Moralis Rodriga

K. Moralis Rodriga was born in 17 BBY to a very pro-Imperial merchant family on Corellia. He spent his childhood travelling every few weeks between the family's estate in Coronet City and its employer's starport on Tralus, mostly befriending the children aboard other ships in his father's convoy. He was schooled by tutor with a handful of other children from his fifth to tenth years.

In 7 BBY, Rodriga's father was killed as a dissident, after speaking out against new Imperial tariffs along the nine hour trade routes between Corellia and its moons. The surviving family, including Mora, his mother, and an infant sibling, were now without a source of income. The group moved to housing on Tralus, paid for by their previous employer as part of the elder Rodriga's contract, and survived on an insignificant pension provided by the company. Mora enrolled in public school and spent several years in and out of psychologist's offices, diagnosed with a clinical depression which still affects him today. It was during these years when the young Rodriga discovered his escape, in the form of a G9 airspeeder.

The adolescent spent most of his spare time learning to perform increasingly dangerous maneuvers in his speeder, forming a sort of racing alliance with childhood friend Ridge Archilles. The two entered pickup tournaments for years, distracted from the mediocrity of lower-class life in an upper-class system by the hum of their vehicles, the glory of victory, and the bitter taste of defeat. It was here that Mora learned to fight, occassionally attracting attention from a speeder gang after a win. Finally, at age 16, Rodriga and Archilles entered a league-sanctioned tournament, Archilles taking first and Rodriga second. Mora's winnings went toward his family, for a few brief months able to enjoy a more comfortable lifestyle.

For a few years, this was Mora's modest means of providing for his mother and sister. His interests drifted from speeders to starships, but after the Imperials' betrayal of his father, who had been most loyal to the throne, Mora quietly ignored a potential membership in the Imperial SFC. Finally, around his 24th birthday, the situation changed with the creation of the fledgling Republic Defense Force.

Telling his still-loyalist mother that his membership had more to do with money than with ideology, and telling his sister that the Republic needed all the help it could get, Mora set out for a Republic Starfighter Corps recruiting center. It was during his fifteen-minute consultation with a recruiter that he learned of the Flight Cadet program. Instead of serving five years as a deckhand or a mechanic, Mora could go to school for a few years, clean himself up, and recieve a commission. Immediately he applied.

In 11 ABY, Rodriga graduated from the academy, arriving on the NRSD Defiant with the rank of Flight Cadet. Mora was the first pilot assigned to the newly created Falcon Squadron under Commander Leo Corak. He spent the next several months proving his talent in an A-Wing cockpit, becoming certified in several categories before his promotion to 2nd Flight Officer. It was after this promotion that General Mark Steele, wing commander aboard the ship (now called Crusader), and Aknar Koth'lyri, of New Republic Intelligence, sent him at his request on an undercover mission to Nar Shaddaa, investigating the presence of a squadron of B-Wing starfighters in a hangar on the smuggler's moon. This mission kicked off what would become a career in NRI, starting with his return to Crusader as the agent aboardship.

Rodriga went on to serve another year in the SFC before resigning his commission as a Second Lieutenant in 12 ABY. The pilot shifted the focus of his career to NRI, becoming a field agent and picking up his previously assigned case, the fugitive Axel Vichten. Mora and his partner, a young woman by the name of Jenya Vala, spent several months pursuing the man, charged with treason, but were forced to give up the trail once his whereabouts became known. Vichten was now a resident of Caspar, and beyond the pair's ability to apprehend, so Moralis, frustrated with his failure, returned to the Navy.

Mora was reassigned to Falcon Squadron, now as its executive officer and First Lieutenant. His life was relatively uneventful for the few months that followed, until Corak's retirement saw him promoted to Captain and assuming command of Falcon Squadron. Rodriga led the squadron into several battles as its commander before his promotion to Wing Commander in the later months of 13 ABY. His intention had been to remain CO Falcon, but a series of unexpected deaths in the upper echelons of the Crusader forced Mora into the spotlight as the Star Destroyer's acting commander.

The post was supposed to be temporary, a few days to a week of command while Paladin brass could decide on a new Captain for the vessel. However, fleet commander Renaan Hyurr was pleased with Mora's methods, and asked for another month with the Corellian commanding. Mora ended up sticking, becoming the Crusader's official commander as a Fleet Captain in 14 ABY.

Rodriga has since seen the Crusader and its fleet through some of the worst performances in Republic history. The Crusader led unsuccessful bids to defend several planets from Imperial reconquest before its recent destruction at the Second Battle of Etti IV with a large percentage of its crew.