Tellek Grundy's page

About Tellek Grundy

Tellek was a member of an elite group of infiltrators (the Unseen) for his home nation of Mercetl, on the world called Kempara. As Kempara was well into it's atomic age, full scale war was now unacceptable. Instead. Tellek participated in international skimishes, 'police actions', and a few secret operations that the public had little to no knowledge of. In short, the career of a soldier in peacetime.

That is, until the Empire showed up, in force. Broadcasting from his flagship, a blue dragon named Drek't'ar announced that the people of Kempara should be proud to be the newest citizens of the Dragon Empire, that he was their new Governor, and that all existing sovreign governments commit themselves as local governments of the Empire. The leaders of Kempara, in rapid succession surrendered. With a warfleet orbiting their world, they felt they had no choice. Power was handed over, and the native militaries were ordered to disband, pending absorbtion into the Imperial Legions.

Of course, the militaries of Kempara didn't like this one bit. Some generals went quietly into retirement, and some would say they made the right choice. However, most of the military leaders decided to stand up to the invaders. It may have been pride, or hubris, or just a need to prove that they weren't just primitives, but they were Soldiers, damnit, and they weren't going down without a fight. And so, quietly, and rapidly, the militaries of Kempara, regardless of nation, mobilized and and made ready. A few weeks later, as the spaceport put up by the Imperial Legion prepared for the first landing of Drek't'ar, the unified troops of Kempara made their move. Tanks, aircraft, and mechanized infantry descended on the spaceport, massing for the assault. Since it is impossible to hide such a large movement of men and materiel, the Empire's responses was straightforward: Orbital bombardment of every military target large enough to be seen from orbit.

The event marked the decimation of troops, and a virtual end of heavy vehicle support. The survivors, mostly isolated clumps of troops that had not yet assembled at the rally point, and specialists, like Tellek, who were deliberately spaced from the main body, went to ground, fighting a guerilla battle. Many quietly went home. Others surrendered. The rest picked at the invaders, fighting a losing battle, but never massing to the point where the Empire's superior technology could be brought to bear.

This went on for months, as supplies, and numbers, ran low. The new Governor, losing patience with the resistence, declared resistence fighters to be criminals, unless they 'redeemed' themselves by assisting in capturing or killing their comrades. Shortly after the announcement, one of the soldiers in Tellek's unit surrendered, providing the location of their sanctuary, and their full names.

Tellek, and a handful of his comrades escaped the attack on their hideout, scattering into the wilderness. For them, at least, it ceased to be a war or resistance, and became a battle for survival. Similar events happened across the resistence, and any organization it might have once had vanished, between loss and mistrust. With the resistence effectively dismantled, and increasing numbers of Legion troops landing, Tellek knew he had to leave. Any place the planetary governor could reach was to become incredibly dangerous for him, and that meant the planet.

Tellek crossed country on foot, finding his way to a large city, where one of the secondary spaceports had been placed, his skills in stealth and scrounging serving him well. Fortunately for him, as well, with interstellar trade comes an interstellar black market. Tellek sold everything he owned, and took whatever funds the authorities hadn't frozen, converting everything to untracable coin, and booked passage offworld in the smuggler's hold of a merchant ship.

Now loose in the Empire at large, Tellek is no longer a fugitive, outside of Drek't'ar's reach. The Empire has no lack of need for those skilled in arms, and so Tellek has thrived. Tellek is wary of the ISPD; while he has never lived under a secret police, he understands the ideas of how they operate, and he can never be sure if they are on a mission from Drek't'ar. For this reason, Tellek prefers to keep his transactions in coin, or in a false name when possible.

Friends: None immediate.

Associates: His platoon mates and commmanding officers would be his closest associates. Most of them are now dead, but a few are likely still alive.

Family:
Amika Hellim Grundy, 50, Mother, Shopkeeper
Haller Grundy, 49, Father, Mechanic
Tetsi Grundy, 17, Sister
Keal Grundy, 25, Brother, Mechanic