Kora Malga Zalag

Kora, full name Kora Samana Suen Malga Zalag, is a respected graduate of Izina's top military academy.

While other people wallow in depression over Izina's isolation and lack of opportunity, Kora has vowed to turn herself into a titan of efficiency in order to impress foreign officials. She is convinced that her overwhelming ambition will allow her to win passage to a more civilized colony.

Personality
On the surface, Kora is a beautiful young woman with the charm and grace of a high-born socialite. She flatters everyone she meets. She is eager to engage people in conversation. Affectionate smiles and seductive body language win over even the coldest hearts. Kora surrounds herself with a large entourage of devoted followers, can be found at every major social function hosted at Izina's capital city, and is always on top of the lastest planetary gossip.

Those who know Kora intimately are aware that all of these behaviors come with ulterior motives. Kora does not have much genuine care for her entourage. She maintains her vast social network in order to track rumors, get the latest on breaking news, and have a wide variety of contacts available to fulfill her needs. Her charms are meant to disarm potential opponents and secure information. Her well-maintained beauty and exquisite wardrobe are tools which allow her to seduce people who may be useful in the future.

Kora has the mind of an ancient warlord -- always plotting, scheming, and seeking the annihilation of her opposition. She attended Izina's only military academy and graduated at the top of her cohort. Many of her rivals, initially dismissing her as nothing more than a blonde bombshell, found themselves stabbed in the back with surgical precision throughout their time at school. Kora graduated with esteemed honors, and they graduated with dismal scores that barely met the requirements.

Desperate to get off Izina, Kora constantly pushes herself to stand out from the crowd. She feels that if she shows herself to be an exceptional talent, someone in power will send her to a civilized planet to put her skills to proper use. When Izina's transit laws are broken, Kora is not afraid -- she's excited.

After all, a decent war would be the very best thing for her resume.

Early Life
Demonstrating an early desire to control others, Kora became a glorified playground bully. Rather than picking on the shy children, Kora deliberately went out of her way to harass larger and older classmates -- they came with better bragging rights. She traveled around town with a small gang at her side, roughing up anyone who dared to challenge her. When adults came by to interrogate her about her behavior, she laid on the charm and weaseled her way out of punishment.

She became obsessed with pretty clothing and jewelry as a girl. The compliments she received fed her ego and demonstrated that people were more willing to listen to someone who was attractive. Kora attempted to make herself the center of attention at almost every family gathering, putting on shows and trying to tell stories with all of the adults.

Although she was polite and charming in front of adults, Kora had no trouble scrapping with other children on the playground. Her quick wits allowed her to cover up her misbehavior and prevent anyone from showing proof of her violence. Kora found herself in frequent fights with her brother, Jarik, who sought to protect other children from harassment. Their relationship would remain complicated as they entered adulthood.

Adolescence
As she entered physical maturity, Kora abandoned her overt barbarism and embraced the subtle power of her femininity. When pummeling people became socially unacceptable, she placed more emphasis on her looks and social graces. She saved her money and bought high-end clothing that accentuated her natural curves. She attended every important party and began to network with Izina's important people. She mastered the arts of flirtation and flattery. Kora learned to control others with her charm rather than her muscles, and she found that this was infinitely more useful.

Like most young people on Izina, she hit a quarter-life crisis when she realized just how limited her opportunities would be on an isolated colony in the early stages of development. Without the means to leave Izina, she sank into a depression. Kora became promiscuous and developed a drug habit, seeking any happiness she could find.

This slump came to an immediate end when a member of Kora's entourage was married off to a lackluster boyfriend. Fearing that she would end up stuck in a domestic rut, either married to some twit or dealing with an unwanted pregnancy, Kora abandoned her lifestyle and focused on the only career path that had any sort of worth on Izina -- the military.

Kora had always shown promise in the field, taking great interest in her father's job as a military aviator. She was athletic and had a stellar scholastic record. After her elder cousin enrolled in the local military academy, Kora made up her mind. She would go for it. And she would be the best.

Education
It didn't take long for Kora to dominate her classmates. Shortly after enrolling at the academy, she expanded her network of loyal followers and built a powerful clique of gifted students. She used her good looks to disarm rival students, then cut them down from their pedestals during field exams.

Kora was the top student of her cohort, setting numerous records for both athletics and academics. She dove into extracurricular activities and was successfully elected president of her cohort. She was on several athletic teams, winning notoriety for her aggression, and was a prominent member of her cohort's top debate team -- often facing off against her equally passionate brother.

After graduation, she was made the leader of a Zalag mechanized infantry team.

The Breaking of the Treaty
Kora's career was just starting when gun smugglers -- or so it was thought -- violated the transit laws protecting Izina's neutrality. Kora's team was not available to respond to that crisis, but she took keen interest in the unfolding events.

Unlike others, who feared the worst, Kora was excited. The worst case scenario of a treaty violation was war, and that would allow her to prove her true value. If she could become a vital asset to a foreign power, and if she could make outsiders dependent on her input, then they might allow her to start a promising new life on a civilized planet.

Father and Brother
Kora is a woman who is willing to waltz into the moral gray zone in order to fulfill her goals, especially if things become dangerous. This mentality, along with her penchant for indulgence, often places her at odds with her father and brother. Suen and Jarik are passionate defenders of Zalag law and justice. They look down upon Kora's ambiguous moral center and frequently attempt to argue with her. Kora cares for every member of her family and would never wish harm upon any of them, which is a sentiment shared by both men, but their relationship tends to be volatile.

Mother
Kora and her mother share many personality traits. They both love to socialize, they both take great pride in their looks, and they share a naughty sense of humor. Kora looked up to her as a child, and they still have a close relationship. Kora has a tendency to get sucked into her work, however, which means that she sometimes doesn't pay as much attention to Nikki as she should.

Nanshe
Although they fought quite a bit as children, both in possession of domineering personalities, Nanshe and Kora have come to respect each other as adults. They have vastly different tastes -- Nanshe the wild adventurer and Kora the cosmopolitan princess -- but share the same type of mind. While other relatives may shun Kora for her aggressive tactics, Nanshe can be counted on to remain by her side and offer sound advice. As neither woman is keen to discuss emotional issues, their relationship is defined by catty banter.

Veles and Damkina
As with all the younger members of the family, Kora is a frequent guest at Veles and Damkina's house. She and the others will show up unannounced for meals and be welcomed into the home without question. She respects her Aunt Damkina's analytical mind, and she has always admired Veles's quick wits. As a young girl, she had a slight crush on Veles, though she refuses to admit this as an adult.

Lirum and Akan
As a close friend of her father, Kora spent a considerable time around Lirum as she grew up. She treated him as an honorary uncle and was a good friend to his son, Akan. She used to create paintings for Lirum and present them as birthday gifts, showing off her little known artistic side.

As adults, Kora and Akan have frequently worked together on joint military operations. They have a healthy working relationship, although it's strictly a professional one. She thinks that his attempts to be a heroic protector are on the innocent side, but she respects his abilities as a leader.

Physical Appearance
Kora is tall and possesses an hourglass figure. Her soft skin is deceptive -- beneath it lies toned muscle that's been conditioned through frequent exercise and military conditioning. She is naturally pale, but her skin has been tanned a few shades darker due to time spent outdoors. Her hair is blonde and straight, though she curls it into cascading waves if there is opportunity to do so. Unless she is on assignment, she will typically wear bold cosmetics. She has light green eyes.