Landon Cruise history has a turbulent past, but it was that past that brought him to become the man he is today. Much of his life was spent bouncing from space station to space stations where his mother frequently flew missions in order to provide for him. As many other children his age were spending time in schools or combat schools, Landon was learning the black world of smuggling, gambling, and piloting. By the time he reached his 16th Birthday he was already heralded as one of the best pilots when it came to smuggler work. His mother would soon pass away in a terrible chase in which Landon vowed revenge against the pilots who killed her. It was at this point he was approached by a Admiral of the Emperor's Hammer. His name was Jacob Van Nowak. Through Landon's rage, Jacob Van Nowak's Force powers were able to sense his location. Unknown at the time to Landon, Jacob Van Nowak would end up being his long lost half brother born to Dala Cruise and sold to an Imperial family at birth. Their connection to the Force was unusually strong and it was at this point Jacob recruited him into the TIE Corps.

Landon Cruise started out his career in the TIE Corps under Dempsey. He was a quick learner and quickly rose up the piloting ranks. Through his time there he would go on to earn some of the highest merit medals in under a years time. After a short stay in Delta Squadron under Dempsey, Landon commanded his own Squadron named Alpha Squadron. This Squadron would ultimately make a name for itself by placing 1st overall in many competitions month after month, and leading all other Squadrons on it's ship in the annual Raise the Flag tournament. For Landon's commitment he would attain the rank of Major in under 9 months in the TIE Corps. His final achievement would be the earning the title of Top Gun which was held for nearly a decade by Brucmack. Towards the end of his career Landon started to her rumors that his rise to the top was threatening some in other fronts. It wouldn't be long before he would be attacked in an Imperial Space port while surrounded by other pilots. All in told Landon Cruise, Jacob Van Nowak, Drake Starfire, and Chrome were able to make it out of TIE Corps space and jump to the safety of the Dark Jedi Brotherhood Space.

Once in DJB space, Landon would end up seeking refuge in Arcona under the guidance of Mark Schueler. The other pilots were taking time to gather their thoughts before officially joining the DJB. It was at this time Landon made several small contributions to Arcona. In the end Landon would find out that Mark Schueler was apart of the Emperor's Hammer Command Staff and his paranoia led him to believe Mark was trying to capture him in order to return Landon for his sentence from leaving the TIE Corps. It was at this time Landon abandoned the DJB and fled to the outer rim with his other buddies.

A year later an old pilot named Delak that once flew with Landon suggested Clan Scholae Palatinae. His brother also stated he had once held a spot with this Clan and they all decided to offer themselves to fighting with this Clan. Once there, the Emperor asked Landon what it was he expected to get from his stay in the Brotherhood. Landon response was "To dive deeper into the Force. My whole life I have been a pilot with a strong connection to the Force, but I have never been able to fully explore the possibilities that might exist to me".

He made the long trip to the outer skirts of Clan Scholar Palatinae space where he would end up answering a beacon call that he thought was sent by Delak. Once Landon made it to the landing coordinates on Judecca he ended up realizing that it was a transit by Emperor’s Hammer hidden agents. Delak had been captured by Force sensitives and Landon’s ability to find him would hang on whether Scholar palatine would trust him and accept him into their Clan.

It would take three days before Landon would fine the hidden agents in a cave off the outskirts of town. Once there he utilized everything in his body to defeat the agents. Many blows were dealt this day, but in the end Landon would emerge victorious over them. Delak was happy to be free from these grasp of the Emperor’s Hammer and finally took Landon to the Imperial Palace of Clan Scholae Palatinae.
The Emperor smiled and told him he was in just the right place. From that moment on, Landon devoted his life to the Empire.

Story of Landon Cruise’s ride to the light side.

Judecca
Edge of the outpost

Krennel and Cruise ran to the back of a crumbled outpost. Tired and worn from the hours of battling against Fallax’s new control over the Imperial military the pair ducked down from the laser fire. Lasers felt like they were coming by the thousands flying over their heads as they sat down behind the crumbling building that once housed the very troops who were firing at them. Cruise looked towards Krennel and nodded in his direction. Cruise didn’t have to say anything to Krennel, because Krennel could see what he meant with the nod through the Gray Jedi’s eyes. After all they were fighting against a force that just weeks earlier was loyal to them. Now under a corrupt Emperor who was so easily blinded by the power of the Dark side that he could lose sight of the staying true to the loyal members who helped him protect his Clan even when the times were tough. Krennel didn’t have to understand the nod in Cruise’s eyes to see the resignation. After all this was the same man who had slowly descended from the Dark side and venturing into the Gray side of the Force. He brought unconventional tactics while in the summit that some approved of in the Clan and others didn’t quickly became enemies with the man. Either way he knew it was over. Landon Cruise was done with the Dark side haunting the Clan and reaching out for something loyal, of peace, and more aligned with helping balance the Force.

Suddenly off in the distance the sound of footsteps could be heard running up to their position. As Krennel jumps on the defensive and draws his lightsaber, Cruise sits there slowly meditating with his eyes closed.

“Calm down Krennel, they are with us.” Cruise said still sitting there patiently with his eyes closed. Within seconds Corm Wagglehorn and Alara Deathbane came around the corner.

“How did you know?” Krennel asked looking at Cruise in disbelief. “The Dark side can cloud even the strongest of minds as you can see what has happened with our Emperor.” Cruise said as he nodded towards Corm and Alara.

“So what is the game plan against Fallax now that they have our Forces? I have tried different avenues with Alara and I still think there is a strong shot we can attack them head on in order to reach Fallax. The military might should be loyal to Kell if we can find him and defeat Fallax. New Dawn will fall hard.” Alara said.

“Yes I agree. Last thing I heard before the transmissions died was Kell was close to the Imperial Palace, but that was hours ago. I have a location grid to his last known coordinates so we can make our jump there. The four of us can easily manage a Platoon of troopers if attacked. Any more and we will have to make a break for it.” Corm explained.

“He isn’t listening. Look at him.” Krennel said pointing at Cruise who was staring up into the sky as if looking for something further from all the chaos and corruption that had ravaged the Clan through the past.

“What are you talking about Krennel?” Alara said confused.

Corm began to walk towards Cruise and put his hand on his shoulder as if beginning to understand what was happening. “I think I always knew this day would come. You always were struggling with the Dark side. You Force sensitives are very different than myself in your balance of the Force, but I respect your decision if this is what you’re doing. You’re a good man Cruise and if it weren’t for my love of credits and battle, I would be with you. The Imperials pay too well for the time being and I love all the battles they like to muster up.” Corm said as Cruise embraces his fist in a deep arm shake.

“Corm, no words are needed my friend. You will always be great where ever you are. This is a journey I must take.” Cruise responded after giving a warrior like handshake.

Alara moved towards Cruise looking upset, but somewhat at peace at the same time. Her missions with Cruise in the past have been few and far between due to their differences in Houses, but the man had always been around at the Imperial Palace gatherings offering any insight that may be needed if she required it. The two of them while on different ends of the Force spectrum had similar tragedies happen in their life. The Force bond between them was strong and they both felt it, but never wanted to address it due to their own loyalties at the time to their respective houses.

“So this is it? Where will you go? What is your purpose if you leave your home?” Alara said to Cruise with a concerned look.

“I don’t know. Something is pulling me in a certain direction. Rumor is the Jedi made it off their planet after the Grand Master came after them and are evading in a Fleet. My path has always been in struggle with the Dark side that encompassed the Clan. I'm tired of all this corruption, malice, darkness, and chaos. My heart yearns for peace and that cannot be found here. My place is not with the Dark Side any longer. A stirring has begun inside my soul from the Force. I thought I could deal with the minor incidents here and there, but the Emperor is corrupted as you have seen when New Dawn easily used it to their advantage. My house leader is a puppet at his feet and will wait at nothing to take the throne when he gets the chance undermine the Sith. The Dark side tends to control those based on the greed for power. They will step over everyone in their path to it no matter what that person has done for them.” Cruise responded with great ease.

“I know. I always felt your connection there, but never wanted to believe it.” Alara said while hugging Cruise in understanding what the fallen Imperial Knight had said.

Cruise walked over to Krennel and almost instinctively they both snapped to and embraced each other’s right arms while pounding their fist into each other’s chest plates as the metal of their armor pierced the air.

“You will always be my brother. Your loyalty is without fault even if you do not approve of my path. Continue to harness your energy to walk the path that is in your destiny. Know regardless of what part of the Force your on that I am here for you brother.” Cruise responded as he let go and headed off into the heat of the laser fire being shot in their direction.

“How will you get off planet with the hangar and star fighters under Fallax’s control?” Alara yelled out.

Cruise looked back and smiled.

“I hear there are some legends waiting for me in a stolen ship by the name of Chrome. I’m going to go find out if it’s true.” Cruise responded as he lifted his fist in the air and ignited his blue light saber that gave off an alluring aura that instantly hit them and sent chills through their skin. They knew he was gone to the light side.

How Tali ended up on Eldar to be found by Xenna Azara.

Things had spiralled into true darkness after Zakath’s death, Nath had nothing left to anchor herself she felt the waves of loss keenly. The self inflicted hermit-ting only made things worse, she sat for days and nights meditating, trying to grasp at anything of him in the Force. It was beginning to seem helpless even to her own addled mind. Some dogged sense of need spurred her to continue, the lock of her door for now seemed to have been unhampered with; for that she was grateful.

Carefully her mind drifted on the ebb and flow of the Force, she was aware it beckoned her to a memory, one she had not considered in a few years. The Iridonian didn’t wish to go there, tears burned, threatening to spill but never quite managing the momentum to fall.

Please no.

She had fallen far from grace, begging, really?

You must.

…I cannot look there…

Before she knew it the Sith was assaulted by the scent of Naar Sheddha, the city was a metropolis for a Merc, one could easily find work and Nath at the time had made a living protecting, killing and generally being a heartless soul lost but just about keeping her head above water. The money was the only reason she took that specific contract, of course, it was too good to be true, the Twi’lek had told her something just shy of a Messiah sized falsehood. It wasn’t as though Nath was stupid, she had known at the time, but had managed to miscalculate quite spectacularly.

As her Employer made his way to the Port she had felt it before she saw it. Her instincts screamed danger, screamed so loud in fact that she had stopped walking and it was not until some five paces later the Male noticed. She’d be damned if she could recall his name though. The one thing that stuck with her was his scent, he smelt like prey; it made her bare her teeth and subconsciously make him flinch at any opportunity possible for sheer entertainment.

The animal inside her was not laughing now, it prickled in her mind and told her to run. With no small amount of force she ignored her instincts and to her own folly it had been. The crowds parted for him. In Nath’s experience that was never something that bode well, again the Iridonian’s instincts sensed him before she caught sight. The warmth of heat radiated off his scales, the scent of cleanliness and sheer alienness of him; everything screamed Barabel, predator and male. This slap in the face was what forced her to reassess her situation, normally it was seen as bad for business to drop a contract. And yet, he had lied to her, had spoken falsehoods as he placed credits in her palm knowing that she would never survive. At best Nath figured she was a nice distraction so the Twi’lek could attempt to flee.

Unfortunately for him, he had been completely oblivious to her soon to be Master and his stalking of them. Nath ensured she remained closer, and waited for him. She would not die for this pleb, and to have the mountain of scales and muscle to do it sat ill with her also. The soon to be Apprentice did not have long to wait, the mountain arrived as she had predicted.

The Twi’lek squeaked like some kind of pet animal, the sudden change denoted as she scented his acrid fear and it was all she could manage to not vomit by its pungent scent. The Barabel was quick enough to inform Nath of what she had suspected all along, that he had lied and was happy for Zakath to tear through her in the hopes of holding him up just long enough to flee.

The Iridonian recalled the red haze that had descended then, the rage, the palpable tension that she had been ignorant of knowing was the Force prodding her to act. Nothing was quite so liberating as the feeling of her knife as it shredded through skin, blood vessels and sinew. The choked sounds and the spray of life essence had been intoxicating to her like the best drugs and none of the downsides.

Zakath had been puzzled by this turn of events but not displeased, he had chased that Iridonian across half of the Port to catch her, the fact that she was smart enough to survive, clever enough to try and escape him it all pointed to the final conclusion that the Force had paired them in his eyes. Nath had not taken quite so kindly to it she had fought like a rabid animal once disarmed only to realise that her teeth and nails had very little damage potential against his scales. He had allowed her to continue until she stopped of her own accord, the tall Iridonian had wiry muscle but little else to her that could damage him in hand to hand combat.

They had eaten together, steak, it was nice meat too not that processed crap that was so common when you had very little money. Nath savoured it as though it was her last meal; at the time she was almost certain it was going to be. The meat had barely been cooked, crimson pooled on the dish and the metallic tang that danced along her tastebuds was like she had reached heaven. Whilst they ate Zakath had explained where he hailed from and whom he served, it had made the meal very bitter sweet for the Irdonian. She had realised that there was no way that she would be allowed her freedom now.

She had not been discouraged though, she still attempted to flee and yet again he had given chase which culminated in being assaulted violently to apprehend her. Nath had slept so well, no dreams, just the welcomed peaceful blackness as she was physically taken away to begin a life which though she had not chosen she would never regret.

***
“Open the door by force.” Kordath spoke gravely, he had worried how his previous Master had taken the news of Zakath’s passing. He had attempted many times to get in touch with her, something had niggled at the back of his mind that there was something very wrong but he could not place a finger on exactly what.

“Scans have detected detonators at the doorway.” Xenna spoke calmly, but she too had growing concerns over the welfare of the secretive Iridonian. It had been radio silence since before the news had even reached her. The fact that Kordath had turned up in person to find her just made the worry that wriggled in her belly worsen, would she be reprimanded for this?

“Cut through the wall instead then.” Kordath gave a slight sigh, he had known Nath wouldn’t make things easy for them but had not expected this.

It took hours to cut through the ancient stone, but no one seemed to be willing to give up just yet. When finally the dust from the rubble cleared there was a silence that seemed to hang in the air so thickly that one would not need a lightsaber to cleave it. The Ryn was the first through the hole, the room was pitch but from the light in the corridor he spied Nath sitting in her meditations. The curse that escaped his lips was perverse and yet did not do the scene justice. His eyes felt as though they lied to him, what sat before him was not his Master, the sallow cheeks giving her cheeks the look of a cadaver. Breathing so shallow her chest barely rose at all, she looked dead.

Xenna followed him through soon after standing next to the Ryn with a sense of sorrow that she was uncertain of, never had either of them witnessed a Force Sensitive waste away as this, and yet they could still feel her presence, it permeated the air; she yet lived. Kordath was the first to move, careful to not trigger his Master’s instincts he carefully picked her up and was slapped yet again across the face by how light she felt in his arms.

The scream that echoed in their ears was not one that was physical, it perferated through the Force, loud, and sorrow laced as the Iridonian was carried out towards the nearest medical facility.

“She comes back to HQ no arguments, make her fit for travel.” Kordath spoke harshly to the medical officer as though it was partially his fault. He did not really blame anyone, but the screaming he could not only hear but also feel made his nerves prickle uncomfortably. He knew Skar would feel it, he should probably get in touch with the Kaleesh soon and let him know what had happened.