Adam Bolera is an Obelisk Dark Jedi of House Qel-Droma of Clan Arcona. He is presently a member of Battle Team Apex Brigade.
Character History
Birth and Early Potential
Adam Bolera was born to middle-class Corellian farmers in 13 ABY. His early childhood was loving and supportive, and it seemed he would follow a fairly average course of life, barring the outbreak of the First Corellian Insurrection in his early childhood. However, fate had other plans, when Adam’s Force sensitivity began to make itself apparent around eight years old, when he began displaying remarkably intuitive piloting capabilities. He had learned to drive various farming vehicles without any instruction, and was even operating military-grade starfighter simulations at a level of capability that hadn’t been seen since the rebellion. Widely touted as a prodigy (even among Corellians), Adam was given many opportunities to nurture his talents. The rumors of his prowess and connection to the Force reached the attention of the nearby Jedi Enclave, who conscripted him into the Jedi Praxeum on Yavin 4.
Early Jedi Life
Unhappy to leave his family, the then-ten-year-old Adam was not immediately comfortable with his new circumstances, and didn’t understand what was so special about being able to fly so easily. His discomfort was eased upon meeting a talented half-human, half-Mirialan apprentice named Sarna Varnis, with whom he became inseparable friends as she explained their connection with the Force to him. Sarna, initially raised among the Witches of Dathomir, was brought to the order due to her remarkably precocious understanding of several elements of the Force (some early talents were Sight and Telepathy, which she frequently used to communicate with Adam), and was regarded as a top student throughout her Academic career. Several elder Jedi observed their connection closely, with many considering the high likelihood that the two had inadvertently formed a Force Bond, akin to the one between Revan and Bastila Shan thousands of years earlier.
Training and Surviving
Over the course of the next seven years, the duo received instruction from several new proponents of the revived Jedi Order, including legendary figures like Kyle Katarn and Mara Jade Skywalker, and even Luke Skywalker himself on a number of occasions. The students were insulated from the violence that ended Palpatine’s legacy, and survived the destruction of the Jedi Praxeum on Yavin 4 in 26 ABY by the Yuuzhan Vong. They escaped to the Shelter space station, and finished out the remainder of their education there until the construction of the new Praxeum on Ossus in 30 ABY. The students were too young to see any action during the conflicts, though they did hear of the incredible prowess demonstrated by their teachers, and aspired to achieve the same levels of greatness. Both students chose similar study paths in order to stick together, (the relationship was rumored to have been so close from that point forward as to have threatened the Jedi social cues on romance on numerous occasions) though Sarna eventually displayed a much stronger connection to the less martial applications of the Force, and wished to remain at the Ossus Praxeum to refine those abilities and help to teach the new arrivals to the order. Adam, on the other hand, exhibited chronic wanderlust, and frequently petitioned to be assigned to a master with whom he could roam the galaxy and claim his knighthood through glorious adventures. He got his wish upon his assignment to Master Qira Katherion, an experienced Jedi Shadow who was known for her lengthy sojourns into hostile space, effectiveness in combat against the Yuuzhan Vong, and for doing what was necessary to eradicate Sith influence in significant galactic groups.
Exploring the Galaxy
The duo was assigned to track down Sith artifacts in illegal smuggling operations and return them to the Jedi to be locked away, and to eliminate any Sith active in the galactic underworld. Over seven more years, the master and Padawan gradually lost most of their contact with the order, as they needed to infiltrate several groups without knowledge of their status as Jedi. For most of their adventures, they posed as smugglers, forcing Adam to become familiar with knives and projectile weapons like slug throwers and blasters in order to avoid exposure and simultaneously survive the dangerous occupation. Their ship, the heavily modified YT-1300 freighter Sanctuary, served as Adam's home and primary training site, deeply familiarized him with piloting a small ship and fostered a love for the legendary YT ship series. His connection with the Force was somewhat diminished, since he was rarely given opportunities to meditate, but when he did he would briefly contact Sarna via telepathy.
Katherion seldom had opportunities to instruct Adam in lightsaber combat, and as a result she was only able to teach him a very basic mix of Shii-Cho, Makashi, and Soresu, thanks to the sporadic and brief nature of the lessons. Eventually, she opted to shift his style education to Niman, due to the reduced training necessary to master the balanced form, which he was taught to use in the more aggressive manner of old masters of the Moderation Form in order to effectively defend himself. When lightsabers weren't an option, he was also taught to effectively use martial arts, the core form of Broken Gate forming the foundation of his meditation techniques and combat strength, and the utilitarian style of Jakelian (learned from time spent with a retired 501st clone trooper the duo met during their travels) for improvisational and unpredictable self-defense. Despite the raw and impromptu style of self-defense they were forced to use due to the nature of their assignments, the duo proved to be quite capable in the dangerous social circles of the galactic underworld; Adam even managed to single handedly clear the deck of a lightly manned corvette in the later years of his undercover career, when he creatively applied his knowledge of internal hull weaknesses, his good aim, and a sneaky bit of telekinesis.
Hunted
Unfortunately, the pair would not return to the Jedi reporting a successful mission. As they rooted out reports of Sith in the Outer Rim and made plans to finally go home, Adam and Qira landed on Ziost in order to investigate the seemingly abandoned Sith temples there. They uncovered a cabal of eight insane Sith assassins stored away in cryogenic sleep, and inadvertently released them into the area. Rather than immediately fight, the assassins disappeared into the environment, and began to hunt the poorly equipped master and Padawan. Knowing they were outmatched and that their mission was over, Katherion and Adam sent communications to any nearby Jedi for assistance, and even back to the Council. Over the course of several weeks, they would strike, one at a time. The first three were reckless, falling even to Adam’s fledgling dueling capabilities. As the days wore on, Adam and Katherion were weakened considerably by the brutally cold climate and scarce food. Still, two more assassins fell to their lightsabers. Master Katherion utilized some Force based healing and revitalization techniques throughout the ordeal, but they were proving less and less effective as the days rolled along. The remaining three assassins cooperated in an attack, and managed to deal a severe blow to Qira before even one fell. Adam fought off two with his remaining strength, and the third was killed by a sniper shot, seemingly from nowhere.
Master Katherion entered a hibernation state in an effort to survive until support arrived, as Adam did his best to attempt to heal her grievous injuries, although to no avail. After another week, still no replies had been given for support, and no help seemed to be coming. Master Katherion imparted as much of her relationship with the Force to Adam as she could, passing the rudiments of important survival techniques even as she lay dying. She passed away in the night as Adam still waited for help.
An End and a Beginning
The following day, the source of the sniper shot that had saved Adam made itself apparent: Marrek Gunstinson. The Dark Jedi was wary of the Jedi master’s potential danger to him, and opted to wait until Katherion was no longer a threat. Despite Adam’s visible anger and frustration, Gunstinson helped Adam bury his master, and offered him sanctuary in a group Adam had never expected hospitality from; House Qel-Droma of Clan Arcona.
Despite his initial cautious reservations, Adam settled into his new home among the Dark Jedi. His connection to the Force was quickly reestablished, though he was uncertain of what he desired from his new place in the galaxy. He spent a great deal of his time in the Shadow Academy, and took up old Marauder amplification techniques to offset the defensive ranged style of his mentor Gunstinson, and hoped for a chance to demonstrate his worth to Arcona.
Operation Sojourn
Adam finally got his chance to prove himself when Arcona was nearly compromised on Selen in Estle City. With the clan's main strength away dealing with a biological attack on the Cythraul, Adam stayed behind with the Qel-Dromans to deal with a troublesome insurrection that had surfaced during Arcona's moment of weakness. Adam demonstrated his recovered and improved combat acumen in a number of skirmishes that took place throughout the city, ranging from takedowns of small cells of rebels to a full-blown raid of the insurrection's center of operations, resulting in the devastation of a perfectly good nightclub. He cast a unique figure on the battlefield as he used his lightsaber with acrobatic flair, as well as his improvisational capacity when he adopted the use of Durasteel ball bearings which he telekinetically hurled at aggressors. Adam's strong role in defending Arcona earned him a great deal of recognition from the clan, and at last he felt truly accepted in his new place. While exhilarated by his own ability and the thrill of good fights, Adam was troubled by some of the actions he stood party to, such as the extreme Force-torture he witnessed a rebel lieutenant suffer at the hands of Adam's ally, Adi Ka 'Taramas. Sojourn was an experience that made Adam very aware of his capability and potential to develop into a very powerful individual, he also bore witness to the callous and unfeeling nature of the Dark Side of the Force. Still a Jedi at heart, Adam vowed never to let his loyalty to Arcona or anyone else allow the Dark Side to consume his soul, and instead drew his positive personal passions even closer to his relationship with the Force.
DJB Facts
Personality/Advice for Writing Adam
- Adam is never, ever, outwardly dour and stoic like some of his compatriots. If Adam's talking with one of his allies, his dialogue needs to have a bit of biting wit to it, and often teases his friends. He openly taunts his enemies, (never overdo it with Schwarzenegger one-liners, stick to the "is that all you've got?" kind of thing, but occasionally try Mal Reynolds-esque witticisms for taunts) and distracts himself from pain with more humor.
- Internally, he's very introspective. Adam's troubled by how closely he toes the line of simply using and understanding the Force and establishing a strong relationship with it, versus losing himself to the Dark Side. He strongly believes that positive passions better influence the Force's benevolent applications, and even some of its more offensive uses when defending himself or others. Put simply, Adam's still a Jedi at heart, regardless of his Revan-esque theories clashing with traditional ideals, and takes issue when collateral damage is a possibility or someone endures undue suffering. He also tends to be thrown off when Sarna is added to matters, lending him some more gravity when something about her is on his mind.
- Adam does enjoy combat, but not in a bloodthirsty way. It's a test, a challenge, and he's exhilarated by the chance to test his ability and see what he can do. If he sees that he's vastly outclassing an opponent and knows that they don't need to be there, he does what he can to spare them. When equally matched, especially in a duel, Adam doesn't hold back, still testing his limits and his ingenuity. If his opponent has earned his respect, through their actions or the intricacy of their fighting style, he also does what he can to defeat, but not kill them. He sees killing an honorable and uniquely skilled duelist as a waste, a crime against the art of lightsaber dueling. On the other hand, if his opponent has done something to draw Adam's ire, such as harming his fellows or innocents, he has no qualms about utterly devastating his opponent. He also knows when he's lost to a superior adversary, and focuses on surviving the encounter however possible.
Positions Held
Battleteam Sergeant of Apex Brigade upon its formation, and a founding member.
Outstanding Achievements
Took home an Anteian Cross at Guardian rank for efforts during Operation: Sojourn
Trivia
Adam is a lightsaber combat form enthusiast, and has meticulously analyzed each form, despite being unable to train in them. While uncertain of his desired progression path, he enjoys determining which styles effectively complement each other. He is also interested in designing lightsaber hilts that accommodate certain combat styles, hoping to balance form and function.