- "A good soldier obeys without question. A good officer commands without doubt."
- ―Kintan's motto
Experiment 001, E-1, Echo-1, or Codename: Kintan Strider, was a O'reenian whose lineage was something of a mystery. He was found, along with two others, deep in cryo-stasis on board a shipwreck in the ship graveyard in late 31 ABY. K.U.D.F. engineers and techs discovered their pods while searching for usable materials for the construction of the Endor's Triumph.
Echo-1 was a professional soldier in the employ of Clan Odan-Urr and their military forces, more specifically their special operations branch. Cybernetically enhanced to the point of near-perfection, he was born, bred and trained for war. It was everything he had ever known.
Echo-1 died on Paragon Colony, Kr'Tal System in 35 ABY on a mission to obtain critical intel and assets for the Lotus resistance. He was killed by Darth Necren while protecting V'yr Vorsa.
Character History
Origins of War
- "Subject Echo-1 medical log number 0001. Start recording. Subject has sustained heavy damage during cryo-freeze, leading me to believe he has indeed been in stasis for years, even decades."
- ―Medical Specialist Arriana Axios' first log on Echo-1
Cryo-pods abroad the Entrance to Mannaeth
In 35 ABY during the construction of the Endor's Triumph in the ship graveyard at the edge of the galaxy, a group of engineers searching for usable parts among the ships discovered a very old Kandosii-type dreadnaught designated Entrance to Mannaeth. It was later discovered the Mannaeth was a derivation of hell, from Corellian mythology in the O'reenian culture, thus the ship was flagged as O'reenian. The ship had had power and several systems were running at the time of the engineers' arrival. The source had been a cryo-pod chamber deep in the ship's medical section. What they discovered shocked them. There were five pods in the dimly lit chamber, out of which only three were active. All of them held people inside, only the individuals in the active pods were alive. The others, unfortunately, were already long dead.
Several medical teams were called in to examine the pods and explain the mysterious find. Much of the technology they found there was very similar to their own, albeit somewhat outdated. Initial scans showed pod malfunctions and heavy tissue damage on all three individuals, but it was only after the pods were safely opened and the individuals transferred to a controlled medical facility that the team discovered what they had truly found. All three individuals - now designated Echo one through three - were clad in a highly advanced form of space suit which, by the looks of things, provided some form of protection against the cryo symptoms. The suits were unusable by the time the subjects were retreived.
The Echos were integrated with cybernetic limbs and other cybernetic enhancements, and were connected to the pods via connection ports on their extremities, spine, neck, shoulder blades and head. In all three cases a cerebral chip, or "neural-interface device" as the experts called it, seemed to be implanted in the subjects’ brains. Deemed a "Classified A-Rank Project" by the K.U.D.F., much of the documentation and personnel in contact with the pods at the time was reassigned to a special task force. Without proper equipment to carry out further experiments the task force sent the whole project — designated "Project Dejarik" — back to New Tython for further analysis. As per military regulations, the three subjects were given codenames - Socorro M'onnok, Mantellian Savrip and Kintan Strider.
Echos in the darkness
- "Subject Echo-1 medical log number 0036. Start recording. I have been assigned as the main MD in charge of Kintan Strider. His condition has improved somewhat during his relatively short stay on the transport back home. I cannot be certain at this point, but it is my opinion that there is some kind of advanced healing factor involved due to how quickly some of the damage has been healed. I will examine this claim more once we return to Menat Ombo."
- ―Arriana Axios examining Echo-1
Subjects Echo-1 and Echo-3 in bacta tanks
On their return to New Tython, Project Dejarik had been placed into a secure facility beneath Ooroo Abbey in Menat Ombo. The subjects were kept under anesthetics, or in bacta tanks, the whole time during the first nine months of the Project. Their bodies were found to be so damaged by the prolonged cryo-stasis that waking them would result in their systems shutting down — at least that is what the experts claimed at the time. It was apparent from the get-go that the subjects weren't normal humans. Their bodies, though indeed heavily damaged, were still in far better condition than expected. The team found damaged data strings in the pod's computer memory which indicated that the cryo-sleep was initiated more than a century prior to de-frosting. While this was dismissed as an error due to aging technology and deteriorated memory chips, doubt and curiosity remained and only deepened the mystery. What was even more interesting was that the subjects’ muscle tissue hadn't atrophied at all, and that their brain activity was extremely high, even under anesthesia.
Deep medical scans, and weeks of experiments, showed the cause. All three were subjected to extreme levels of cybernetic manipulation, not just outwardly but inwardly too. They were implanted with nano-machines that helped their bodies regenerate at a higher rate than ordinary humans. The discovery was so profound that the project leader, senior scientist Dr. Arriana Axios, ordered cyberneticists be brought into the Project to conduct further experiments on the subjects. Several months of hard work were required for the teams to actually conclude teh results. Their consensus was unanimous — these individuals were never born naturally, but rather lab-grown from embryos to adulthood through many years. Their whole existence must have been spent "under a microscope". With this discovery still more questions arose, and the truth of Project Dejarik remained as elusive as ever.
Experiments and examinations continued all through 32 ABY and it was only several weeks before New Year's Day that the team in charge of Echo-1 deemed him ready for awakening. With project leader Arriana Axios' approval the preparations were underway. On the 22nd day of the 9th month of 32 ABY, Echo-1 was awakened. At first he didn't react to external stimuli due to the drug induced coma he had just awakened from. His movements were sluggish and slow, but very soon his body adjusted and he walked and talked with renewed vigor. His demeanor was reserved and disciplined, very much radiating an aura of a man born to a military life. Never once did he disobey a scientist's order, confirming the speculation that he had indeed had interactions with them before.
And the world falls into Mannaeth
- "Priority message, Delta-Echo-Zero-Zero-One. The lab is under attack. Enemy forces have entered the main facility and are destroying what equipment we have left. I have scrubbed the system back-ups and sent what remained of our research in Project Dejarik to the Arthos. The subjects have escaped. May the force preserve them. I'm en route to objective gamma for extraction."
- ―Arriana Axios' last message from the laboratory
Arriana Axios, fighting Thuronian forces in the labs
The year 33 ABY was a life-changing year for much of New Tython's population. Not long after the other two subjects — Echo-2 and Echo-3 — were awakened, just around New Year's Day a rebellion broke out in Menat Ombo, Tanduran and all other major settlements on New Tython. Cy Thuron, the mad leader of the New Dawn movement had bided his time for a chance to strike, and it came sooner and with more force than anyone expected. Armed mercenaries stormed Ooroo Abbey and the labs, killing any guards and capturing any remaining scientists. During the chaos the subjects of Project Dejarik donned their gear and escaped the facility under orders from Arriane Axios. She was the last living member of the team to be heralded off planet, leaving all her work — and the subjects — behind. It would take several months for her to discover Echo team's fate. It was indeed discovered that Echo-1, Echo-2 and Echo-3 had been in the employ of Cy Thuron and his Empire the whole time. Strike Team Ooroo's spy network on New Tython came up with video footage, documents and images of Echo-1, 2 and 3 fighting on Thuron's side against Harakoan tribesmen and what remained of K.U.D.F. forces on the planet, specifically the Melewati Bushfighters. They had been extremely efficient at their jobs, from the reports Arriana had received. She had begged Ooroo's C.O. Revak Kur to allow her access to all the reports on Echo team. With clearance from the Council she could continue her research into the origins of Echo.
Initial footage and reports showed a complete lack of compassion for the enemy. Echo team was clearly engineered so well that their basic humanity was an afterthought. The mission always took precedence, and the enemy always took the short straw when facing them. It was only in the 6th month since the new Empire was established that Axios began to discern shifts in behavior. By then she had gathered that Echo-1 was indeed, as she had originally thought, the commanding officer of the team — evidence of this was plentiful since Echo-2 and Echo-3 seemed to follow Echo-1's orders. Echo-1 seemed to exhibit emotion and empathy, even compassion for the first time. Sometime, somewhere a change happened in Echo-1 and he began helping the Harakoans and other Colonists, even to the point of attacking Purity Rock during the escape. Echo-2 and Echo-3 started exhibiting the same reactions a short while after Echo-1. Axios, of course, reported all her findings and Echo team was deemed a possible asset. Measures had been take to get into contact with the team and enlist their help against the Thuronian Empire in the upcoming liberation.
Freedom comes from burning skies
- "Fireteam Echo. That's what they call them now. A specialized unit or "super-soldiers" fighting Thuron. They think M'onnok, Savrip and Kintan are just pieces on Dejarik board, ready to serve them obediently. But they are so much more. They are the embodiment of everything a scientist like me lives for. Perfection incarnate. I just hope they stay alive long enough for me to meet them again."
- ―Arriane Axios, about Echo team in her personal journal
Fireteam Echo, Battle of Tanduran Fields
Liberation finally came to New Tython, and as the skies burned with the wreckage of Thuron's fleet, and the ground was trampled by K.U.D.F. tanks and soldiers, Fireteam Echo, so designated by the T.D.U.C. Special Forces command, undertook nearly a dozen mission into enemy controlled areas of the planet. The underpaid and under equipped mercenaries experienced low morale in the face of the coming invasion and stood little chance. Many of them simply deserted and left their employer holding the short end, or gave up and surrendered to spare their own lives. The overwhelming force of the K.U.D.F. assault on all fronts showed what exactly Jedi were capable of doing when they have time and space to develop. However many of the breakthroughs were a direct result of Fireteam Echo's missions behind enemy lines.
During the initial landing at the Dac Compound, they managed to sabotage several convoys of reinforcements and supplies meant for the front lines. In the Battle of Tanduran Fields they managed to board a Warrior-class gunship, disable it's engines, weapons and thrusters and force it to crash-land. They were commended for this action by Councillors Torun and Kituri, as well as General Vorsa. Their impressive track record during the campaign was brought to a sudden halt when Echo-3, M'onnok, was severely injured by one of Thuron's elite Jedi killers. Echo-1 and Echo-2 managed to extract Echo-3 in time, but by then the team was out of the battle and the war continued on without them. They were transferred off world to the safety of the Last Stand where they underwent medical treatment in bacta tanks as their gear was being repaired. During their recovery Thuron was defeated and the war ended with a resounding victory. Nothing was left for them to do, but wait.
During the weeks following the invasion, Savrip, Kintan and the recently recovered M'onnok, underwent psychological evaluations, medical tests and training tests to see how well they could truly perform, all in a secure environment. The results were staggering. Each of them was an expert martial artist, with a wide knowledge of tactics and weapons. Each could fieldstrip any weapon they had seen for the first time just by examining its structure and design. In short, they were the perfect soldiers.
Know yourself
- "Subject Echo-1 medical log number 0675. Start recording. Subject Echo-1, Kintan. Superior combat skills and cognitive responses in situations of extreme duress. Slight post-traumatic stress symptom. Lack of social and emotional expression, however. Recommended treatment: socializing with fellow soldiers and Jedi."
- ―Dr. Axios, on Echo-1's mental state
Echo-1, prior to a medical and psychiatric examinations
During the months that preceded the Civil War, Echo-1 spent most of his time in-between training exercises with his team, studying basics about the Force, psychiatric evaluations, medical exams and the odd pause in his duties, when he had time for himself. Project Dejarik was up and running again, with a mostly new science team and Dr. Axios at the helm. Since the facility under Ooroo Abbey was all but decimated; and the governing system changed, removing the Jedi from government duties; a new facility, called Research facility Iota was built in the 1st AAC's training grounds, north-west of the Arca Praxeum on Owyhyee. The grounds were actually a military base called Camp Dall'ra, built from scratch during the rebuilding efforts. The good doctor had had enough time to speak with all three Echo members at great length about their experiences during the Thuron-Tyhonian conflict. What had become apparent to her is that Echo-2 and Echo-3 followed a clear-cut set of rules which boil down to "obey orders without question". As Echo-1 was their superior, they followed every order he gave, however Echo-1 did not follow any rules except his own. For some reason he had developed a sense of morality and feeling of guilt and empathy toward the Harakoan people and the Colonists alike. That was the reason he defected. He explained to her that during one of the raids on one of the settlements, he had seen a child, a teenage girl, raped, tortured and burned to death while Thuron's grunts laughed. He told her that he had never felt anguish, sadness and anger like he felt it in that moment. The next thing he remembered was waking up in a medical tent in one of the forward bases, surrounded by guards. Apparently he had killed the laughing mercenaries, but could do nothing for the child. He never remembered doing so.
Dr. Axios considered his story for a long while until an idea came to her. During the next medical exam she had a team of engineers scan and examine the neural-chip in Echo-1's head in detail. It was discovered that the chip had seemingly malfunctioned and rebooted around the same time Echo-1 said the ordeal with the child happened. Further psychiatric analysis discovered a correlation between the two events. An old and malfunctioning chip, coupled with sensory overload resulted in the chip reverting to a default state, leaving Echo-1 free to think on his own. This confirmed that the chip were indeed pre-programmed with obedient and disciplined personalities, which begged the question: Will the chip revert back to the original programming in the future? The engineers never managed to extract the chip, as doing so would have killed Echo-1, but they did manage to reset Echo-2's and Echo-3's chips as well, giving them full control of their own actions. Would this be a boon or a disaster, only time would tell. All three Echo team members attend regular medical check-ups and psychiatric evaluations, however now that their chips are dormant, they have discovered that free time doesn't necessarily mean "only training". They have found more time for themselves and activities they came to enjoy.
Only the dead see the end of war
Echo-1 and A'lora Kituri
- "If they are so eager to die that they won't heed the advice of their superiors, then let them rush into the jaws of the lion. We can only hope some of them get caught in its throat."
- ―Echo, commenting their allies' tactics
In 38 ABY planet Korriban was engulfed in war. Murder, rage, fear. These emotions battered the Jedi of Odan-Urr for years of constant strife and battle. Korriban was a culling, a slaughterhouse of hundreds and of thousands. Yet somehow they managed to pull through. Darth Ashen vanished, Grand Master Cotelin returned to the Brotherhood in one piece, and Esoteric brought victory to himself, and his new master, Darth Pravus, who took the Iron Throne for himself. Changes followed, but such losses as the Brotherhood has received could hardly be replenished. The Clans retreated to the homes to lick their wounds, but many never made the return journey.
It was during this time of grief that House Odan-Urr was reformed into a Clan. Proven to be a strong opposition to the other Clans, it was time to climb the next step. Councillor Liam Torun retreated to seclusion within House Hoth - a newly formed House within the Clan - and A'lora Kituri, seer and warrior, took his place. For her right hand she introduced Kintan. It is still unknown why exactly she did this, but rumors know that she had visions of some kind about the giant. Many Jedi took this as a show of force from the K.U.D.F. and the Alliance that they wish to keep a firmer grip on the Clan. This is, however, misguided as Kintan shows unshakable loyalty to Kituri, the Clan and the K.U.D.F., whom the Jedi lead into battle. Reformation on the Clan's internal structure began, with the members, once united under one flag, split into two entities with very different philosophical views.
Back home, another crisis was brewing. An old enemy surfaced again, plotting to capture Fireteam Echo once more. The O'reenians reared their heads again, aiming to return their "property"...
Notable relationships
Arriana Axios, MD
- "Project leader's personal log. Start recording. I have a feeling as if my relationship with the sub...to Savrip, M'onnok and Kintan has become more open. They are, after all just people and not machines. However they are not entirely human either. They are, indeed, highly complex individuals."
- ―Dr. Axios' musings in one of her journals
Dr. Axios
Dr. Arianna Axios was the head of K.U.D.F. research task force working on Project Dejarik. She was a young, 32 year-old Human hailing from Tanduran, New Tython. She was never the most caring woman, or the warmest, but she has a certain love for her work that surpasses any other ambition. Her main focus was the research her team was conducting and it was for the sake of knowledge itself that she does it. She hails from a long-standing military family and her military background has allowed her to be in the thick of things from the get-go - at least as far as this Project was concerned.
Her relationship with Echo-1 was strange to say the least. Speculation has arisen among her colleagues that she only views him as an object to further her own goals. This would not be so far from the truth had many colleagues not witnessed her cheerfully small-talking, even flirting, with Kintan on several occasions - and she was not one for small talk, especially not flirting. In fact everything she does, from talking to acting was done to stimulate different reactions from the subjects. Their relationship was anything but simple, however. They view each other as valuable allies - the good doctor providing Kintan with council and proper care, while he does his job at protecting New Tython, and by extension her as well. Some researchers have even speculated that the two are somehow romantically involved, but that assumption has almost no truth to it since Dr. Axios was extremely professional in all matters regarding her work, as was Echo-1.
Arriana Axios died during the assault on New Tython in 34 ABY. She was in her lab when it was bombarded from orbit.
Echo-2, Codename: Mantellian Savrip
- "Subject Echo-2 medical log number 0459. Start recording. Echo-2, Savrip, is so named for his enormous strength. He has displayed the ability to lift several hundred kilograms at once and was at one point supposedly seen flipping over an armored assault tank, which sounds preposterous. His musculature, supplemented with cybernetics, is, however, far more defined and severely more modified than either Echo-1 or Echo-2."
- ―Dr. Axios, on Echo-2's abilities
Echo-2
Echo-2 - codnamed Mantellian Savrip, or Savrip for short - is a beast of a man. Standing at roughly equal height as Echo-1 but with slightly broader limbs and torso, he is built for strength. While his speed may be slightly diminished, he is a force to be reckoned with on the battlefield. Trained to be a perfect soldier, brute force isn't the only strength he has on his side. Intellect and agility are both in the top 99% percentile of all T.D.U.C. candidates ever tested - not that they could stand a chance against him anyway.
Kintan's and Savrip's relationship was one tantamount to family. It is certain that they were not brothers, DNA testing has proven as much, however they both seem to have quite a brotherly rivalry and respect going on. Ever since Savrip's chip was reset, he has been more and more open to others, willingly conversing with them. However any topic he talks about is related to military service in some way, and he always talks to other soldiers, unlike Kintan who prefered solitude. This has sometimes placed him at odds with Kintan as the latter dislikes company and "strangers" and Savrip often wants to spend time with his brother and his new-found comrades. While they are on the battlefield, Savrip obeys Kintan's every order, but as long as they're off duty, Savrip will always, and often wrongly, glorify his "brother's" achievements which Kintan does not approve of. Both men are curious about their origins, and both are grateful to Dr. Axios and her team for helping discover them. Savrip seems to be very proud to be part of Echo and often shares their stories with grunts in the K.U.D.F.
Echo-3, Codename: Socorro M'onnok
- "Subject Echo-3 medical log number 0501. Start recording. Echo-3, M'onnok. Named after a famed Socorran hunter-beast. I was very surprised "he" ended up being a "she". The armors on all three Echo subjects are the same, but somehow this woman seems as imposing and intimidating as the other two. She is kind of girly I guess, in her own way."
- ―Dr. Axios, talking about Echo-3
Echo-3
The only woman found in the pods aboard the Entrance to Mannaeth, Echo-3 — codenamed Socorro M'onnok, or Socorro for short — is equal to the other two in terms of height and modifications she was subjected to, however, her cybernetics allow her to have far more acute senses than the average human. Even Kintan's and Savrip's senses aren't as attuned to the environment. This implants make Socorro the perfect hunter. She would find her target where others would fail and drop the mission. She never drops a mission, and she never misses a target.
Her relationship with Kintan is open and friendly, however she will always address him as "Sir" no matter the situation unless ordered not to, reflecting her discipline and military upbringing perfectly. Doctors have reported anomalies in her behavior after her chip was reset. Reports state that her heartbeat jumped every so often during training or leisure activities. High levels of oxytocin were also reported in several examinations. While doctors could not find the source of these reactions, one of them joked that she was probably falling in love. She has dismissed this claim during psych evaluations. She has a sisterly bond with both Kintan and Savrip and while she is professional on the field, she is more than willing to enjoy herself when off duty - usually with a good holo-book. She spends this time talking to Kintan more often than not, preferring his solitude to Savrip's social circle.
Personal Traits
Personality
Being born, raised and trained in a militaristic meritocracy often creates monsters out of men. Not so with Kintan. He is often kind and compassionate, especially towards children, though he rarely smiles and laughs. Focus on training and study have often alienated him from social circles. However, he radiates an aura of courage, confidence and pride for what he is doing, but he also radiates awkwardness when confronted directly in social environments. The only people he seems to talk to without hesitation are Echo-2 and Echo-3. He will often stay away from groups of people so as not to startle them, or make them uncomfortable, and he is very self-conscious in this regard. He will rarely communicate with strangers and is more likely to join conversation with familiar individuals, mostly Echo team, other soldiers or like-minded Jedi. When confronted with this during psych evaluations he always states that he is "taking it slow". More often than not he is oblivious to the simplest social constructs, like jokes and small talk, and he can never decipher when women flirt with him, no matter how much he tries. He is a true social pariah, so much so that he has to struggle to decipher other people's emotions, often mistaking one emotional response for another.
Cybernetic modifications
Ocular implants
Echo-1's eye
All Echo subjects have had their eyes replaced with high quality cybernetic implants. The eyes replicate the standard visual spectrum of a normal human eye, but also provide slightly better eyesight in low-light conditions. The main function of the eye is an auto-glassing function which provides protection to the eyes in situations of heavy smoke, fog or even tear gas. While the host is not immune to these conditions, he can easily endure them longer than normal humans can. Another feature of the eye is its rotary retina and lack of blood vessels that make identification via retinal scanner impossible. However the rotary system can be configured to specific patterns, allowing for retinal scanner use in certain situations.
Cybernetic limbs
All of Echo-1’s limbs were replaced by high-quality cybernetic replacements that enhanced mobility generally improved combat effectiveness. The limbs were covered in a synthetic dermal material that made them look organic