"The Economic Bodyguards"
In Character
Sardhak Star Lane Security was founded by former Bakran Marine Aput Sardhak, a Tarean veteran of the Unsung War and the Annexation of Songnam, to provide shipboard security for freighters and trade ships susceptible to piracy and hijacking. He came to this conclusion after witnessing dozens of trade ships being attacked and it's crew taken into slavery by the Uli during the Unsung War, before national security forces or allied ships could reach them. Once his service was up, him and his squad formed Sardhak Star Lane Security, used by many freight companies to deter or combat pirates without having to spend money on expensive protection fleets. Sardhak operators have frequently held off pirates until national navies arrive, and are even known to counterattack and take pirate ships when it is clear anti-pirate forces are too far away. Operators are trained in deception, shipboard combat, and Fabian tactics in order to accomplish these goals. It is one of the only interstellar transportation-specific security forces in the galaxy, and excels in it's speciality. Since it's founding Sardhak has expanded it's operations to crew survival training and terminal security. Because of the nature of it's operations, many operators fight for their survival and of the crew, since the only possibility they can live is if the offending forces are driven off the ship. This gives Sardhak the unique distinction among private forces of never breaking a contract.
Services
Sardhak operator, a Tarean
Sardhak Star Lane Security (hereafter referred to as "Sardhak") is a very specialized security company. The express purpose is the security of the client's starships, crew, and assets in a galaxy wrought with terror and vagabonds anxious to profit off of stolen goods. In this mission, Sardhak has expanded it's operations from protecting freighters to guarding starport terminals and providing anti-boarding training to starship crews. Below is an outline of the services Sardhak provides.
Ship Security
The most common service enlisted by clients, ship security is the bread and butter of Sardhak. Operators are the security forces of freighters and traders as they travel through the galaxy, guarding and protecting the crew and goods from boarding parties and hijackers. They are only under the command of the owner or if unavailable the captain of the ship, with a Sardhak officer acting as commander of the contingent and liaison to the owner or captain. Though it is not preferable, when required because of the circumstances operators will take part in the day-to-day operation of the ship in order to ensure it's cargo reaches the destination and fulfills the contract. Both cargo freighters and passenger liners are available.
Terminal Security
Space lane robbery may be more romantic, but theft and dangers posed in starports are very real as well. Sardhak seeks to start security at the loading dock rather than takeoff. This is extended to terminals, prime targets for terrorists and robberies of warehouses and stores. When under contract for terminal security, the entire starport terminal the client nation or organization is the responsibility of Sardhak. The security team is tasked with protection, riot control, and passenger/cargo safety. Though this contract is not to protect the entire starport and just the client's terminal, Sardhak is willing to negotiate a wider security area.
Training
Sardhak recognizes that not all security conscious shipping firms can afford the highly trained, specialized security that the company offers. Many independent owner-captains and upstart freighting companies can't raise that kind of capital, and to that Sardhak offers a different service: training. For a one-time price the crew can learn advanced combat and survival skills that while not as secure as having Sardhak operators, can still give the crew a higher chance of survival. Training is supervised by former Bakran marines and other crack space-born military veterans, ensuring that only the best is provided by Sardhak.
Meet the Team
The relationship that Sardhak operators will have with their clients and their constituents is intimate: they are involved in life or death scenarios in a very black and white battle against criminals and vagabonds. Therefore, Sardhak finds it appropriate for prospective clients gets a snapshot of the executive team that runs the management of Sardhak, taking a look at their credentials and seeing the background of the founders of the company.
Aput Sardhak
President, Sardhak Star Lane Security
The namesake of the company, Aput Sardhak was born on the Tarean homeworld of Cherok. During it's unification with Bakra, he became one of the original Tarean marines and rose to a company commander during the Unsung War, fighting in the hundreds of border skirmishes with the Uli Dominion. Later he was transferred to command a battalion during the Annexation of Songnam, where he was distinguished twice in battle. Though he was slated for promotion, he left with a handful of people under his command and founded Sardhak Star Lane Security. After a few jobs guarding ships without incident, a pirate ship chased down and boarded a heavily laden freighter in the outskirts of the Milky Way. Aput and his team promptly incapacitated or killed the boarding party with such efficiency that the pirate captain surrendered before they could plan a counter attack. They used the money of this venture to expand Sardhak to the company it is today. Once he assumed presidency of the company, Aput stopped going along with the ships on contract and now supervises the activities of the company.
Tianic Deyfred
High Risk Manager
With a similar story as Aput, Tianic Deyfred left the military with Aput and became his XO in the early contracts, including the first pirate ship incident. The mind of Tianic is very different from his more aggressive boss: he is very cautious and thorough, meticulous to a fault, and notices every last detail. Aput rightly judged that Tianic would be perfect as the head of Sardhak's High Risk division, where he would carefully plan out the most dangerous and complicated routes and security operations Sardhak would undergo. He has excelled at his job, leading some of his former military commanders wishing they had put him in the intelligence section during his military tenure.
Nanosh Anai
Elevated Conflict Manager
Nanosh Anai is the youngest of the team, a Tarean like the rest but born into the Bakran hegemony. As a Tarean marine she excelled in her specialty—boarding—and quickly became a squad commander, being groomed by her lieutenant into being his replacement. Just as she was about to go to officer school and right before the Third Uli War, Nanosh was recruited by Sardhak into becoming their new Elevated Conflict department. She took her ten year pension and now oversees the contracts dealing in hot areas such as war zones, pirate nests, and unstable regions. Her youth and insight leads Sardhak to frequently recommend changing routes and "thread the needle" through these dangerous areas. Occasionally, she will order operators to reinforce their load outs with very heavy equipment, sometimes turning freighters into gunships, to keep the operators and crew safe in these areas.
Xochil Enlim
Terminal Security Strategist
The only human on the team, Xochil's rebel father fought alongside the Bakrans during the Annexation of Songnam, where he taught his son the values of Bakra and his experience as a prison warden. Though this may seem as an odd background, Xochil used his father's experiences as a prison warden to design "fortress neighborhood" areas on high conflict worlds. His background in architecture is what first piqued Sardhak's interest, and when approached to do help develop outposts to act as Sardhak bases, Xochil replied that they would not be nearly as profitable as terminal security, where you can house operators and be paid for it. He outlined his plans and was instantly hired as Sardhak's newest executive.
Contract Conditions
The fact is that Sardhak is still a private security company; they do not operate under the laws of war because they are not an active fighting force, nor are they subject to the conventional chain of command. These conditions outline the structure and relationship the contract implies, if not explicitly stated in the contract itself. There can be exceptions to these rules, although they are rare and it will take much consideration.
1. Sardhak will only operate under the conditions of the company and the contract. If there is a need for renegotiation, the client may initiate this with Sardhak representatives, not the operators or officers themselves. Renegotiation will be available, but not guaranteed.
2. Sardhak is not liable for any loss of assets, goods, personnel, or reputation of the client.
3. Operators will only follow orders of their own officers, of the client and owner of the property that is being protected or, during transportation, the captain of the starship.
4. Operators will not be required to observe the national customs of the client or it's constituents.
5. Operators on starships will have full access to the services, including housing, food, and recreation, that the starship offers.
Operation Parameters
The difference between Sardhak and PMCs or mercenary units is that they are specifically trained to deal with the protection of civilians and goods from illegal seizure. This includes privateers, pirates, hijackers, and organized crime. These parameters are meant to be an understanding of Sardhak's priorities and the training of it's operators. Unlike the contract conditions, these are non-negotiable.
1. Operators will only fulfill the conditions of their contract, be it training, terminal security, or starship security.
2. Sardhak will only be responsible for protection, and in rare circumstances reclamation, of assets and goods.
3. Sardhak will always prioritize the safety of the crew over assets and goods.
4. Only when the circumstances require will operators attack threatening forces, such as enemy ships, and only in order to guarantee the safety of the crew and ship.
5. Sardhak and it's operators will not be party to any illegal activity, including but not limited to smuggling, slavery transportation, and blockade running.
6. Operators will participate in responding to general distress signals, in accordance to common space law.
Applications
Out of Character
Out of Character
This has been created much in the same manner as my other storefront, ABEC. This company provides transportation security (not mercenaries or even PMCs) for fun and roleplaying purposes, aimed to deepen the experience of NSFT. I would encourage people to mention Sardhak in their RPs, though I would like to be made aware of these happenings. I would like this to be both a storefront, setting, and experience for NSFT. I have had a lot of fun making this and I would love to share this with others. My only "rule" is that to respect each other and this thread. If you only wish to use it as a storefront, fantastic! If you wish to mention it in an RP or factbook, amazing! This is first and foremost something to deepen the experience of NSFT by having a security contractor to mention when you need to pull a name from somewhere for background information, window-dressing, or even as part of the setting.
Ship Security
- Code: Select all
[b]Ship Security Application[/b]
[b]Organization Name:[/b]
[b]Duration of Contract:[/b] (in shipments or years)
[b]Description of Route(s):[/b] (location, duration)
[b]Ship(s) and Cargo:[/b]
[b]Suspected Threats:[/b]
Terminal Security
- Code: Select all
[b]Terminal Security Application[/b]
[b]Organization Name:[/b]
[b]Duration of Contract:[/b] (in years)
[b]Description of Terminal:[/b] (location, which starport, assorted details)
[b]Suspected Threats:[/b]
Training
- Code: Select all
[b]Training Application[/b]
[b]Organization Name:[/b]
[b]Type of Organization:[/b] (corporation, ship owner, nation, etc)
[b]Duration of Contract:[/b] (in shipments or years)
[b]Suspected Threats to Trainees:[/b]