Jonathon Barkesh
| Jonathon Barkesh | |
 | |
| Biographical Information | |
| Race | Kuati |
| Homeworld | Kuat |
| Mother | Alba Barkesh |
| Father | Clement Barkesh |
| Spouse | Unmarried |
| Siblings | Unknown/Possibly None |
| Children | None |
| Born | Year -13, Day 69 (Age 28) |
| Died | Living |
| Physical Description | |
| Gender | Male |
| Height | 5'9" |
| Coloring | Fair |
| Hair Color | Auburn |
| Eye Color | Hazel |
| Political Information | |
| Affiliation | The Gucci Bros. |
| Prior Affiliation | Kaos Galactica Federation, SubPro Corporation |
Contents
Description
A male Kuati that stands five feet, nine inches tall, Jonathon Barkesh sports a very average build for a human, and lacks much muscle. Despite only being at the age of twenty-seven, Barkesh still appears several years younger, possibly due to his preference to non-alcoholic beverages. Despite his lack of muscle mass, he can exhibit feats of strength, brought about by his past as a farmer on Kuat. He is usually to be found behaving more like a child than adult, but this also assists in his avoidance of fights. In addition to his childhood behavior, Barkesh exhibits an extreme case of clumsiness, and can be seen making messes or breaking things.
Barkesh is most commonly spotted wearing a beaten up, brown, faded, hole-filled trench coat looking flight jacket, of which he has had since he left Kuat, as well as a grey, dented, old flight helmet, also from Kuat. He can be found in the Blue Moon Cantina or in the cockpit of an Action VI cruiser, faithful Eye-Snatcher Polly at his side.
Life on Kuat
On Day 69 of Year -13, Alba Barkesh, wife of Clement Barkesh, gave birth to a son, named Jonathon. The Barkesh family was of the lower class, working outside the city of Arelias as farmers, growing corn. While the family had very little, indeed, growing crops did not net nearly as many credits as those who worked in the Kuat Drive Yards, Alba and Clement cared much for their son. As a result, there are no records that indicate that Barkesh was in any conflict with the law, and the Barkesh family was generally left alone when it came to inspection by the local Imperial government.
Barkesh may have been a youth of good moral standing and a "proper" Kuati citizen, but this did not prevent him from getting into mischief, albeit unintentional. This mainly resulted from a trait that was not present in any other member of the Barkesh family: Extreme clumsiness. Whether it was slipping into glass at the local market or crashing a T-16 Skyhopper into the family's home, Barkesh had seemed to have done it all. Despite his clumsiness, he lived a fairly low key and satisfying life on the family farm on Kuat. But the winds of change would blow across the face of Kuat, and Jonathon would begin to dream of a life far beyond this lowly servitude.
Failing with Flying Colors
An opportunity arose during Barkesh's eighteenth year of life on the annual recruitment drive for the Galactic Empire. It had been five years into the Civil War that tore the galaxy in two, and the Empire, desperately in need of pilots, sought to replenish some of its losses. Eager to journey across the stars, the young Kuati signed up for the trials to be held, applying to pilot one of the Empire's TIE/sa Bombers. The trial began well, with Barkesh managing the flight patterns with relative ease and deploying bombs on the practice targets. That was when it all came crashing down: A wrong button and clumsiness had caused a chain reaction, resulting in the Bomber swerving out of control, eventually crashing into the training facility just outside of the city. None were killed, but extensive damage was caused to the building.
Understandably, Barkesh had failed the examination with flying colors, being rejected entry into the Imperial Navy. Returning home, he resumed his life of agriculture at the family stead. For six years he continued living life as it had been, believing Kuat to be all that was destined for him.
Kaos Galactica, Inc.
After many years of saving up spare credits, Barkesh purchased himself a seat on the local transportation service at the local starport. Purchasing an old trench coat fashioned flight coat and a helmet to match, the Kuati excitedly boarded the craft for an expedient journey to Alderaan. It was there, as he learned via an advertisement, that the members of Kaos Galactica, Inc., a transportation business were hiring individuals to help grow their business. After the short flight to Alderaan and following training at the Kaos Galactica Academy, Barkesh had finally achieved his first desire: To be amongst that stars.
During his Kaos years, Barkesh often received advice and training from Sybok Taldin, his instructor at the Academy as well as one of the highest ranking members of the company. It was he who taught Jonathon how not to crash a ship, how to successfully transport materials, and perhaps most importantly, how to gain a grasp on basic trading concepts, a feat that would serve him handily in the future. The Kuati, aged twenty-four at the time, would aid in the expansion of the business to reach almost governmental heights. All seemed well for the now sprawling business. Dark times, however, followed.
An internal betrayal lead to the shattering of Kaos Galactica Federation. The then CEO of the business, conspiring with the infamous Black Sun, seized many of the members, including his mentor Taldin and executed them, resulting in a full takeover of assets. What members escaped the tyranny of the crime syndicate fled to the far reaches of space, hoping to avoid the same fate. Barkesh, by shear misfortune, was captured by Black Sun but was spared the same fate as his mentor and friend. Instead, he was placed aboard a Trading II station in an Outer Rim system, where he would remain until Year 11, approximately a year and a half aboard the station. Largely free but still trapped, he waited.
Rescue and Return to Work
Barkesh and Magnus flee from Black Sun.
After sending out a distress signal six months into his captivity and nearly a full year after sending that, the Kuati received a response from an individual looking for employees for a new, non-faction transportation business. Barkesh saw this as a perfect opportunity to satisfy two needs: The need to escape and the need to find a new place of employment as Kaos Galactica had been fully destroyed. After prepping himself for the task to come for several days, at last he heard the alarm: An unmarked ship was entering the area. Wasting no time, Barkesh made his way down to the nearest docking port where he entered a YT-2400, the ship of his dreams. He was given the controls as the ship's pilot, Andrava Magnus, took control of the lasers, blasting the scrambled fighters sent to intercept the craft. After several risky, death-defying maneuvers the two made the jump to lightspeed. At last the Kuati was free.
Not one to take a promise lightly, Barkesh went to work with the new upstarting company. It was here that he would meet Cadeus Iram, who would go on to play a prominent role in the life of the Kuati. His most notable job was a three month journey of rounding up the ships of a fairly affluent customer all by himself, as the others had began to realize the futility caused by the questionable leadership. After following the leader to the Krath Dynasty for a week, he parted ways right before his initiation as a Mandalorian, receiving only brief combat and philosophical instruction. Upon completion of the long task, Barkesh had begun to communicate again with Iram, now Chief Financial Officer of SubPro Corporation. To his jubiliation, the Duro presented him with what he considers to this day his most prized possession: The YT-2400 Endeavor, mostly a bonus for completing the task of corralling ship together under his previous employer. After inquiring about a possible opening, Barkesh hurried over to a deep space sector in the Alderaan system.
SubPro Corporation: The Golden Age of Jonathon Barkesh
Barkesh had entered SubPro Corporation at its most vital period: One of structuring and expansion. The CEO of the company, Zarik Roman, along with Cadeus Iram were seeking to select the proper placements for each employee. Having just joined on with the team and with little experience, the Kuati applied for the second lowest ranked job of Pilot Second Class. The response from Roman was one that had caught him fully off guard: He was offered the position of Construction Officer, the third in command of SubPro Corporation, a position that, with encouragement from the two leading Duros, the new crewman accepted. As Construction officer, he oversaw several vital actions of the company and his voice was included in meetings among the top three.
SubPro became more profitable with time and newer contracts, even covering a multi-billion credit building contract with a wealthy individual. Barkesh aided in the boom in hiring that SubPro achieved, reaching upwards of fifteen employees, a fantastic number for a fairly independent business such as this. With the economic prosperity came an important decision: Whether or not to fund a secondary business to cooperate, a medical faction that would produce the bacta products that were just beginning to blossom into a product of high demand. When all was finalized, seven of the fifteen would form SubMed, the new medical faction, which would only serve to increase success.
With the investors pleased and income growing, it appeared that Barkesh had entered a personal golden age, earning his highest paying wage and his most satisfaction up to that time. Long passed were the days of merely moving ships around and of being trapped.
SubPro Corporation: Threnody to Success
It was suddenly apparent that there were different opinions on where the new faction of SubMed should go. An internal attempt to make the offshoot faction a piracy ring was foiled by the loyalty of a member to the SubPro Network. After this failed coup d'etat, the five members were expelled from the business, causing some of the remaining members to question their loyalties. Ultimately, enough employees fled to the point where only six remained, one being Barkesh himself. The resulting underwhelming manpower resulted in the decision to abandon SubMed. While the Kuati attempted to submit his resignation, as he had been placed in charge of the business slightly before the attempted piracy takeover, he felt personally ashamed that it had failed. With no harshness felt, he returned to SubPro proper, beginning again his task of Construction Officer. The business limped on, until the CEO made a daring gamble, and paid the ultimate price.
Deciding to attempt to cut costs, Roman decided that the company would scout three sectors in order to look for a system in an attempt to establish raw material mines. Suddenly, with the loss of consistency, failure to find any systems, and increasing severity of the CEO, all but Barkesh and Iram abandoned SubPro, flying off to join other endeavors. After losing communication with Roman and without any assets, the two were left with the fury of investors and, not wishing to incur the wrath of the affluent, the two parted ways. One headed towards the business of Deadman Lines, while Barkesh headed into an unknown future.
Tion Hegemony and a Pleasant Trip to Derra IV
Deciding he needed to take a small time position, Barkesh joined the Tion Hegemony, a government in the Tion Sectors. Jonathon was content with his work in the Hegemony, being paid well for an entry fee in a faction and working with agreeable coworkers. All was well until the Kuati visited the world of Chad on a mission to deliver materials. The tempest world had nearly claimed his life, washing away his BFF-1 Bulk Heavy Freighter, causing him to barely escape on board a hastily prepared C-3. Figuring it was time to take a break from the hustle and bustle of a faction, he got back in touch once again with Cadeus Iram, who proceeded to take him with him on a hunting journey to Derra IV.
The two hunted several breeds of wild beasts, including the fearsome Aackley and the docile Nerf, taking home several souvenirs of their journey. It was on this hunting trip that the two would form a plan for a business, one free of faction ties and rules. A business where they could do what they want.
The Gucci Bros. and the Present
Upon their return from the Derra hunting trip, the two set out to build their new business. They would begin by utilizing Iram's Action VI transport and selling anything that could be found in it. Subsequent plans were simple: They would purchase inventory directly from distributor's and resell at a midpoint price between the market value and what they paid, ensuring enough profit while simultaneously placing fair prices. They offer an additional transportation fee if clients want their wares delivered directly to them. In order to differentiate, the two decided that they would need a more casual name. Eventually, after some talking, they settled on The Gucci Bros., and opened their doors to the public. Despite the competition and size, Iram and Barkesh have been successful thus far in their endeavors.
