As a youth I was constantly reminded of my lack of worth to the family thanks to my many, many siblings. While fratricide was an option (one my siblings certainly considered more than once), I felt I was better off elsewhere. I could run off, but the life of luxury had grown onto me. I could've tried running a business of my own, but my family name could and would make it all the harder to pull off.
I toyed with the notion of becoming a man of the cloth, but I like my wine and women too much. Not to mention it feels like an oppressive vocation. Not that I denounce those that follow Him as fools mind you! We all serve the Emperor, blessed be thy name, in our own way.
I seriously considered buying myself a commission with the Imperial Guard for the longest of time. Our world seems to crap out a regiment every few years as a tithe to Terra. Two of my brothers had already joined up and I almost joined them until I learned that the unwashed masses have a severe dislike for us nobles, having killed one of my brothers in his sleep no less.
As they say, I had to rethink my options.
It's funny that none of my siblings chose a career with the Imperial Navy. Guard service certainly didn't work out for us, so why not turn to the stars instead? I wish I could share some fancy lie of why I really signed my life away to naval service, but in all honesty I did it because it was the fastest way out and away from my family. As luck would have it, they were all too happy to send me off and at the late age of nineteen I joined one of the many Naval academies dotting our grand Imperium, staying there for a short six years as they tried in vain to teach me all they could about commanding a vessel. I am proud to say some of it stuck, but I was far from a perfect cadet. I had a feeling that the only thing keeping me there were the family donations to the academy. In the end they gave up and handed me my rank pins, uniforms and my first of many short commissions aboard a space station, just to get rid of me.
It took me some time to perfect the art of forging transfer documents but at after two years of hopping around stations I finally nailed the commission of my dreams. No disrespect to my current commission and peers, but nothing beats working "security" on board of a luxury system ship for the rich and important. Did I mention that it also had a casino and a massive selection of the finest drinks found in the system?
It's funny that none of my siblings chose a career with the Imperial Navy. Guard service certainly didn't work out for us, so why not turn to the stars instead? I wish I could share some fancy lie of why I really signed my life away to naval service, but in all honesty I did it because it was the fastest way out and away from my family. As luck would have it, they were all too happy to send me off and at the late age of nineteen I joined one of the many Naval academies dotting our grand Imperium, staying there for a short six years as they tried in vain to teach me all they could about commanding a vessel. I am proud to say some of it stuck, but I was far from a perfect cadet. I had a feeling that the only thing keeping me there were the family donations to the academy. In the end they gave up and handed me my rank pins, uniforms and my first of many short commissions aboard a space station, just to get rid of me.
It took me some time to perfect the art of forging transfer documents but at after two years of hopping around stations I finally nailed the commission of my dreams. No disrespect to my current commission and peers, but nothing beats working "security" on board of a luxury system ship for the rich and important. Did I mention that it also had a casino and a massive selection of the finest drinks found in the system?
- G.
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