August Volante and Richmond Anthony met at the Imperial Military Academy, where both men stood out—Richmond for his academic excellence and leadership, August for his keen intelligence and strategic mind.

The two bonded over their shared Solomani heritage, but it was their involvement in the Children of Earth—a political movement advocating for reconciliation between the Imperium and the Solomani Confederacy—that truly cemented their friendship. While many of their peers viewed such ideas as naïve or outright dangerous, August found Richmond’s idealism admirable, if a little ambitious. August was more pragmatic in his politics, seeing the Imperium as too entrenched to change quickly, but he respected Richmond’s commitment. Their debates on the future of human unity were frequent, intense, and always conducted over drinks or strategy games.

Even after graduation, August stayed in touch, sometimes warning Richmond when his political ideals could put him at odds with Imperial intelligence or command structures. Then, while he was working in Military Intelligence in their first terms, August went dark, save for the very occasional cryptic message.

Personality & Traits:

.Calculating & Observant – Always assessing people and situations, rarely taken by surprise.
.Loyal but Pragmatic – Forms strong bonds but understands that survival sometimes means sacrifice.
.Dark Sense of Humor – A way of coping with the morally gray world of espionage.
.Disciplined & Cunning – Military training meets intelligence finesse; he can be both a soldier and a spymaster.
.Trusts Few, But Values Those He Does – Friendship is rare in his world, so he holds onto it when it happens.