Michael Constantine Sabirov-Aragon

aka Captain Michael Vanator of the Altair Dawn

When you grow up in a family like mine, you get used to funerals. Men and women of my house serve the Empire on the front lines, and invariably one of them doesn't come home. It's different when she's your mother, though. Raid on a pirate base went bad - the bastards blew themselves up rather than surrender. I learned quickly that other houses didn't have the same number of soldiers, marshals, and intelligence officers. They were happy to let us bleed for them while they played politics.

Regardless, it was less a matter of whether I would serve, but where. My father introduced me to his colleagues in Intelligence, and I seemed like a good fit. Then I was unceremoniously disguised and tossed into our house military bootcamp. Part of my evaluation was to maintain my cover while going through military training. It was as tough as Imperial training, and you must be willing to adapt and overcome. I served with System Patrol, where I had the pleasure of killing a few pirates, and learned how to fight on and off the ship.

After my tour of duty was over, I received a brief message. "Find us. - Dad" It took quite a while to piece together exactly where they had gone. I was going to take a house vessel, but they all had locator beacons. I ended up getting passage on a small freighter, where I noticed we were being tailed. Once I landed, it was a long period of trying to dodge the tail. Finally, after I thought I had lost him, I found my dad - sitting across from my tail. It was one hell of a test.

Being an intelligence agent means you have to get used to doing bad things for good causes. You have to look people in the eye and lie through your teeth, shoot people who trust you, and otherwise blend in with the wrong crowd. Sometimes, you get to do something better. I was infiltrating a pirate gang when they captured a Rifter cruiser. The crew had locked the ship down, and they me to flush them out. Instead, I made contact and began aiding them from the other side. Finally, I managed to seize control of the ship long enough to get a cheap shot on the pirate vessel, while the crew dealt with what was left of my boarding party. And that is how I ended up Captain of the Altair Dawn

House Sabirov-Aragon

Rules the larger continent of a colder Earth-like world in a busy trading system. They have considerable prestige for their distinguished service in various branches of the military and intelligence service. Michael's aunt Deborah, the current head of the family, is a former Black Beret, and the heir Nathaniel is the head of the system's Marshals. They have been on the rise since Republic Senator Amelie Morello-Aragon and her family sought asylum in the Empire. Sir Maxim Sabirov, a commoner who received a title for his valor in combat, fell for the crafty politician, and over the ensuring centuries they climbed the ranks.

Michael is 6th in line to be Count. He bears legal rulership of Karalgrad, but as is house custom he allows the city council to manage matters. He's popular on his limited appearances there.

Nature

Virtue - Courage, Loyalty, Quick wit
Vice - Hot-headed, Deception is a habit

Opinions

The Empire must be ready to defeat those stand against it, but we must proceed cautiously.
Faith is the Empire's conscience. It reminds us that there is a judge higher even than the Emperor.
I respect skill, not titles. Nobles should strive to live up to their position.
Corporations are a necessary evil.

Skills

Cloak and Dagger - Expert
Starship Operations - Professional
Contacts - Professional
Command - Layman
Combat Engineer - Layman
Dealing with Idiot Nobles - Terrible
Romance - Terrible

Stat block

Smarts

IQ 5

Wits 5

Social

Charm 4

Cunning 4

Strength:

Durability 2

Physical Action 4

Court Skills

Black Mail 2

Horse Trading

Chummy 2

Bureaucracy 2

Legal 2

Speech Giving

Plotting 7

Military Skills

Ship Command

Helmsmen 6

Gunnery 5

Leadership 5

Squadron Command

Maneuver

Formation

Command

Fleet Command