Akan Suari Sakir

Akan, full name Akan Korvis Lirum Suari Sakir, is a respected infantry officer on Izina, an experimental neutral colony.

Although born into a respected family, Akan has always known that Izina's isolation would prevent him from ever living up to the legacy of his distant relatives. Rather than fall into a depression over this fact, Akan's laid back personality allows him to appreciate the circle of friends that he could have only made on a neutral colony.

Personality
Others may despair over the lack of opportunity on Izina, but Akan has never felt slighted. Urum Sakir's emphasis on brotherhood conditioned Akan to believe in the purest form of their philosophy -- that friendship is the only thing that really matters. His military career on Izina will never be impressive. He may never get to see the sprawling cities on more civilized colonies. None of that matters to him.

All Akan truly cares about is the group of friends that he's made. If he had been born into a conventional life, then he would have never have gotten to meet any of them -- the cultural segregation prevalent in the rest of the galaxy would have ensured that his diverse companions would have never crossed paths. For this reason, he is perfectly comfortable on a planet that most despise.

He is a man of simple tastes -- good food, good company, and relaxation. He is quick to laugh and difficult to offend. While others might become anxious over major changes, Akan prefers to live the moment and adjust as necessary. No fuss, no dramatics.

Although an inherently friendly man, he possesses considerable leadership and command qualities. He can make decisions -- even uncomfortable ones -- without hesitation. Courageous enough to throw himself into combat, and obedient enough to follow trusted superiors to the end of the universe, he is not a man that should be crossed.

Early Life
Had he been born anywhere else in the galaxy, Akan would have led a privileged life within the ranks of Urum Sakir. His father, Lirum, was a well-respected member of a famous military family. His mother was a logistics officer with an exceptional service record. Trouble struck the family early on. Akan's parents were unable to maintain a stable relationship, and the couple split up while he was still a young child.

Akan's mother transferred to a Sakir outpost on one of Izina's other continents, and, with the exception of a few brief visits, the two ceased to communicate. The separation took a toll on him, though it primarily manifested in the form of playground violence. Lirum had difficulty correcting such poor behavior, not used to being a single parent, and there was considerable tension in the household for a number of years.

To escape Lirum's stern discipline, Akan often visited Veles Engur Iduz and his family. Due to his close friendship with Veles's daughters, Nanshe and Nisaba, he became something of an honorary brother to the girls. Akan would frequently show up at mealtime and was invited to join various family outings. He respected Veles as something of a surrogate father, admiring his good humor and easygoing ways.

As Akan transitioned into adolescence, Veles urged him to embrace his newfound maturity and reconcile with Lirum. He explained that Lirum, though well-intentioned, had always had a tough time expressing his emotions. Although hesitant to have a heart-to-heart with his father, he recognized how distressed Lirum was about their strained relationship. Akan took the first steps toward reconciliation.

Education
In spite of the often turbulent relationship with his father, Akan always sought to follow in his footsteps and become an active combat officer. He would have preferred a career on a warship, a side-effect of watching several dramatic vid series as a child, but that option was not available to him on Izina. His next best option was to join the local infantry. As a fit young man, he more than met the physical requirements for ground warfare.

Akan enrolled in Izina's only military academy at the earliest opportunity. He was an exceptional student - always staying near the top of the rankings for both academics and athletics. His lighthearted nature made him popular with the other students, and he mentored numerous younger students during his time as an upperclassman.

He earned awards for his leadership abilities, and he graduated near the top of his cohort, just below Nanshe Engur Iduz.

Early Infantry Career
Given his choice of assignments, Akan joined the Sakir mechanized infantry on Izina. With few local threats and no means of leaving the system, Akan's duties were limited to routine patrols and law enforcement. Even though his potential was left underutilized, he enjoyed his low-key career on Izina because of his many friendships with colleagues and fellow citizens.

When the peace treaty protecting Izina was violated, Akan was in a different region when local enforcers were caught in a deadly skirmish with criminal operatives. He was immediately ordered to return to the capital, at which point he remained on-call to respond to future threats.