Kortos Darklighter

"“You’re surprisingly insightful for a Corellian blaster jockey.”"

- Verdian Nova, in conversation with Kortos Darklighter aboard the Dramatic Exit

Early Life
Kortos was born in 20 BBY at the height of the Clone Wars. His mother, Jedi Knight Keisha Farlander, fell pregnant with him halfway through the second year of the Clone Wars, following a drunken, one night stand with fellow Jedi Knight, Kai Darklighter. Due to his mother's troubled family history, it was decided very early on in her pregnancy that she would keep the child, in spite of the unexpected pregnancy. His father, Kai, stood by his mother, Keisha's, decision to keep their unborn child, spurred on by growing feelings for her. Kortos' parents would stage their disappearances just before the beginning of the final year of the Clone Wars, leaving everyone and everything behind.

Kortos' father, Kai, reached out to old contacts within the Corellian Security Force (Corsec) seeking help to start a new life. With new identities for both his mother and father secured, as well as his father becoming employed within Corsec as an officer, Kortos was born in Coronet City on Corellia. His father would continue to work for Corsec as an officer before specialising in undercover and investigative work. His mother, Keisha, would gain a lecturer's assistant's position at the University of Corellia shortly after he was born. His parents would also marry just before Kortos was born, with only his Uncle Laothin in attendance at the ceremony.

Following Order 66 and the eradication of the Jedi Order, Kortos' parents were already established with new lives and thus able to survive the Great Jedi Purge. He was around one galactic standard years old when his cousin, Mirdala, would come to live with him, his mother and his father. Mirdala's parents were forced to separate Mirdala from her twin brother, Dralshy'a, following discovery of her parents' Force sensitivity and a threat from a Mandalorian, Death Watch splinter group. Mirdala and Kortos would grow to become as close as brother and sister as the pair were raised together by his parents, Keisha and Kai.

Inquisitorius Inquisition - Plot One
In 14 BBY, when Kortos was approximately six galactic standard years old, his mother, Keisha, received a strange, encoded message on an old, now unused Jedi comm-signal. Presuming it to be a plea for help, and burdened with guilt at not being able to act when Order 66 was enacted upon the Jedi Order years prior, Keisha left on a quest to track down the signal. The call could be from lost friends who needed help. Keisha would leave with no note left to her husband and son about where she was going, for fear of drawing attention to their family. Upon discovering her disappearance, Kortos' father, Kai, would reach out to all of their friends and family seeking desperate help to locate his missing wife.

The trail to find Kortos' mother would lead the group to many worlds, from Corellia to Tython, where Kortos would be reunited with his cousin, Dralshy'a, and Mirdala would ultimately return to her parents, Lena and Laothin, when the pair got back together. On Tython, Kortos would develop a stronger connection to the Force, as he had remained mostly untrained at the decision of his parents for his own safety. He would become fascinated by an Old Republic war droid, named 8-2, who was centuries old. The Darklighters, Kendaris and Starsiders would also reunite with Senu Meji, who it was later discovered was tracking the same signal as Keisha - who was still missing. Kortos had never been offworld and Tython was a magical experience to life on the very industrial world of Corellia.

Following obtaining an ancient Jedi artefact from an abandoned Jedi training academy and information from Senu Meji's former (almost) apprentice, Keller, Kortos would work with his father tirelessly on trying to find scraps of information regarding his mother's disappearance. Between the group, they eventually track the origin of the signal to the Imperial controlled world of Ilum. It was through the investigative process with his father that Kortos would gain an interest in his father's line of work, later leading to his own career decisions.

Kortos was taken to a secret stronghold belonging to the Kendaris for the duration of the dangerous mission to Ilum. He would later learn that his mother, Keisha, was being held by the Inquisitorius - specifically under the control of a former Jedi Knight - Myana Trikoa. A difficult battle ensued, but the group were able to free his mother, Keisha, as well as bring Myana away from the dark for medical attention and drawing back to the light side. All three families would later reunite on Mandalore. Mirdala would stay with her parents and live on Mandalore. Following the discovery of the Darklighter family by the Inquisitorius, Kortos' parents would make the decision to leave their life behind on Corellia, assume new identities and move more towards the Outer Rim - settling down on Naboo.

Life on Naboo
From 14 BBY onwards, Kortos' life was spent on Naboo. With new identities, his father, Kai, established himself as a private investigator and was often off world, working alongside legitimate businesses experiencing difficulties with thefts, smuggling etc. His mother, Keisha, applied for a job at the University of Theed and became a teaching assistant there. Following all of his adventures on Corellia and Tython, Kortos quickly tired of being homeschooled and insisted on public education. Reluctantly, his parents agreed and allowed him to enroll at the Theed Academy of Arts, a private school. There, he would gain his education and would develop a love for languages and an interest in sociology. His parents would also train him to have better control of his latent Force abilities, at the promise he would hide his Force sensitivity at all costs.

During his studies at the Theed Academy of Arts, Kortos would meet two siblings - Ruto and Aurae Solaris. Kortos and Ruto would become fast friends, but his main interest would lie in Ruto's younger sister - Aurae. Aurae would reject Kortos' advances for a few years until he gave up and his eye wandered elsewhere. The pair would part as they got older, with Aurae enrolling in the University of Theed to study Astrology and Philosophy, and Kortos would join the academy to begin his training as a Royal Naboo Security Forces officer.

As sparks of Rebellion began igniting around the galaxy even more, the Royal Naboo Security Forces were disbanded and a permanent Imperial regiment was established on Naboo. With his training and identity built up as a former Royal Naboo Security Officer, Kortos joined the Imperial academy there for a brief time, working as an intelligence officer for Imperial stormtrooper squads being deployed in the Outer Rim.

During this time, Kortos would also reunite with Aurae upon completion of her studies and the pair would form a romantic relationship. They would marry in a small ceremony with only the Solaris and Darklighter families, as well as Kortos' cousin, Mirdala, who travelled from Corellia to attend their wedding. One year after the Battle of Yavin, Kortos and Aurae would welcome their only child together, a baby girl named Talia. Aware of her husband's Force sensitivity, Aurae moved in with the Darklighter family, including Kortos' parents - Keisha and Kai - to ensure that Talia would be raised with the utmost care. Kortos would be occasionally deployed off world during the Galactic Civil War, but he would be at home on Naboo when disaster struck.

Operation Cinder and End of the Empire
At the end of the Galactic Civil War, the Rebellion would ultimately triumph over the Empire. The Imperial regimen that Kortos joined would disband and fall into disarray. Kortos abandoned his work with the Empire and was due to find a new career with his father's private investigation business. However, the Empire would not go down without a final series of devastating blows to the Rebellion.

The remnants of the Galactic Empire launched Operation Cinder, devastating satellites that upended a planet's ecosystem and caused catastrophic, natural disasters. Such satellites were launched on Naboo, setting off a chain of high winds, torrential rain and heavy flooding. There was also an Imperial invasion at the centre of Theed as the satellites were triggered, destroying much of the Royal palace and historic buildings at the centre of the city. In a desperate bid for help, Kortos sent out a distress call to his cousin, Mirdala, to extract himself, Aurae, Talia and his parents off world.

The Darklighter's family home had been flooded and water was quickly rising, a devastating threat to their lives. The family sought shelter on the roof of their home as the Starsider and Kendari families tried to rescue them. Unfortunately, the only safe landing zone was at the centre of Theed, meaning that the rescue teams were held up by the Imperial invasion forces in the city centre. With their home rapidly crumbling around them, the Darklighters tried to reach higher ground. Keisha, Kai, Talia and Kortos got to safety on a nearby balcony, but Aurae mistimed the jump to safety. She was plunged into the flood waters before Kortos had time to react, and both he and Talia felt her death as a heavy blow in the Force.

Anguished and emotionally stunned at what had happened, Kortos was not fully aware of his surroundings when help finally arrived. Whilst trying to help his mother, father and daughter to safety, Kortos accidentally let go of some debris that was used as a platform to carry the family between rooftops to reach his Aunt Lena, who had arrived alone to help the Darklighters get to safety. Kortos lost control of a Force grip on a large piece of debris, tossing it into his Aunt Lena who was sent flying into the flood water just like his wife, Aurae. His father, Kai, would leap into the water to save his Aunt Lena, but would also lose his life in the process. The Darklighters were able to recover Kai's body before fleeing Naboo, but Aurae's was never found. Following the devastating loss, Kortos, Talia and Keisha stayed with his Aunt Lena and Uncle Laothin, still reeling from their losses.

After the devastating events on Naboo, Kortos would be riddled with guilt after the loss of his wife and his father. He would purchase a ship with what little credits he had left and he, his mother and daughter would travel the galaxy, lost and never really settling in one place. Keisha would devote all of her love, attention and energy into Talia, unable to look Kortos in the eye at times due to how much he resembled his late father. Kortos would pick up odd jobs as a security guard or even a nightclub bouncer, but nothing filled the void in his heart after what happened - not even the deep love for his daughter.

In 7 ABY, Kortos would receive a mysterious message inviting him to Onderon with the promise of revenge and information about those responsible for the death of his father and wife. Making up an excuse about needing to travel away for work, Kortos would take his mother and daughter to Concordia, where the pair would stay in safety at the Starsider Ranch. With everyone dropped off, Kortos headed for Onderon, darkness in his heart and a lust for revenge.

Personality and traits
Kortos has two sides to his personality, reflective of his parents, Keisha and Kai. At points, he is confident and outgoing, but an unsure and uncomfortable being lives beneath the facade. Kortos has a sarcastic and dark sense of humour, belying to the frustration and slow burning temper that lies beneath. When frustrated or outwitted, Kortos becomes broody and needs to be called on his behaviour to realise that he is in a dark mood.

At his best, Kortos is extremely loyal and sees the best in every being that he meets. His compassion and desire to help others, no matter the cost, can be easily manipulated. He places his friends and family as his main motivation in life.

With a naturally curious mind, Kortos is perceptive curious about the galaxy at large. Whilst he is perceptive and aware of being used due to his open mind and big heart, his awareness does not stop him from putting others before himself, even at his own expense when being manipulated.

Skills and abilities
Kortos' skills within the Force are centred around mind control. His natural affinity for the Force involves controlling the thoughts and emotions of others. Through emotional manipulation, he is able to bend the will of others to his own desires. He has yet to find a 'light side' for his mind trick skill. Each mind trick is very invasive and very draining on his energy reserves.

Due to lack of training from his parents throughout his life, Kortos' use of a lightsaber is limited. He is very roughly trained with a blade due to training with the Naboo Security Force. He can occasionally block lightsaber bolts, but this is usually through instinct from the Force and not control of his abilities.

Through Kortos' training as a Naboo Security Officer and later an Imperial Intelligence officer for a brief time, Kortos has training in crime scene investigation and interrogation. His training included blaster target practice, basic piloting skills and riot training.

Outside of his career and Force sensitive training, Kortos has a love of culture and languages. He speaks fluent Basic, Old Corellian and Huttese, but knows the basics of Sy Bisti and Jawaese.