Colonel Eller Valtain is the commanding officer of the Taldryan of the Mk. III Cardan-class spacestation stationed above Kalus in the Rybanloth System. He is a former rebel starfighter pilot and father of a Dark Jedi Apprentice.
History Overview
Eller Valtain was born in 12 BBY on Corellia to a middle-class merchant family. Upon reaching the age of 16 he set off, with his father’s support, to join the Rebellion against the Empire. His father’s liberal leanings and his upbringing gave them sympathy for the cause and encouraged the young man to wish to fight the Empire. He caught passage with various family friends until he wound up training with Bandit Squadron, attached to the Mon Calamari cruiser, Liberty.
Eller Valtain during his time in Bandit Squadron
Eller Valtain as Rebel Pilot and Taldryan Officer
He served with minor distinction in the shadow of pilot and squadron leader Ace Azzameen up to the Battle of Endor. Eller had just disembarked the Liberty in his X-wing when the Death Star Battle Station, thought to be inoperational, opened fire and destroyed the cruiser in a single shot. Valtain earned his Ace rating in this battle, downing fifteen TIE Fighters and two shuttles of Imperial Marines and Stormtroopers.
In the following years he participated in the defeat of the Empire and the mop up of the Imperial Remnants but found himself constantly passed over for promotion by friends of influential personalities. By ABY 10 Eller was disillusioned with the cause and settled back on Corellia where he married childhood friend Sara Williem and together they had two children. When it was discovered that his son Erik, the eldest of his children, was force sensitive Eller sought out someone to teach the boy.
Influenced by his dislike of Luke Skywalker, his fame and reputation, Eller found himself open to the idea when approached by a representative of Taldryan who had picked up on the Corellian’s feelers. An agreement was met and Eller allowed his son to begin training with the Dark Jedi Brotherhood in ABY 30. In order to be closer to his son Eller moved his family from Corellia to Karufr in the Kr'Tal System and took a commission with Taldryan Starfighter forces. His experience in battle, and with New Republic forces, proved invaluable and he was quickly promoted to the rank of Colonel with two squadrons under his command. Stationed aboard the Prophet's Refuge in the Rybanloth System, Eller takes a month of leave each year to visit his wife and daughter on Karufr and receives occasional visits from his Son between mandatory training sessions.
Physical Description
Eller Valtain is a lifelong military man. He keeps his body in the same state of readiness that he expects of his men and command. Fit, slim, and standing 1.79m tall and weighing just under 160lbs he has a pilot’s build. Eller renews his pilot’s qualifications regularly and stays in shape enough to do so, even though he no longer takes to the jockey stick on patrol or in combat.
Eller is a man of average appearance and an easy going manner. He never attended a military training college or institute and learned his skills on the job in the Rebel Alliance and therefore lacks the ramrod straight spine often found in Imperial Officers and those who’ve attended war schools.
Personality and traits
Eller is a self-disciplined man who’s learned to pilot a starfighter, fight in battle, and lead men through experience. He commands respect through example, preferring to befriend his officers and get to know them as human beings. These junior officers then pass along their admiration for their CO to their pilots who in turn venerate him as an experienced pilot and combat ace. Eller prefers a straight up fight, like many Corellians, and isn’t afraid to stand up for himself or those he claims as his own.
Valtain prefers to disregard manuals and tactical doctrine, having been trained up through the rather loosely organized Rebel Alliance. Though this infuriates his superior officers it has in the past allowed Eller to surprise enemy formations who are expecting Taldryan-standard formations and strategies. He trains his men and command in his own style and tatics giving them something of a rogue reputation in regard to the rest of the Taldryan Expansionary Force’s Starfigher Corps.
Eller is incredibly proud of the achievement of his Son who is an Apprentice to the Dark Jedi of Taldryan and trusts his eldest child to do him proud. While he does occasionally struggle with the knowledge of who and what the Dark Jedi are, he finds comfort in knowing that the leaders of Taldryan are intelligent and morally straight.
Behind the Scenes