User:Randolph D

Early Life
Randolph grew up with his mother on Earthen Order missions based on nomad skylands. Whilst he was educated by the Brothers of the Order and played on the sandy plains with the other mission and nomad children; his mother, a Sister of the Order, worked as a nurse in the mission clinic. Although she primarily worked from Goldenrod mission, medical resources were stretched thin - so she often visited uncharted skylands further to the south sometimes, on longer trips bringing the child with her. The seasonal flow of nomadic tribes and unyielding members of the Order in effect became part of the young giraffe's family.

Little is known about his father except that he was a fighter pilot - shot down when Randolph was an infant.

Despite his mother's wishes that he study flight and theology at Alcuin Academy, he insisted that Echo Academy would present better practical training and whilst he was as faithful a lad as any parent could wish for, he could only ever absorb fragments of his theology lessons. Eventually she acquiesced, being convinced by a few of the other missionaries that "the boy need not attend Alcuin Academy to do Magnus' work". And so, when he turned 16, he left to study for his pilot's license.

Education and Training
After completing his pilot's training, Randolph further pursued his interest in engineering by continuing to study at Echo Academy. During this period, he worked his way through various planes trading to help pay for his student fees and developing skills and experience. He then began work as a research affiliate in the academy's engineering faculty where he completed a thesis on Stress Loading in Oleo Struts and its Effect on Plane Condition. This lead to an invitation to visit the Azure Conclave aboard the Azure Horizon where he gave a brief presentation of his findings and established contacts who encouraged him to join as a League Member. It was at this time that he applied for a position as a test pilot on Project Magellan, a prospect he eagerly anticipated. However, due to infiltration and sabotage by the Hidden Fleet which almost ended in the capture of Deyo, the project's director, his dreams of flying that revolutionary aircraft were postponed.

The Azure League
Joining the League didn't happen without some trepidation for Randolph. Whilst he had never technically been a member of nor followed closely the teachings of the Order and joining the League wasn't directly a betrayal of them, many of his friends, mentors and his own mother were very active members and to not be a member of the Order, he felt, would invoke some tacit disappointment. Additionally, he could never quite wrap his head around the libertarian fervour which underpinned Azure philosophy. He agreed with certain aspects and the motivations were all there but often he found himself thinking he was back on Goldenrod listening to one of the Brother's rambling sermons. Nevertheless, the spirit of invention, innovation and empathy he found in some of the other League members spurred him on and in time he submitted proposals to the conclave and received conditional approval to put together a small squadron for emergency rescue and salvage operations. Although the League hasn't decided on an official title yet, most simply refer to it as "Rescue Squadron"

Plane
Randolph is very fond of his current aircraft: The Virgil Tracy'. As part of his work he has heavily engineered, modified and refitted her as the main workhorse for his emergency rescue and salvage squadron. To the chagrin of Randolph, the large aft howitzer had to be removed and medium fore guns downgraded as well as her cargo area being reduced in return for the arsernal of grabs, hooks, cable launchers, rescue harnesses, pods, nets, foams, floats and sundry equipment she can deploy from hatches in the hull. The lack of weaponary is never usually a problem, however, as most rescues are only required after combat or are due to non-violent accidents or natural disasters. If hostiles are present, the squadron can be escorted by a local faction or Armada patrol.