Difference between revisions of "Josh Arands"

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However, I am an A-wing pilot first and foremost and was relieved when the Alliance made the latest prototypes available. Since that time, Alliance-friendly engineers at New Horizon Designs have been helping us to outfit and modify the A-wings we have for combat use. RzA Five has performed above and beyond expectations and are fast becoming a standard in our encounters with the Imperials.
 
However, I am an A-wing pilot first and foremost and was relieved when the Alliance made the latest prototypes available. Since that time, Alliance-friendly engineers at New Horizon Designs have been helping us to outfit and modify the A-wings we have for combat use. RzA Five has performed above and beyond expectations and are fast becoming a standard in our encounters with the Imperials.
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[[Category:People]]

Revision as of 23:25, 7 March 2006

Personal Data

  • Full Name: Joshua Arands
  • Current Rank: Major
  • Current Position: Executive Officer, Resurretion Squadron
  • Height / Weight: 5'10" / 180#
  • Hair / Eyes: Brown / Hazel
  • Handed: Left
  • Race: Human
  • Origin: Tralus
    • Known Relatives:
                    Father - Jordan (Owner/Manager of Starport repair yard on Tralus) 
                    Mother - Karyn (Unemployed) 
                    Sister - Jesalynn (Senior Design Engineer, NHD) 

Background - Childhood

(As reported to Alliance Intelligence by Joshua Arands on form PD3A991-lm1)

I was born on the planet Tralus in the Corellia system about the same time that Palpatine declared himself Emperor. Our world is one of two planets that revolve around Centerpoint Station, which in turn orbits the star Corell. The two worlds, Tralus and Talus, are referred to as the Double Worlds, and are ruled by the elected Federation of Double Worlds, or Fed-Dub. While neither planet is as well known as Corellia, they are important providers of agricultural and mineral products in the system.

My parents are Jordan and Karyn, and I have one sister, Jesalynn. Both of my parents have family on Tralus and from what I've been told, our families have lived there for several hundred years. I'm not too sure where we might have come from before then. Both families are reasonably well off, so naturally were surprised when my father chose to open up a repair yard rather than following my grandfather into politics. My father was always good with his hands though, and a smart businessman as well. Pretty soon, his repair yard was one of the most trusted and popular repair facilities in the sector.

I tended to follow my father everywhere as I grew up. When I wasn't being schooled, I would spend my time at the yards. My father taught me a lot in those early years and I turned out to be a pretty decent technician. By the time I finished my education, I guess I was about 16, I was a pretty competent mechanic and a beginning pilot. Like any energetic teenager, I loved to fly.

Background - Fed-Dub

Shortly after leaving school, I joined the Tralusian academy for Fed-Dub's security force. I spent about a month in a basic training program, and about six months in flight training. I graduated with pretty good marks, although I do remember getting reprimanded once for pushing my training ship a bit too hard. Caused a bit of damage, as I remember. I was assigned to Theta Squadron, one of four of the Z-95 fighter squadrons of the Federation's Defense Force.

I served with Theta Squadron for about a year. I was promoted once and given a couple of awards from CorSec for assisting with a few of their operations to capture fleeing criminals. It never occurred to me at the time that I was also helping the Empire hunt down those that they suspected of rebellious activity, but it did occur to someone else.

I met Salonika Batrad during a three-day leave. After a couple of lums, we started talking. He was pretty convincing at the time - made me seriously rethink what I was doing with my life. Took me most of my leave to make up my mind, but he played my ego well and I began believing the rebellion would never succeed without me. So I resigned my commission with Fed-Dub and left planet with him. It took us three weeks to make contact with a fringe group of the rebellion, and we were on our way. I don't think I looked back for several years.

Background - Rebel Dawn

It didn't take long for me to make it past the crude 'training' the rebellion provided. I was assigned to a fighter squadron within a week of arrival. X-wings weren't as abundant then as they are now and my training in the Z-95 got me an immediate assignment with the Galliant Defense Squadron. When that squadron was re-formed, we were assigned to Rezkomaro Outpost as Gold Squadron. We were used to intercept Imperial convoys along the Rim and engage Imperial fighters as needed.

I was eighteen years old when I was transferred to Green Squadron at Yavin HQ. I was not aware that Yavin was the main headquarters for the rebellion at that time, but I guess I should have guessed. There wasn't a Z-95 to be found on the lunar base. We were supposed to be assigned to one of the X-wing squadrons once it was re-supplied with more fighters. This was a definite step in the right direction for Sescikchat, my senior wingman and me. Flying in one of the space superiority fighters meant no more guard duty over convoys and backwater bases.

We were still waiting for our own fighters on the day that we heard about the Empire's new super weapon; the Death Star. When it arrived in system to attack the headquarters base on Yavin IV, the 6 remaining X-wings of our incomplete squadron joined the attack on the Death Star while Sescikchat and I were assigned to the War Room as aides to the Starfighter coordinator. To say the least, I was disappointed that I didn't get the chance to fight the enemy from the cockpit. If I'd only knew then what I know now. I should've been thankful.

Following the battle, Sescikchat and I were the only remaining pilots of Green Squadron. A few weeks after the battle, General Jan Dodonna spoke to a group of squadron leaders, including Sescikchat. Following this meeting, Sescikchat came to me to recruit me to be a test pilot for a new prototype fighter. As Green Squadron was pretty much non-existent and we had little hope of replacement fighters right away, I agreed. As such, he and I were the two first test pilots of the Dodonna/Blissex RZ-1 A-wing fighter. Here is where I found my true calling.

I had always been accused of pushing my fighters to the limits of their design capabilities, demanding more of them than any sane pilot would. This proved to be an advantage as a test pilot and flying the prototypes hard and fast discovered several early design flaws, only once to my misfortune. I was lucky and was treated and released for extended exposure in zero-g following a complete power failure of one prototype.

Background - Resurrection Squadron

Weeks after my recovery, I was transferred to Outpost 27 on Rori, one of Naboo's moons. There were no A-wings available yet, so I was assigned to a newly formed unit of X-wings called Resurrection Squadron. I was paired up with a rather intimidating Lieutenant j.g. named Lucas Benoit-Stark. Our CO, Cody Qel-Droma, calls him "Ironman" and after a few missions on his wing, I discovered why. We adapted well to each others' flying style and have become a formidable team on any mission.

 OOC: I'll leave it up to the reader to find out why he is called Ironman on their own.

It has been while assigned to RzA Squadron that I have flown most of my combat missions. I was promoted twice, achieving the rank of Major, and recently, XO of Resurrection Squadron. Despite my dislike for the X-wing, I found it to be a versatile and useful ship for killing Imperial fighters.

However, I am an A-wing pilot first and foremost and was relieved when the Alliance made the latest prototypes available. Since that time, Alliance-friendly engineers at New Horizon Designs have been helping us to outfit and modify the A-wings we have for combat use. RzA Five has performed above and beyond expectations and are fast becoming a standard in our encounters with the Imperials.