Troy Carter

Troy Carter
2660s
File:Catscratch.jpg Troy Carter
Callsign	Catscratch
Allegiance	Terran Confederation, Union of Border Worlds
Years of service	2673-Present

Troy Carter was a Terran pilot who hailed from the Terran Confederation. He has seen service with both the Confederation and the Union of Border Worlds in the decades following the Terran-Kilrathi War.

Early Life

Troy Carter was born in the Union of Border Worlds during the 2660s. His parents were 3rd-generation Border Worlders. He was educated in the Terran Confederation during the wartime era and when he came of age, enlisted in the Space Corps. He attended the Academy and excelled in his class. During his time there, he adopted the callsign "Catscratch". Having been born during the Terran-Kilrathi War, Catscratch often heard of the legendary exploits of Terran Colonel Christopher Blair, and came to worship him as a hero. He also dreamt of fighting the Kilrathi in his desire to defend humanity.

Terran Service

Despite having initially enlisted in the hopes of fighting the Kilrathi, the Terran-Kilrathi War ended before Catscratch graduated from the Academy. Although he regretted not having been able to join the fray sooner, Catscratch ultimately graduated at the top of his class with the rank of 2nd Lieutenant. He then joined the Space Forces and would see service during the political turmoil of the postwar era.

In 2673, the Border Worlds Conflict reached its peak, endangering the unstable relations between the Confederation and the newly-formed Union of Border Worlds. During that year, Catscratch was assigned to the TCS Lexington, where he met his lifetime hero, Colonel Blair. Catscratch was ecstatic to be learning from the Savior of the Confederation, but Blair ensured that Catscratch remain focused on flying.

Catscratch was assigned to Blair's wing and saw several engagements with Border Worlds forces, who were allegedly instigating the conflict through piracy on civilian shipping. During the campaign, Catscratch found himself in an ethical conflict, as he was forced to fire upon his own people. He began to question whether Confed's treatment towards the Border Worlds was justified.

Defection

During Catscratch's service on the Lexington, Captain William Eisen was relieved of command by Captain Hugh Paulsen, who suspected Eisen of treason. Eisen subsequently fled to the Border Worlds when he suspected that an attempt on his life was underway. When Blair was assigned to intercept the Captain, Catscratch joined in the pursuit. However, the Colonel and his wingman Winston "Vagabond" Chang couldn't bring themselves to shoot him down and instead defected with him. Catscratch followed suit and defected as well. After fighting off pilots from the Lexington, Catscratch and his comrades fled the Confederation on the BWS Intrepid.

During his service on the Intrepid, Catscratch continued to serve on Blair's wing loyally, proving effective in the fight against Confederation forces. Unfortunately, he was also taking advice from hotshot veterans like Todd "Maniac" Marshall, a decision he would regret down the road. He also fell in love with the ship's communications officer, Velina Sosa, who returned his romantic feelings.

During the action in the Pasqual System, the Intrepid answered to a Kilrathi distress call, as the Kilrathi were being slaughtered by unidentified Terran assailants. The Kilrathi leader, Melek, then requested that the Terrans escort them back to their homeworld. Although he complied with the mission, Catscratch found it hard to sympathize with the Kilrathi refugees, having dreamt of fighting them all his life and remembering the billions who died at their hands.

Later in the campaign, the Border Worlds Militia engaged Terran mercenary forces in the Circe and Speradon systems. During these fleet actions, Catscratch volunteered to retrieve an enemy satellite orbiting Circe VI, as it held potentially vital data on Confederation activities on the frontier. Unfortunately, Catscratch took advice from Maniac and fired his missiles as decoys to deceive enemy patrols. He misfired and was quickly intercepted. Catscratch was forced to ditch his starfighter and needed to be picked up. Although he survived, both the starfighter and the satellite were lost. Colonel Blair reprimanded Catscratch for accepting advice from a hotshot like Maniac, and Catscratch was put in a bad standing with his Wing Commander.

(To be continued)