Timbal

Template:Krath charinfo Joshua J. Timbal is a former Consul of Clan Scholae Palatinae (amongst other Clan positions), once one of the few Sons of Palpatine, and a Clan stalwart. Dedicated to the preservation of CSP's history, traditions, and customs, he has few peers that can match his long history with the Clan. Timbal also is the single authoritative source of information concerning the Clans' capital ship assets. He prefers to go by his given last name, Timbal.

Character History

Childhood and Early Life

Timbal was born into nobility on Alderaan, fifteen years before its' destruction. The sole heir to the family, he has retained some of his family's wealth, although quite a bit was squandered in his youth. The biggest event in his childhood was when his family was shamed and outraged when his father, a claimant to the Alderaanian throne, was denied his claim to it due to obscure legal reasons. It was instead given to the Organa family.

Young Adult Events

In order to "shape up" his wayward son, Timbal's parents pulled some strings and got Timbal to join up with the Empire. Due to his political reliability, he was granted a slot at the prestigious Stormtrooper Academy in Carida, toiling away as a cadet to earn his commission as an Army Lieutenant. While away at the academy, he received news that Alderaan was destroyed, and his family was all on the planet when that happened. He instantly knew that the Rebels would commit any terrorist act to bring people to their cause, and thereby blamed the Rebellion for the loss of his family. The news devastated him, along with some of his fellow classmates from his home planet.

General Pilot Career

No longer interested in becoming a stormtrooper, Timbal dropped out of the academy and was subsequently found to be a promising candidate for starfighter training. During his starfighter training, he excelled in virtually every task that was given to him, earning an early entry to the Fleet. There, he served under the command of Vice Admiral Thrawn. He started out like all Imperial pilots, serving as a TIE Fighter pilot, then moving up to the then-new TIE Interceptors, and finally he moved on to strike craft, where he found his niche. He was eventually made a pilot trainer for bombers, a post he held for quite some time. He was in the Outer Rim serving as such when word of the defeat at Endor finally filtered down.

Service to the Emperor's Hammer

DREAD Argonaut on patrol in EH space

Timbal at that point was bounced around various "Imperial" units for a short time until he settled down within the Emperor's Hammer Strike Fleet. There he steadily rose up the ranks, finally achieving the level of a Wing Commander and obtained the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. He had then given up his Wing, and moved to a challenging position as a member of the elite Praetorian Squadron. He stood there for a few months, and then served as a Task Unit Commander in the now defunct EH Naval Corps, giving him ample experience in capital ship warfare. During his stint as Task Unit Commander, he commanded his small escort fleet from the bridge of the Dreadnaught Argonaut. It was here where he acquired extensive capital ship combat experience, which later served him extremely well.

His service to the Naval Corps ended when it was decommissioned, which forced the young pilot to choose a place to go to. Yearning for a chance to finally command a powerful Imperial-Class Star Destroyer, he joined up with the ISD Intrepid, serving as a standard fighter pilot for a short time.

Initial entry with the Brotherhood

It was during this time that Timbal found out that he was Force-sensitive. Unsure of what to do, he joined the Dark Brotherhood after checking them out. Oddly enough, he started out in Clan Arcona, but that would be short-lived, since at the time of his joining the House that we were assigned to was effectively dead. With no one to help, he started to seek a Clan and a House that were very active, and eventually found a Clan called Scholae Palatinae. After a transfer request, he soon found himself in the company of many great Jedi, some of them eventually becoming life-long friends, such as Saitou, Cuchulain, Mike Halcyon, Rhaub, and many others. Happy at last to find a great group to be with, he settled in to work.

Career Change

Back at the EH, however, he was growing more and more aware that he would never earn his own command since command positions rarely opened up, and even then they were usually filled by people that had political connections.

Anxious to not spend an eternity on proving himself over and over again without result, Timbal retired from the TIE Corps, and started a new career within the Intelligence Division, based on his good experiences with them from his time in Praetorian Squadron. His early work there is still classified, but he apparently succeeded. He went up the ladder relatively quickly due to assignments that were completed in an excellent fashion, and after a bit he emerged as a public ID member, commanding a Bureau. Then, he was selected to become the next Tactics and Training Director, and the newest member of the ID Ubiqtorate. During that time he steadily ensured the proper training of many an Intelligence agent.

Eventually, he decided to take a break, and went on a leave of absence from the ID. It was during this time that he met a fellow Clan mate, Alisande Sayeesa. This was during the time of his first tour of duty within Drynwyn's Flame, the elite Battle Team of House Acclivis Draco of CSP. His Tetrarch was Ms. Sayeesa, and somehow clicked. During various missions together they worked really well, and were responsible for many of DFs' successful assignments, even against long odds. Eventually, due to their mutual trust and respect, she amusingly revealed her true identity of Kerridwen Jorddyn, a high-ranking ID officer. In fact, she was Timbal's predecessor as the Tactics and Training Director. A whirlwind romance then commenced, culminating in a marriage attended by the majority of the Clan.

Once settled down, he was called upon to serve the ID again, this time as Special Projects Coordinator. There, he spent time trying to better the ID and generally have some fun. After a short time, he earned the rank of Rear Admiral, and served in his position with distinction. It was during this time that was generally was called "The Golden Age" of HAD, and in particular the young couple also had their own golden age. They had a happy year and a half, during which time a son was born to them, Joshua Timbal.

The Dark Days

After a short time, Timbal had taken upon his first Student, Anga Salinas, at the suggestion of his wife. Since she was very gifted Jedi, Timbal made the mistake of not paying too much attention to the problems that were affecting his Student. His focus at the time was with his Intelligence work, and he was confident that he was doing what he could to safeguard all whom he cared for.

Of course, this was not to be. After various serious clashes with the Executive Officer of the Emperor's Hammer, Anga's plight proved to be the breaking point for many. This culminated in the direct events of the EH/DB split. For Timbal, this decision came out of nowhere, and he was forced into a decision that would profoundly affect him. For once, Timbal was forced to choose which path he would take. He could not bring himself to go with the "rebel" Brotherhood, but at the same time he could not ignore the events that happened to his Student. Furthermore, the situation caused a huge rift between himself and his wife, whom at the time was the Supreme Director of the Intelligence Division. His marriage did not survive this event. Not knowing if the rebel Brotherhood was just a simple grab for power, or it was a true attempt at reform, he decided that he needed to know what the truth was for himself. He also knew that there was truth in their reasoning, and couldn't in good conscious continue to serve the corrupt EH. He resigned all positions, and prepared for the biggest and most crucial role of his life.

McKell is born

From his work within the Intelligence Division as well as his extensive knowledge of the Force provided with a solution. He could not join the Brotherhood as himself, since that would cause adverse reaction back at the EH, so he decided to undergo a radical change to go undercover. With the assistance with high-ranking sympathetic Jedi, he had a Force-block placed on his memory, as well as had extensive surgery done to hide his physical characteristics. Once he was healed, he was sedated and dumped with no memory on a planet that was known to have Brotherhood agents around. He was found by them, and joined the "Rebel" Brotherhood under a new name, which was Jordan McKell. He was an amnesiac that woke up from a coma, so he had to start from scratch, including re-learning his Force powers. During this time, he re-joined his Clan, reintegrating himself within.

Chaos

The initial days and months after the split were chaotic ones. Chains of command were broken, families were ripped apart, and brothers became enemies. The Clan itself constantly had a series of ineffectual leaders, and it was feared that the Clan would die from the chaos. The Clan was on the verge of total collapse, and it seemed that only the efforts of the House Acclivis Draco, with their dogged adherence to tradition and honor, kept them afloat. The Clan only gained stability when long-retired leaders such as Cuchulain stepped in to close the gaps. During this time, McKell stayed quiet, just learning as much as he could, and making a name for himself.

Turning Points

The true turning point for the Clan and for McKell was during the first Independence Games. The Clan had finally gained stable leadership after almost a year of turmoil, and acquitted themselves extremely well against the other Clans. This helped to forge a new identity with the Clan, and for McKell, his work was honored. He swiftly rose through the ranks. He had re-reached the rank of Jedi Hunter, and was about to re-do his Trials for Knighthood when a package sent to him by his real self reached him. It explained everything, and with the help of Jedi Master Arania Lawakiro. Since then he has had his memory, Force powers, and everything else restored. He was also reunited with his son, who was under the care of his close brother, Saitou. Due to his experiences, he knew that the so-called rebel Brotherhood was where he really wanted to be. Thus, he prospered.

True Leadership

Living through the events of the Split, Timbal knew that he needed to do something that would keep the Clan united. This caused him to become a huge proponent of saving every bit of history that the Clan went through, and it is now his life-long goal to retain this history for all to see. During this time, Timbal came to his own, helping out in various leadership positions, and generally trying to help the Clan recover. Much of this was not done while officially serving in any position, and he showed that leadership was independent of what position you held. This was eventually paid back when he was chosen to serve as Consul of the Clan.

Timbal's main philosophies while serving as Consul included the following:

• Selfless sacrifice for the good of the Clan
• The focus upon SERVING the Clan, instead of being served by it
• Motivating by leading from the front
• Communication and delegation
• Prompt and heartfelt recognition
• A sense of humor, flexibility, and common sense

These values served him well during his reign, and the Clan prospered. Eventually, he was forced to step down, as the calling of the Force upon his personal life was too strong to ignore anymore. It was also during this time that he was presented with another son, Mark Timbal. This development further cemented his removal from general Clan business, until he was forced to leave the Clan for a while because of it.

The Return

Now that some time has passed and the calling of the Force is now passing on to others, Timbal was now free to re-join his beloved Clan. He started to work in the shadows, helping once again to make his Clan a better place for all.

Unfortunately, during his time away the Clan had changed. He had felt that it was no longer the place that he knew; indeed, many were people he had never met or dealt with, people who were unaware of his contributions or worse people that did not care. Disagreements with many finally convinced him to move along. For a short time he found refuge within Clan Tarentum, but restlessness once again took hold, and he decided to once again find his own path in the Force. Finally, his sense of loss, loneliness, and longing brought him back to the Clan of his hearts' desire. Mending broken fences, he settled back in.

Little did he know that almost literally the next day disaster awaited.

The Yuuzhan Vong Disaster

Literally right after dumping his bags back into the HAD quarters that he had been assigned, his old friend and Quaestor of HAD RevengeX Palpatine invited him on board the Clan flagship Excidium for a celebration following a Rite of Supremacy that had just concluded. After jumping to the Antei system, and after the ceremonies were concluded, an entire war fleet of Yuuzhan Vong suddenly appeared. The furious assault left millions dead, and Timbal did the best he could on the bridge of the Excidium, helping to direct the defense of the ship and the Clan fleet. The final space battle in the Cocytus System was lead by Timbal, accounting for the revenge strike against the hated Arconan ships that destroyed a Clan ship.

Operation: Reclamation and Timbal's Nine

After the events of the Yuuzhan Vong Incursion, Timbal was supervising the piecing together of the Clans' destroyed shipyards when the call by then-Proconsul Phoenix Olkyssagh Palpatine came to him. Reporting in, he got word of a special operations mission that Timbal was now responsible for. Taking a few of the best members that the Clan could offer, he departed to Mon Calamari to steal a capital starship that was readying completion. After a few adventures, with the help of a few droids, they managed to steal an almost-complete Nebula-class Star Destroyer (Later named the Excidium II) from under the nose of the New Republic. They arrived shortly after the destruction of the then-existing Clan fleet during Operation: Reclamation, in which the then-existing Clan fleet engaged and destroyed a lingering Yuuzhan Vong task force, although at the cost of the Clan fleet itself. Thus, the new Star Destroyer was a welcome sight to the new Consul, Phoenix Palpatine. It was during this time that Timbal took Xathia on as his Student, working with her to develop her skills as a Knight.

Current Events

His actions during the Yuuzhan Vong Incursion, however, did little for the Clan overall and it was a disaster in which he had felt that he had let the Clan down. However, strengthened with a new resolve to clear his honor, he has taken to helping out his Clan in any way that he can, once again preferring action over words. Currently he is helping to plan the new defense of the system against any other enemies, working hard with the new Clan fleet to bring everyone up to par.

Profile

Appearance

Timbal strives to keep fit, as physical fitness has saved his life on quite a few occasions. Thus, his physique is overall muscular, but his pride and joy is the solid abdominal muscles that are extremely well defined. His straight black hair gets really thick and unmanageable if he lets it get too long, so he usually keeps it close-cut. He's debated going bald, but he decided to wait until it became necessary. His skin tone is usually a milk-chocolate brown, unless he spends a short time in the sun. He gets darker easily, and is fairly resistant against sunburn.

For normal day-to-day wear around the Clan, he keeps on one of his combat jumpsuits. He believes in constantly being ready, so he's usually loaded down with the usual combat gear on his jumpsuit: His lightsabre, his two sai, a few throwing stars, and of course a few flash-bang grenades. This precaution has proven its' value over and over again, so he doesn't pay attention to those that criticize him for being too paranoid.

While relaxing in his quarters or elsewhere, he's usually in a pair of work-out shorts and a simple T-shirt, and usually barefoot. However, he takes pains to ensure that his lightsabre is always by his side.

Personality

Timbal is usually pretty quiet, and prefers to lurk in the background. This mainly stems from his time in the Intelligence Division. He moves very quietly, sub-consciously muting any sound he makes.

He also is quite stand-offish with new people that he meets, but this is partly due to the fact that he is somewhat shy, and partly due to the fact that he usually doesn't care much about new people that he meets until they have proven themselves in some way. In a similar vein, he does not make friends easy. Those that he calls his friends truly have earned that honor, and Timbal is extremely loyal to those that he calls his friends. This reluctance to trust, however, makes it difficult for him to learn new skills in the Force.

Finally, his best trait is his odd if ever-present sense of humor. He finds humor where others do not, and is always ready with a big, if wary, smile.

Strengths and Weaknesses

Strengths

• Extremely fast learner

• Large amounts of self-confidence

• Strong willpower

• Extensive combat experience

• An "Idea Guy"

• Ready to adapt if necessary

• Great pilot

Weaknesses

• Slow Force learner

• Combat paranoia

• Addiction to alcohol

• Inadequate training in large-scale ground combat strategy/tactics

• Shy

• Slow to trust

Hobbies, Penchants and Talents

Timbal is a fanatical reader and learner. He would prefer nothing more than reading for the rest of his life if he could get away with it, but he also enjoys the occasional daring event, especially the learning of new martial skills.

He also likes to tinker with computers, droids, or anything mechanical.

Timbal's talents really lay in strategic thinking. In large scale capital ship combat, he knows few peers. He is also an excellent administrator, but he despises that role and avoids it if possible. He also is a fairly good pilot, but admits that there are quite a few that can out-fly him.

Notable Possessions

File:Timbal and Charlene.jpg

Timbal and his T/I, Charlene

Charlene

Timbal had acquired Charlene, a TIE Interceptor, only relatively recently during his time as Consul. However, it has seen extensive upgrades, and cost him a lot of time and money to get done. However, it is kept in pristine condition, and is only rarely used. Exhaustive security measures ensure that only Timbal can pilot her.

DJB Facts

Positions Held

• Tyro of Drynwyn's Flame
• OathMaster of House Acclivis Draco
• Aedile of House Acclivis Draco
• Quaestor of House Acclivis Draco
• Consul of Clan Scholae Palatinae

Outstanding Achievements

• Creator and keeper of the CSP's Order of Battle.
• Creator of the CSP Clan Traditions document.

Trivia

• Timbal only had one Master, then-Quaestor of Acclivis Draco, Sabé Dracaena. Even then, he was a Guardian when he started to train with her.
• Timbal was the second graduate of the famous Master-Student Program, initiated by Mike Halcyon and later further refined by himself. The first graduate was his brother, Saitou.
• Timbal was one of the few members of the Dark Jedi Brotherhood to hold the Clan name of Palpatine. He was bestowed the name of Palpatine quite some time ago, which he doesn't remember precisely. Of all of the Palpatines, he was considered to be the most hidebound to tradition.
• Is a proud father to two sons, Joshua Timbal and Mark Timbal.
• Former Master to Anga Salinas.
• Current Master to Xathia.

External Links

For more information, check out his dossier or ACC Character Sheet.