardly.

Hated
"Finding new bad guys to beat up? Fun, but I should really find more relaxing hobbies."


 * : Sick freak. The galaxy without you? Nifty.
 * : Every time you flout your importance? Remember who beat you.
 * : Next time, I'll be ready.
 * : You'll pay for what you did to Rtas.
 * : Your sorcering days are over!

Quotes
"Your destiny shall be grand, my young student."

"It's nice to have a friend on the Raptor that actually has something in common with me. I've always got your back."

"Next time we meet, the outcome will be quite different. You and your little band of heretics will be annihilated by the Empire's might!"

"Potentially problematic. Your kind must be put on its place."

"Young, impressionable and desperate for a sense of "belonging." She is delusional if she believes herself to be special. The Empire will continue, or in the slim chance she does manage to end some other high-ranking official, I want her to watch the subsequent administrative collapse as a lesson."

"May your sword of light defend us all in the darkness to come!"

Trivia

 * Much like how is based on Cyrannian's Imperial Agent in the Old Republic game, Aoirtae is based on his Jedi Knight.
 * While is Cyrannian's overall protagonist, Aoirtae will be his most accessible hero.

Appearances

 * Part I: New Beginnings
 * Ruination at the Archives ( First appearance )
 * Part II: Trials of Aldár
 * Part III: Battle of Light and Dark
 * Part IV: Guardians of the New Republic
 * Battle of Ambar
 * Part V: The Shattered Peace
 * Chronicles: Part I - The Aftermath
 * Chronicles: Part I - The Aftermath
 * Chronicles: Part I - The Aftermath