Born on a ship in the depths of space to freighter pilot parents, Nikola showed proficiency in the force at an early age, quickly snatched from his parents by the Brotherhood and Clan Arcona when they raided the unprotected vessel. Raised in the citadel for the early part of his life, Nikola would yearn to take the fight to the foes in space, a by product of his natural piloting talent. He pushed himself in flight simulators, achieving some of the highest scores. He was held back for promotion and leadership opportunities due to his fervour. His teachers saw him as more of a weapon to be used by someone with more control, rather than let him loose with his own Battle Team.
While training, Nikola became infatuated with prosthetics. The ability to enhance oneself without the force seemed tantalising. Early on in his training, he undertook an elective procedure, removing the lower halves of his legs, replacing them with prosthetics to resist the effects of G-forces while flying.