Dirk Wright

Dirk Wright
2600s
File:Wright.jpg
Callsign	Stingray
Allegiance	Terran Confederation
Rank	General
Battles/wars	Enigma Sector Campaign, Ghorah Khar Campaign, Battle of K'Tithrak Mang, Battle of Heaven's Gate, Battle of Earth

Dirk Wright was a Terran pilot hailing from the Terran Confederation.

History

Dirk Wright grew up in the Terran Confederation during the Terran-Kilrathi War. He eventually enlisted in the Terran Confederation Navy as a pilot, citing his desire for the adrenaline rush that came with combat. At some point in his career, assumed the callsign "Stingray" and established himself as a lethal and determined pilot.

Stingray was marked by his severe hatred for the Kilrathi as a race, and was eager to destroy as many of them as he could. He heard many stories about Colonel Christopher Blair, who was accused of abandoning the TCS Tiger's Claw when that vessel was destroyed in 2656 by the Kilrathi at K'tithrak Mang. Stingray believed these stories to be true and developed a strong disdain for "The Coward of K'tithrak Mang".

By 2665, Stingray was assigned to the TCS Concordia with the rank of Captain. During that year, the Concordia was ambushed by the Kilrathi at Gwynedd, and was only saved by the swift intervention of disgraced Terran ace Christopher Blair of Caernarvon Station. Stingray and Blair immediately found themselves on bad terms with each other, with Stingray consistently reminding Blair of his alleged betrayal. Blair was reassigned to the Concordia when he did not have time to return to Caernarvon Station. From that point on, Stingray and Blair would regularly exchange hateful insults to each other, and Stingray would be reprimanded numerous times for refusing to fly on Blair's wing.

During operations at Niven, Communications Specialist McGuffin was shot dead in the comms center by a Terran traitor who was relaying classified intelligence to the Kilrathi. To cover up his involvement, the traitor planted Stingray's pilot wings in McGuffin's hand for the Terrans to find, making Stingray the prime suspect in the murder. Although he was not sent to the brig, Stingray was closely watched by Terran personnel for the duration of the campaign.

During his service on the Concordia, Stingray also had a rivalry with pilot Ralgha nar Hhallas, also known as "Hobbes", who he hated for being a Kilrathi. The two fought on several occasions, and engaged in a fist fight that sent the two pilots into sick-bay for several cuts and bruises. The two of them were pulled from the roster a number of times for their disruptive altercations.

In Novaya Kiev, Stingray was forced to eject from his starfighter after sustaining too much enemy fire. Blair and Etienne Montclair rushed to his aid and saved Stingray from certain death despite orders to return to the Concordia to ward off a Kilrathi attack. Stingray attempted to thank Blair for the rescue, but Blair shot him down for what he saw as an ingenuous thanks due to Stingray's previous accusations against him.

Stingray fought hard during the Enigma Sector Campaign and had a hand in the defense of the Concordia on numerous occasions. He also aided in the defense of Olympus Station at Ghorah Khar. He would eventually have a change of heart over Blair and Hobbes after seeing their loyalty to the Confederation, and became more civil in the months that followed.

Stingray participated in the final battle to capture K'tithrak Mang, the headquarters for the Kilrathi fleet in the Enigma Sector. During that campaign, it was revealed that Major Zachary Colson was the true traitor of the Tiger's Claw and had set up Blair to take the fall. He also admitted to framing Stingray for McGuffin's murder. Colson was captured after a failed escape attempt and once his treachery was made public, the hostility between Blair and Stingray vanished.

Stingray continued to serve on the Concordia and once again aided in the defense of Ghorah Khar during the Kilrathi's prolonged effort to retake the system. He would continue his service on the flagship through to 2668.

Stingray was a survivor of the Concordia's destruction in 2669 after the Battle of Earth, as he was not present on the vessel during its untimely fall at Vespus.

(To be continued)