Nash Windrider was a happy child. His loving, hard working parents raised him to be a friend to all beings and to have a love for his home planet, Alderaan. When he attended the Imperial Academy on Coruscant, he became a trusted friend of Thane Kyrell, and by extension Ciena and her roommates Kendy and June. His witty sense of humor, stark honesty, and cultured manner – especially his clipped, formal, core world dialect – made him incredibly interesting to people from outer rim planets like Jelucan. His stories about Alderaan fascinated Thane, and Nash made a promise to take Thane to his home and share the abundant natural wonders and culture with him.
Nash graduated as an officer in the Imperial Navy and maintained close ties with with his Academy friends. He was even assigned on the same ship as Ciena. The future was bright and full of promise for Nash.
And then, one day shortly after their service began, Nash and Ciena's ship was docked at the highly secretive space station where Thane's squadron was based – the Death Star. They were told with the millions of crew on the space station and ships on location that a great event was about to occur.
From the Bridge of their ship, Nash and Ciena watched as a beam of energy burst from the Death Star and tore through the planet of Alderaan. Everything Nash loved – his family, his home, his planet – exploded in the blink of an eye. Had Ciena not been there to silently support him with a hand to his arm, Nash may have reacted. Even at that early date, there was an inherent understanding that there was no room for emotion or grief. This would be seen as an act of sedition and disloyalty to the Emperor.
But this did not prevent Nash from feeling every bit of the pain, grief, and rage. It also did not stop Nash from taking action after Ciena saw him onto a lift so he could go to his quarters to hide his reaction from others.
And this is when, for the second time in a single day, Nash would experience a life altering event. The first stripped Nash of his past – the people and places he had cherished and loved his entire life. The second event would transform Nash Windrider – the person – and all that would come in his future.
It began when Nash left his quarters carrying a hidden hold out blaster. Using his credentials, he made his way onto the Death Star and calmly, coolly surveyed the main bridge. At the far end of the main walkway, he saw Grand Moff Tarkin staring out the expansive transparisteel viewport. He appeared to be surveying the salvage and exploratory expeditions into the remnants of Alderaan in the distance.
Nash strode with purpose – calm and appearing in control – as any officer should. No person on the bridge would have reason to suspect anything was amiss. They certainly would never dare believe Tarkin was in jeopardy. Nash was correct in this assumption, as he was nearly half way to Tarkin and dozens of crew barely glanced his way. But it wasn't the crew he passed he needed to consider.
Behind Nash, Darth Vader entered the Bridge. The Sith Lord immediately sensed the rage and intentions of a being in his presence. Just as quickly he identified it as coming from the tall, thin male in officer's attire approaching Grand Moff Tarkin from behind.
Vader reaches out with the Force to stop Nash from moving, but Nash continued walking, albeit slowly and with great effort as if he were knee deep in mud. Nash was confused and stared down at his legs as he continued to slowly make his way forward.
Tarkin remained unaware of his pursuer, which allowed Vader time to impose a force choke on the would-be assassin.
Much to Vader's surprise, Nash began to swipe at his neck but he continued to breathe. Nash turned around in his confusion, and that's when he saw Darth Vader standing only feet away. Panic arose as Vader took two long strides to tower over him.
Suddenly, the odd sensations ceased. Confusion mixed with terror replaced the suffocating grief that had driven Nash to be on the Bridge in that moment. Shiny black orbs consumed him as Vader looked down on Nash. The spine chilling sounds of Vader's respirator became what Nash was certain would be the soundtrack to his death.
But the hiss and red glow followed by impalement never came. Nash flinched backward as Vader placed a hard, gloved hand on his shoulder. "Come with me, young Windrider. We have much to discuss.'"
Much like his beloved home planet, with this invitation, Nash Windrider – the son, the friend, the young man with hopes and dreams – became nothing more than a memory.
oOo
With Vader's discovery of Nash Windrider's gifts, so began a brutal and secretive journey that would suppress or destroy what remained of the idealistic boy from Alderaan. Vader warned Nash he would be displeased if Nash told anyone about their work together. Nash understood there was a purpose to Vader's interest in his abilities, though Vader would not share this information and asking seemed unwise. For a while, Nash found Vader's teachings helped him release the suffocating grief and pain over the murder of his family and friends. Thus, he was content not to question the guidance he was given.
But he was changing.
With his friends, the first sign that something was off with Nash was his complacent attitude toward Alderaan and its destruction. Then, when Nash believed Thane was dead, he made awkward and uninvited advancements toward Ciena. Only when Ciena gave him a firm rejection did Nash consider Ciena's grief over Thane and ask her to forgive him.
Things worsened the day Nash discovered that Thane was actually alive and fighting for the Rebels. His response during the air battle was a ferocious, crazed effort to destroy Thane's X-Wing.
Even still, had there been a small element of the old Nash Windrider remaining, it disappeared when Rebels infiltrated his Star Destroyer during the Battle of Jakku. Ciena was the Captain of the vessel, and Nash believed, as did the entire crew, that Ciena locked herself on the Bridge and went down with the ship. In Nash's mind, the Rebel's killed Ciena – which meant Thane killed Ciena.
oOo
Several months had passed since the Battle of Jakku. After the years of tragedy and darkness, Nash had been completely broken down and rebuilt by the Empire. He was now the perfect Imperial soldier. To anyone who knew him, nothing existed outside of being a servant to the Empire. Nash was highly respected by the soldiers he commanded and his superiors. He was demanding and could be intimidating, but his reputation as a leader and his support of his men made it likely he would soon be promoted and have command of a formidable war ship himself.
Only, Nash knew that deep within he desired one thing more than any other. He'd give anything – sacrifice anything other than the lives of his men – to avenge Ciena by killing Thane.
Nash's first step toward his goal came when he located Lieutenant Dalven Kyrell. Having Thane's brother close by might lead to intel on Thane.
Unknown Regions
Docking Bay of the Imperial Star Destroyer Garrote
Lieutenant Kyrell approached Nash with a datapad as Nash was observing TIEs returning from a rigorous training exercise. Nash knew it was Dalven without turning to look. No one - literally no one - moved slower or with less purpose than Dalven Kyrell.
"You have something for me, Lieutenant?" Nash spat in a clearly unimpressed tone.
"Uh, yes sir. I do sir." Dalven stepped around and held out a datapad for Nash. Nash took the datapad and placed his hand on the screen. After a quick scan the screen turned red with a black bar across the middle. Nash felt a jolt of anticipation. This was big.
"I'll be in my office, Lieutenant."
"Yes sir!" Dalven gave a salute and turned to leave. Nash thought it was interesting how Dalven always walked faster when he was leaving. Nash snorted and went straight to his office.
Nash followed the procedure for accessing extremely secure information. As he read, he smiled with excitement:
"In two standard days, all squadrons will be air worthy for a joint air-ground assault to free high value Imperial prisoners at the New Republic Detainment Facility on Jakku. All commanders and Squadron Leaders are to report at 1200 hours for mission details and specific duty assignments."
Nash met with his mechanics to share the good news. They needed to get these kriffen, worn down machines air worthy for combat. They didn't complain, knowing their Commander would be out there with them every spare moment he had.
One thought preoccupied Nash more than any other: "If Thane is there, I'll find him and make him pay for every traitorous action that caused Ciena's death!"
