G'day there! Always good ta see a new face. I'm Sam Dunn, substitute teacher at the naval academy. None of our current training staff are available at the moment, but they'll be along shortly - your patience is very much appreciated.

Till someone more experienced shows up and gets ya started, I'll stick around and keep ya from gettin' too bored.

Few things to consider before ya start your training proper: Got any ideas for your character, and if you want to join the Starfighter Corps or Captial Ship Corps?

I don't think anyone here will have a problem with that at all - I personally think it's quite a clever idea. Also good to see that you've got a definite picture of where you want to be. Your training officer will probably be Trykon if you're goin CSC. He got me through basic - he's a top bloke, you'll be fine.

http://www.vastempire.com/wiki/Character_Development
There's a useful link ta read up on before ya get started. First thing that you're going to need to do is post a character biography here - so best ta get started on that while ya wait for one of the training staff to appear. If you've got any questions, feel free to ask me, and if I don't know the answer I'll find out for ya.

Nah worries, I'm more than happy to help. Best of luck with your training, mate.

I think I've just about got it.  I wanted an older character as he was going in for command and had to create a reasonable 'lost' period in his background.  Also, I wanted to give him a personal flaw to work on at overcoming, and figured Spice addiction would be suitable.  Hope that's okay!


Physical Appearance:
Homeworld: Alderaan
Age: 31
Species: Human
Native Language: Basic
Gender: Male
Skin Color: White
Height: 6’1” (185cm)
Weight: 180lbs (82kg)
Hair Color: Black
Facial Hair: None
Eye Color: Dark Blue
Scars: None
Tattoos: None

Physical Description:Zail stands tall and proud, and is trim and slightly muscular under his uniform.  When not in uniform he prefers neat, formal clothes in shades of black and blue, and always carries himself with a stern demeanor.  Among his most defining features are his distinctive Alderaanian accent (quite rare, especially in the Empire) and also that, sometimes, an astute observer can see his right hand twitch and shake in times of stress (a sign of his mild Spice addiction).

Personality:As if making up for his wasted years without purpose, Zail is now a stern and driven man, obsessed with obtaining rank and respect.  This makes him cold and unapproachable, and it is hard for him to make friends.  However, he takes care to deal evenly (if not warmly) with his fellow Imperials, knowing the value of teamwork.  His biggest flaw is his love Twi’lek Ryll spice, which he indulges in privately in times of stress to take the edge off.  He hides this from his fellow Imperials, knowing it could ruin him, and he hates his weakness for succumbing to it.

Character’s Background:Pherik Zail learned much from his father growing up, for Ardus Zail was an officer in the Imperial Navy. Together with a mother and younger brother they lived on Alderaan, something Pherik found extremely dull.  Upon reaching adulthood he took the chance to go to University on Corulag, studying languages and xenobiology.
Then came the news that the Death Star had destroyed his home.  Pherik was devastated, having lost his whole family, save his father who had been away serving the Imperial Fleet at the time.  When the two finally got in contact, Pherik was horrified to hear his father defend the Empire's actions! "The Rebels made the Empire do it," He argued. "They are the real ones to blame!"
Pherik, disgusted, severed all contact with his father and threw himself into his studies.  Alas, university swiftly lost all meaning, especially with all his Imperial classmates viewing him as a Rebel sympathizer due to his Alderaanian heritage.  Within a year he quit, and took to the Outer Rim as a drifter.
For years he roamed from place to place, getting work on transports and freighters.  Zail gained valuable starship experience in these years, but also, as he tried to lose himself and forget about Alderaan, he indulged himself in distractions.  He developed a love of Twi’lek women, and picked up a habit of taking Twi'lek Ryll Spice that was to haunt him forever.
Time rolled by, and Pherik continued to lack purpose and direction.  Meanwhile he wasted his money on Spice, and slowly got into debt to a dealer on Phaeda where he was living at the time.  The dealer, well connected with the criminal underworld, grew more impatient, and soon Pherik began to fear for his life.  And then it happened.
Of all people to save him, it was the Empire he so despised.  The local Imperial garrison had a crack-down and executed a number of criminals, including those to whom Pherik owed money.  He was safe, and he owed it to the Empire.
Confused, feeling a decade of hate suddenly lift, he began to wonder.  He looked at the state of the galaxy, at the chaos that had come from the Emperor's death and the ten-way civil war that had gripped the galaxy.  The Rebels (New Republic) had done this, and the Empire had tried to stop them.
Tentatively, Pherik sought out his father, now a well-established officer in the Imperial splinter group called the Vast Empire.  Father and son spoke at great length about the rights and wrongs of the Empire, about the good and bad it was capable of.  Slowly, Pherik began to see what his father believed, that his lost home and family were not murdered by an uncaring Empire, but were sad casualties, martyrs even, in a tragic but necessary Imperial war against chaos and anarchy.
Pherik Zail suddenly knew that, in order to make his family's death mean something, he had to join the Empire in stamping out this Rebel madness!  He decided to finally follow his father into the ranks of the Vast Empire.

ID Line: TRN/CRW Pherik “Serpent” Zail / PLF Cappadocious / TF:A / 3Flt/FC/VEN/VE

Thanks for the vote of confidence, hope I can keep up a good standard!  Okay, I've got the wiki page sorted.  For my own info and help I've left in a few examples and explanations.  If ye want rid of them just say.

I'm a little nebulous on the whole Ancillary Skills things.  I found a list in the wiki of skills like gambling and speaking other languages.  Is that what those are?

Anyway, here's the link:
http://www.vastempire.com/wiki/Pherik_Zail

I can help ya with that one (as the resident skill mogul of the VEN).

http://www.vastempire.com/wiki/Naval_Certifications

Naval Ancillary skills are specialized skills in which members of the Vast Empire Navy can qualify in order to broaden the scope of their abilities and better contribute to the war effort. Plus, they make your character tougher >:3

From the moment that your training finishes, you can start to qualify for skills and certifications straight away. As the wiki says, you can only work on one certification at a time - basically, it's your specialization within the Vast Empire Navy.

Skills, however, have no limit. As long as the post you make for the skill meets the requirements, then you can do as many as you like.

HOWEVER.

There is an unwritten rule that the main Navy, Task force and Squadron stories are top priority - since you're working with others, and towards the war effort as a whole, it's the first thing you should concentrate on. The real fighting is in these threads, the cert and skills are extra training so you can fight better.

So long as you keep up with the main story at hand, though, the sky's the limit with skills. I'm about to finish my post for the Infiltration skill, myself.

Hope that cleared up some stuff for ya.
-PO2 Sam Dunn.

EDIT: Derp, Trykon beat me to it.

Oh wow was that a tought training mission!  Okay, here's the link.  Hope you enjoy it (and sorry again for it being so long!)

http://comnet.imperialnetwork.com/topic/15099/page/0/

Serpent’s Report: 07/18/2011

Activity:
I posted my introduction in the Naval Academy, and also posted my training mission.
I have also completed my wiki page.

Upcoming plans:
I plan on posting in the coming week as part of my ship.  In addition, I’d like to try the Aviator’s Exam.

Questions/Suggestions:
None

Crewman Serpent
Trainee
TRN/CRW Pherik “Serpent” Zail / PLF Cappadocious / TF:A / 3Flt/FC/VEN/VE

Congratulations, Serpent: you have been double-promoted to the rank of Senior Crewman, and have been awarded the Star of the Academy medal, in recognition of your exemplary performance in Command School.  You have also been placed as the Junior Bridge Officer on the Halcyon Warrior, the ImpStar Deuce which serves as the flagship of the Second Fleet, under the command of Drac, the Chief of Naval Warfare.  It was a pleasure meeting and training you; now go report in to Drac, and start contributing to the stories involving your ship (including the Task Force Aurek story, found here).  Again, congratulations, and keep up the great work!

-Trick

Congrats on getting through - and the awards!
My fighter squadron's posted on the Halcyon Warrior, so hopefully I'll be seeing you around!