Jahu Skyla

From Rebel Alliance Wiki
Jump to: navigation, search
Jahu Skyla the White, M.D.
Jahu Skyla
Husky
Appearance
Height 1.63 m
Eye Color brown
Race Mirialan
Gender Female
Biography
Born Year -13
Homeworld Tatooine / Thyferra
Family Mother: Nerida Skyla

Father: Lafaye
Spouse: Frollo the White
Siblings: Rynie Skyla

Children: None
Career
Department Ministry of Trade and Industry
Past positions Leader of Republic Medical

SFC Deputy Chief

Knight of the Republic
Past affiliations Rebel Alliance

Liberty Medical Center
Toskan Industries

Cyber Technology
Commendations
Uogo`cor Achievement AwardRepublic Medical CrossFriendship AwardLeadership AwardOutstanding Excellence AwardLong Standing Meritorious Service AwardChief of State's MedalGroup Commander's CitationMeritorious Unit MedalMeritorious Unit MedalMeritorious Service MedalRepublic Achievement Medal

Abridged biography: Link to Holocoron entry

Description

A Thyferran in her prime, standing at 1.63m; not particularly tall, but packing the physique of an athletic build. Deep brown eyes that convey a strict, no-nonsense, but sincere demeanour. Complexion is of a healthy golden-tan, suggesting an ardent love for the outdoors. Whether in uniform or mufti, practical and comfortable garments reign, with only the slightest influence of a feminine touch.


Jahu

Above: Jahu in the utility uniform of the RepMed Operations Department and various field attire

Biography

Childhood

As a child, Jahu constantly had to adjust to new worlds, cultures, and sentients of other races. Born on Tatooine - by serendipity and not by choice - to Coruscani holofilm producer 'Lafaye' and his second wife Nerida Skyla from Thyferra, Jahu spent most of her childhood on Tatooine, but accompanied her parents to wherever his father's projects dictated he went. Following her parents' divorce, she and her younger sister Rynie followed their mother back to her homeworld Thyferra where they had family. Due to her having spent most of her formative years offworld, she lacks the height that characterises the local Thyferrans who have matured on the low-gravity planet.

Her interest from young was in the natural history of terrestrial fauna and veterinary medicine - pursuits discovered almost by chance after an encounter with an injured Fynock and a stint as a vet assistant. Her uncle Tidwot Skyla, a xenobiology professor at the City University of Thyferra, played no small part in Jahu's eventual enlistment with the Rebel Alliance.

Joining the Alliance

In Year 3, at Tidwot's urging and through his contacts, she applied to the Alliance Marine Command, in particular, their Veterinary Services branch, with a desire to spend more time planet-side all around the galaxy. However a vocational aptitude test unexpectedly placed her firmly within the Starfighter Command. She was also informed that the Marines were undergoing a restructuring and were not accepting new personnel, much to her disappointment. After a brief meeting with Dean of Recruits Thies Windu and Supreme Commander Relm Hesek, she was persuaded to, nevertheless, proceed with SFC training at the Academy on Adbatar.

Thus began the first strand of Jahu's career - as a fighter pilot. Her basic training cumulated in the Academy Training Simulation Exercise where she was appointed her team's SFC Cadet Commander alongside her Navy counterpart Locke Cole. This was her first taste of command and leadership in the field of battle, albeit in a simulated setting. Upon graduation, she was awarded her wings as a Flight Officer and assigned to Republica Defense Group and SFC Division X, commanding a squadron in a supporting role, in her first battle against the Imperials in Uvena.

Unwilling to abandon hopes of a veterinary, or medical, career, Jahu jumped at the chance to sign up with the Medical Corps, which was open to all Commands. Soon after Jahu's qualification as a Flight Medic and with a few months of field experience, she applied for the advertised post of Medical Instructor and was successful. She spent the time in between SFC missions to work on improving the MedCorps syllabus with some help from Tidwot's contemporaries at the university.

Soon came her Battle Group assignment and a transfer to SFC Division A as its Recruitment Officer. While a Lieutenant, Jahu 'befriended' Seele, a new SFC officer and an Imperial 'defector'. This episode would prove to be one of the most bizarre and intriguing experiences in Jahu's career, for Seele was later recalled to the Empire and revealed as the next Director of Imperial Intelligence. He would, many years later, become the Grand Vizier and Executor, leaving Jahu to wonder at her having rubbed shoulders with one of the most powerful men in the galaxy.

For years, Jahu undertook missions for both the SFC and MedCorps, participating in a number of galactic-wide conflicts variously as a fighter pilot, flight medic, or detachment commander. Notably, she served in the infamous Battle of Beta as part of the Alliance and Falleen Federation fleet, and in the Battle of Berchest against the Imperials. At Berchest, for eliminating an entire squadron of TIE-Bombers, she was awarded the revered Enemy Fighter Kill citation.

After Dash Raltar's retirement, Jahu was elected by fellow MedCorps members as the Surgeon-General. She was also invited to lead Liberty Medical Centre, a nationalised faction of the Alliance. New to management in the civil service, she struggled to bring LMC back to strength after a previous corrupt leadership. Combining the resources and expertise of MedCorps and LMC, she brought the staff of both under a common aegis. With time, the reputation of the groups grew and they were frequently called upon to provide emergency services at the scenes of major galactic conflicts. Being both a military officer and a doctor comes with its own set of struggles: the mission of saving lives is in direct conflict with the act of taking them. Jahu is known to uphold a strongly conservative medical code in the treatment of casualties, regarding all lives - those of enemies or allies, combatant or civilian alike - equally. Her personal sense of ethical accountability sometimes puts her at odds with her more politically-minded peers and superiors. Once, while on a routine medevac drill in a Mid Rim system, she came across a distress signal from grounded Trade Federation forces. In her capacity as Surgeon General and leader of LMC, she decided to lead her team of medical officers to aid the Viceroy and his wounded. That gave birth to a short-lived, but powerfully heartening (as far as the transcendence of political differences was concerned) series of pseudo-RA-TF joint operations - it was an arrangement that was unique to that time.

The mounting responsibilities that Jahu was assuming in Support Command, also known as the Interior, meant that she had increasingly less time for her full-time duties with a Battle Group. Thus military high command decided to transfer her back to Republica Defense Group. Somewhat ironically, there she received a double promotion to Commander and was appointed Wing Executive Officer. In this capacity, Jahu lead small ad-hoc detachments in various operations.

High Command

In Year 5, Jahu took up an appointment on Rebel Alliance High Command as Chief of the Interior. Her mandate included overseeing the Alliance Academy, the Research and Development department, MedCorps, and the nationalised factions. As a civilian High Commander, Jahu was released from all military duties. However, merely a few months later, she was recalled to the SFC and reinstated as a Commander for the period of upcoming operations with RDG. She would go on to receive the rank of Captain and due to her piloting skills, serve briefly with the autonomous Recon Wing, just before embarking on her first extended leave of absence.

Sabbatical and Further Medical Training

Whether or not Tidwot had a hand in it she did not know - and he would not admit, but she received an unexpected invitation to a scholarship from the City University of Thyferra to undertake research in military medicine and health. She readily accepted, but not before resigning from her positions of responsibility. She spent some time [OOC ELOA] at the School of Medicine and the University Hospital, in pursuit of an advanced degree. All the while, she maintained distant activity with LMC as its Advisor and - keeping a low profile - visited New Republic outposts to conduct field studies. While back on Thyferra, she also took the opportunity to spend some time with her mother and extended family.

The New Republic

Jahu returned to a newly-formed New Republic in Year 8, the product of a merger between the Rebel Alliance with SoroSuub Corporation. She was granted a generous re-commission as a Captain in the SFC and allowed her to re-join her old Battle Group. The MedCorps had by then been disbanded for some time, so she found a job as Director of Operations of Republic Medical which was complemented by her military experience. A period of intense activity ensued for the New Republic and Jahu was involved in the action in both military and civilian capacities - indeed, at times the distinction was not that great - at Thyferra, Kashyyyk, Tierfon (now Koobi VIII), Illium, Saugorn (Taakarroo), Norval (Ota), and Sumitra. For her contributions to the New Republic and Republic Medical, she received the Republic Service Award and Outstanding Excellence Award.

Losses and Grief

The year came when the New Republic was to experience a series of betrayals, coups and great losses. Thies Windu, who had then became more than a friend, was captured and eventually executed by Black Sun agents. She was devastated; new missions with her Battle Group served as distractions, but the long hours in the cockpit eventually left her with too many hours alone to her thoughts. After many months, she managed to sense him reaching out to her through the Force, and finally found some calm and peace.

The same year saw the infamous Black Sun coup and takeover of the New Republic, and there Jahu lost more of her oldest and closest friends. Among them were: Bengro Evabri, a former fellow Republic Defense Group member, also of the MedCorps and the Media Service; fellow SFC officers Alex Tritan, Corran Sunstriker, Kraw Night, Tan Orinol, and NRI Director Nim Orlan, who was one of her earliest mentors at the Academy Training Simulations; and her other military friends, Jacky Quah, David Kellar, Droop and Wes Palpie. In another isolated incident, Jedi Master Eli LaSalle was captured by Black Sun sympathisers and summarily executed. Eli was a former colleague in MedCorps who became her Commanding Officer in the New Republic, but above all he was a friend and mentor. Jahu had scrambled to his rescue upon receiving his distress signal, but she unfortunately arrived too late.

Unsettled by a lingering memory of her fallen comrades, she designed a white Remembrance Ribbon in their honour and invited members of the New Republic to join her in wearing one - nary a day goes by when the ribbon cannot be seen on her uniform.

A terrible hatred for the New Republic's enemies burned within her, a sensation that was totally new. And, with it, a sense of profound loss and emptiness. The deaths of her friends had only brought back all the emotions which had gradually come under control since the loss of Thies. Brought to the surface once more, these emotions and anger at the injustice of life would come to agonise Jahu for years to come.

Commanding Officer and SFC Deputy Chief

Jahu continued to pour her energies, stoically and fervently, to advance the New Republic's goals. Promoted to Lt Colonel (since re-designated as Flight Commodore) late in Year 9, Jahu was transferred to another Battle Group as its Wing Commanding Officer after having earlier declined the offer of a Wing Command twice. In recognition of her leadership, she was awarded the Group Commander's Citation.

She later became the Battle Group's Executive Officer. More operations followed at Csilla and Calaron. Then, in a move that would designate her as perhaps the highest-ranked female SFC officer in the Rebel Alliance or the New Republic's history, she was appointed as the Deputy Chief of Starfighter Command, with a promotion to the rank of Marshal. She was transferred yet again, this time to take up responsibilities as a Battle Group Commanding Officer. That also meant that she had the distinct privilege of having served with four different Battle Groups; the exposure proved valuable.

Break from Service

Despite having received the Meritorious Service Medal, in time, Jahu began to notice a dip in her levels of productivity and she recognised the onset of health-related conditions associated with depression. Work burn-out and her long-suppressed mental anxieties were beginning to take their toll. Appointments at such senior levels also came with their share of politics, which she felt only served to add to unnecessary bureaucracy and hampered efficiency. In an abrupt move, she retired from active service and decided to take a break - for how long, she did not know then. She first returned to Thyferra, then roamed the galaxy at large for a few years, reflecting, introspecting, and finally getting to spend more time in the jungle wilds that she loved so much as a child.

The Second Return

Year 12 saw Jahu's return to the SFC, where she is presently serving. Some - the few of her old friends that remain - had commented on a change in Jahu's personality. Far from being outspoken, she had become fiercely private, guarded and impassive in her conduct with others. Yet she continued to perform her duties to the best of her abilities - abilities which she suspected had been found wanting since a few years of technological advancement had passed her by while she was living the reclusive life. She accepted a rank reduction to Wing Commander, an arrangement which Jahu found satisfactory as she since become so weary of command. Despite her efforts to maintain a lower profile in her Battle Group by handling odd jobs at the rear, she found herself promoted to Group Captain and eventually taking on a command position.
Ever the reluctant but dedicated leader, she had in Year 13 finally accepted to become the Chief Executive Officer of Republic Medical, following a period of turbulence that had left her beloved group in greater need of stability and leadership than ever before.

The Force

Jahu's early displays of extra-sentient affinity with the forest creatures of Thyferra and Uogo`cor should have been indicator enough of her Force potential, however Jahu lacked the insight to interpret her friendly encounters with wild animals as anything other than an effect of her deep reverence for all life forms and love for nature.

Her Force-sensitivity was only confirmed by the Noghri Jedi Gothar Elensar later in her New Republican career. With hindsight, she suspected that the depression she suffered from since Year 8 acted as a catalyst for the development of her Force potential. Taken under the tutelage of Master Elensar, she was initiated as a Knight of the Republic and taught to directly attune herself with, and master, the Force. However, initial efforts to awaken her latent Force powers proved devastating, not to mention dangerously traumatic, as she experienced painful hallucinations and nightmares while the Dark Side of the Force tempted and assaulted her mind, feeding off her negative passions. For far too long had she harboured strong feelings of fear, hatred and the desire for vengeance. It took her every ounce of her will and being, and continual weeks of intense, agonising and unbroken meditation under her Master's watchful eye for her to successfully resist embracing the Dark Side. She emerged physically and mentally debilitated, but spiritually shielded. She has since decided to commit herself to a life of service to the Light Side. Constant meditation remains her catharsis, and she strives to remain ever vigilant.

Although colours were no longer that keenly associated with a Force-user's specialisation in the contemporary galaxy, she took the colour of her lightsaber blade (green-yellow) to be the Force's way of affirming her conviction that her vocation lay in healing and in applying a marriage of the Force with a diversity of non-Force-based talents. Green was traditionally the colour of the Jedi Consulars, who concerned themselves with the mysteries of the Force, and yellow was known to be wielded by the Sentinels, Jedi who engaged in a balance of combat and scholarly endeavours. The hilt, slightly curved towards the pommel, is well-suited to her personal style of lightsaber combat that is a combination of the fine precision of Form II Makashi and defensive techniques of Form III Soresu.

Personal Life

While a Cadet and as one of the few females around, Jahu found - much to her amusement and embarrassment - that she was quickly becoming quite popular among her peers and the Academy staff. Including, unbeknownst to her at that time, Thies Windu. Their courtship was kept muted initially, but by the time Jahu joined Thies' Battle Group, knowledge of their relationship had spread. Thies was a key figure in the SFC, the Academy and Jedi Order, laden with obligations and responsibilities. Jahu was herself becoming inundated with numerous new appointments. Thus procrastination over their future plans persisted, although their affections for each other never diminished, not even until Thies' death in Year 8.

In the months that followed, she was increasingly looking to Frollo the White for support, a close friend and long-time confidante, who was privy to both Thies' and Jahu's exploits and troubles. In a moment of honesty, they acknowledged their mutual affection, and decided to travel to Dagobah to seek Thies' blessing. Tears flowed freely that night, not tears of grief, but of happiness. She could still recall his words, barely a whisper through the Force: 'My friends - love and compassion strengthens the light side of the Force... while pent up emotion and secrecy strengthen the dark. You have my blessing in this. I also regret that things couldn't evolve more during our time, but I am glad you have found each other. Nothing could make me happier than having two people that were as close to me as you two join with each other.'

Aided by Aves Sunfell, Jahu and Frollo hosted an informal reception in the officers' mess to mark the occasion. They were married in a private ceremony in Year 9, attended by a close circle of friends. Aves Sunfell, Taka Aioko, Nimski Blahnik, Phymp and Kaito Mizuno all turned up dressed in their best for the exchange of vows and a candle-lighting ceremony.

Their relationship was not without difficulties, however. A major challenge was finding the right balance that should prevail in their professional judgement of each other, since they had both served in the same Battle Group. Frollo was Jahu's Commanding Officer until Jahu was given a command of her own. Although they were of a similar mind over strategies and tactics, they frequently clashed over personnel matters. After a controversial incident which involved her personally, she decisively dropped his last name from hers. For two years while Jahu was away from the New Republic, they spoke no more of their relationship, nor to each other.

Frollo's appointment as Minister of Civil Engineering and Jahu's return to service in the New Republic created the chance for them to meet again, on numerous occasions. And it would appear that the pair's deep friendship, unwavering respect and admiration for each other would work to transcend their past transgressions.

Career History

Military Service Record

Rebel Alliance Starfighter Command
Insignia Paygrade Duration Rank/Position
RA SFC Flight Cadet.jpg N/A Year 3 Day 217 — Year 3 Day 282 Flight Cadet
RA SFC Flight Officer.jpg N/A Year 3 Day 282 — Year 3 Day 327 Flight Officer
RA SFC Lieutenant.jpg N/A Year 3 Day 327 — Year 4 Day 144 Lieutenant
RA SFC Commander.jpg N/A Year 4 Day 144 ~ Commander
RA SFC Captain.jpg N/A Year 5 ~ Captain


New Republic Starfighter Command
Insignia Paygrade Duration Rank/Position
Rank O-6 SFC.png O-6 Year 8 Day 70 — Year 9 Day 186 Captain
Rank C-1 SFC.png C-1 Year 9 Day 186 — Year 9 Day 240 Lieutenant Colonel
Rank C-4 SFC.png C-4 Year 9 Day 240 ~ Marshal
Rank O-5 SFC.png O-5 Year 12 Day 283 — Year 13 Day 130 Wing Commander
Rank O-6 SFC.png O-6 Year 13 Day 130 — Year 15 Day 37 Group Captain
Rank C-4 SFC.png C-4 Year 15 Day 37 — ?? Marshal


Citations and Awards

Military

Award Name Given By Date
Chief of State's Medal Chief of State's Medal Year 13 Day 195
Group Commander's Citation Group Commander's Citation
Meritorious Unit Medal Meritorious Unit Medal
Meritorious Service Medal Meritorious Service Medal Year 10 Day 113
Republic Achievement Medal Republic Achievement Medal Year 8 Day 265
Celegia Campaign Celegia Campaign
Operation Slashroot Operation Slashroot
Operation Clean Sweep Operation Clean Sweep
Stratacator Campaign Stratacator Campaign
Operation Forging Freedom Operation Forging Freedom
Operation Winter Cleaning Operation Winter Cleaning
Beta Defense Beta Defense
Joint Operation Ribbon Joint Operation Ribbon

Civilian

Award Name Given By Date
Uogo`cor Achievement Award Uogo`cor Achievement Award
Republic Medical Cross Republic Medical Cross Year 13 Day 195
Friendship Award Friendship Award Year 13 Day 195
Leadership Award Leadership Award Kara DuMonte Year 15 Day 88
Outstanding Excellence Award Outstanding Excellence Award
Long Standing Meritorious Service Award Long Standing Meritorious Service Award Lukastar Narvaka Year 15 Day 3