Saltique Imon T'Lora
Gabbai Iman T'Lora, Commander, 181st Battalion, Church Navy, January 3041
Aboard the Battalion Flag Ship MV Kaprekar's Constant
Imon T’Lora was born on Cornucopia, March 8, 3113, the 2nd of 8 children. She was named after her father, Imony Tach-Lora, a highly renowned and influential bio-engineer, who originated the Tach Method of botanical germination now used across the sector. Her mother, Reece Lora is the matriarch of the Tach-Lora farming combine, one of a dozen of the very largest on Cornucopia. Rather than following her family into the business, she went to The Universal Seminary of Eternal Penance at Inthexia on Midland, studying military tactics and graduating in 3135 at the top of her class with a doctorate in The Economy of Force.
Her first assignment was adjutant under the noteworthy Shish Arry, who would go on to be a member of The Dow Saffer’s Onmyou in the 3160s. During this initial assignment, T’Lora took part in over a dozen operations against the planet Selos 2. At the
time, the Selosians were launching raids on neighboring systems, plundering resources and destroying infrastructure. These systems demanded action and though a blockade was the clear best option, for whatever reason, The Dow Oremian forbade such action.
In 3140, T’Lora was promoted to Gabbai, Commander of the 181st Battalion, based on Gudrunn. She became the youngest Battalion Commander in either the Sector or Church Military. Under her command, the 181st drastically increased patrols at the system rim in an effort to cut down on the alarming amount of piracy ongoing during the preceding decade. Her strategy was a success and hundreds of pirate ships were destroyed or captured over her first 12 months in command. This success made T’Lora a celebrity in the Polymen system, however her commander, Polymen system Pirani General Flexx Shar Gilden levelled charges of misconduct against her in April of 3142.
A Summary Court-Martial was convened and during the proceedings, records were presented into evidence showing Gabbai Imon T’Lora had expressed contempt for the Pirani General in private communications as well as in congress with her own personal friends within the Pirani Protectorate. T’Lora was found guilty of subversion and relieved of her command. In December 3142, she was reassigned to a clerical position on Hvelfiham, with her career in a terminal nosedive.
In August 3143, The Dow Oremian passed to the Light and after a customary 6-month mourning period a Panchen was chosen to elect the next Dow. On February 14, 3144, Errisan Gollum was installed as the new Dow, taking the name Saffer, after the legendary Doyen General Saffer Eretu, the hero of the Battle of Phorus in 2665.
Prior to her elevation, Errisan Gollum had been a very effective Inspector General of the Onmyou for a dozen years and then an influential and active member of the Gyalwang Drupka for another dozen years. During her time as an Inspector General the actions of Pirani General Gilden came to her attention on more than one occasion. No specific evidence with which to bring charges was ever uncovered. She did, however keep tabs on the General’s actions over the years.
When The Dow Saffer took charge, one of her first acts was to order a blockade on Selos 2, an action the previous Dow had refused. Simultaneously, she returned T’Lora to her position at the head of the 181st and ordered her battalion to take charge of the blockade. Gabbai T’Lora’s battalion was able to overpower the Selosian fleet, ending their nearly thirty year free reign over nearby systems.
In 3150, The Dow Saffer organized the Selos Pirani Protectorate, installing T’Lora as Pirani General. At the age of 37, she was the youngest Pirani General in the last two centuries. A newly formed system district and without a home base, the Selos Pirani Protectorate was seen as a strictly ceremonial order by many in the Church. It did, however, come with all the rights and privileges afforded the position.
During her time commanding the Selosian blockade, T’Lora initiated hundreds of successful actions against Selos 2. As one of her boldest actions, she created a unique unit called Eternal Light. A secret service charged with sending lone agents, called Instruments into dangerous situations to accomplish the goals of the Church, the Eternal Light arm of the 181st was the first of its kind in the Church Military.
In 3160, T’Lora was chosen as Pirani General of O’Render. An especially visible and prestigious assignment, the O’Render Pirani Protectorate was viewed by most in the upper echelons of the Church as a reward for dedicated and excellent service. For her effective subjugation of Selos 2 over the previous 15 years, there were none among the leadership who voiced an objection to the appointment. With this advancement T’Lora was able to fully indulge in her preferred role, that of Machine of Eternal Light. During the next decade T’Lora developed her secret service, bringing it into the Church proper as a full agency in 3171.
Sometime in the late 70s, The Dow Saffer invited a personal, one on one meeting with T’Lora. It was then that she directed her to develop and lead a Church black ops unit. This unit would carry out the will of the Church in ways no other unit could, remaining completely secret and allowing the Church to disavow any knowledge should things go awry. In 3180, after 3 years of preparation T’Lora submitted a formal retirement and immediately took up the reigns of the black ops unit.
Operating out of a multi-use, high-rise building called the Light Complex, operated by the Holy Light Logistics Division located on the Main Ops Base of Hvelfiham, the black ops unit consists of eight squads of four to eight operatives, all personally chosen by T’Lora to carry out the will of the Church. For twenty years, other than T’Lora’s personal guard of ten genetically engineered troops, a staff of four trusted officers, herself and the eight squads, no other Church personnel outside the Onmyou and The Dow herself have been privy to the existence of the black ops unit.