Rayon Meed

This is one of the characters from my Star Wars Fanfiction Series: Star Wars: The Shadow Wars.

Note: The information below is from my own universe which is a blend of old and new canon and it not to be considered canon in any other universe but mine.

This image was created and acquired through Sci-Fi Warrior found at the website listed at the bottom of the image.

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Name: Rayon Meed
Rank: Sergeant (at time of discharge)
Born: 9 ABY (Age: 19)
Homeworld: Onderon
Occupation: Commando (Formerly, Medically Discharged), Farmer
Affiliations: New Republic Military-Boma Company (Formerly, founding member), The New Jedi Order (Loosely, Pre-approved Temple Guardsman Candidate, Jedi Initiate Washout), The Beast Riders of Onderon (Member by birth and upbringing)

"Never thought I'd ever fight in a war but I joined the military anyway. Go figure. But it looks like living in the wilds of my homeworld with my family prepared me better than I thought. They even made me a Commando! Guess I was more prepared for this than I thought." - Rayon Mead on joining the New Republic Military.

Rayon Meed was born on Onderon during the early days of the New Republic. Growing up in the wilds of Onderon on his family farm, Rayon was the youngest of three siblings (One elder sister and an older brother) and was considered the "runt of the litter" although this was only a teasing term that Rayon shrugged off. Rayon comes from a long line of Beast Riders, an ancient group of people living on Onderon known for their communing with the beasts of the planet and taming them. Rayon was able to tame a few beasts growing up and even managed to tame a juvenile Boma beast. As he grew older, his family's financial situation precluded him from having the credits to attend the local trade schools and opted, instead, to join the Republic Military to pay for his education. His Beast Rider training from his family life had given him much needed survival skills and he found himself recommended for Commando training, which he accepted.

Rayon completed Commando training and was assigned to serve on the Liberty, an Imperial II Star Destroyer as part of its onboard contingent of Commandos. He received this assignment and just finished training just weeks before the outbreak of the Shadow Wars. Rayon had, for reasons which eluded even him, hadn't expected a war to breakout but quickly accepted reality and vowed to do his part. He almost instantly found himself under the command of Jedi General Kento Marek, the son of Rebellion Founder and Leader Galen "Starkiller" Marek. Rayon's first mission with the General on the field was to the moon of Dxun, the moon of his homeworld Onderon. There, Rayon's experience with the native beasts of Dxun proved invaluable to the General and to the rest of the squad. He also proved himself a marksman as he was able to score a long distance shot with his blaster rifle on a fleeing Dark Jedi that had been defeated and disarmed by Kento within the ancient tomb of Freedon Nadd. Rayon was given the synthcrystal of the defeated Sith's lightsaber as a trophy for the kill, something which earned him the pseudo-ire of Kento's advisor, the Bounty Huntress Ailyn Vel. Rayon inadvertently gave the newly named "Company" of troops their name: Boma Company, named after one of the native beasts of Dxun.

After Dxun, Rayon served with General Marek and the rest of Boma Company in several battles including Felucia and Rhen Var. Immediately after Dxun though, Kento sensed that Rayon might be Force Sensitive and arranged for Rayon to be tested. However he failed to pass some of the Force Sensitivity tests and was deemed a highly difficult trainee. Rayon accepted this as he'd grown comfortable as a Commando and rifleman. However he was informed that he was, instead, pre-approved for a post with the Jedi Temple Guard if he ever chose to join them, something which he appreciated and decided to hold onto for a possible later date. Rayon continued to serve Boma Company even as it was deployed to Kathos Minor, an abandoned mining planet that had been transformed into a Republic Staging Area not far from Ossus while Kento was away on a top secret assignment from the Jedi Order.

While on Kathos, Rayon and Boma Company came under fire by the Sith during Operation Blindside, a massive Sith Offensive that resulted in devastating losses to the Republic. During the attack on Kathos, Boma Company was pinned down in the wreckage of a hovertrain but were rescued by Kento as he arrived with his freighter, the Mynock to evacuate the troops. Upon arriving, Kento gave Rayon a special assignment: to protect Dr. Jerine Roa, Kento's cousin, with his life. Rayon accepted the assignment without hesitation but during the fighting, Rayon was seriously injured by an attacking Dark Trooper, losing his left leg below the knee as a result. Fortunately Jerine was able to stabilize him long enough for them to get him aboard the Mynock and to the Jedi Medical Frigate Redemption where his wounds were properly treated. However, being a Beast Rider, Rayon refused to have a cybernetic replacement installed (Beast Riders believing in keeping the body pure of machinery) and as a result was to be formally discharged from the military. He explained his reasons to Kento who accepted if not applauded Rayon's strong principles and personally guaranteed his support in helping the former Commando find new employment.

However not long after this, the Redemption was attacked and Dr. Roa was abducted by Darth Maul and a team of Mercenaries and Bounty Hunters in league with Tyber Zann and the Zann Consortium. Remembering his prior orders to protect Dr. Roa with his life (and remembering that his discharge papers hadn't come in yet), volunteered to assist on the rescue mission to retrieve Dr. Roa. Kento, impressed by the young commando's dedication, assigned Rayon to man the Mynock's dorsal turret. Rayon was able to take down several Consortium fighters during the fight and used the dorsal turret to provide additional covering fire for the boarding party as they stormed aboard Zann's flagship, the Circle of Influence.

After the battle, Rayon rode along to Coruscant where his discharge papers were finally served to him and he was formally drummed out of the Republic Military. With his service to the Republic at an end, Rayon was personally seen off by three of his fellow Commandos: Major Tresk the Bothan Second-in-Command of Boma Company, and the Twi'lek twins Sugi'Ra and Sumi'Ra. Kento Marek personally saw him off near the transport to Onderon, gifting him with a copy of the Jedi Path, a handbook intended for Jedi Initiates and handed down from Master to Padawan but in this case given to Rayon as a going away gift. Rayon has since returned to Onderon but his current status is unknown.

Rayon is generally fearless, having grownup in the wilderness of Onderon amongst wild and savage beasts. Having grown up as a Beast Rider, Rayon takes some of the Beast Rider philosophies seriously to the point he was willing to reject a cybernetic leg to replace his lost one. He has always held a belief in the Force as he has sometimes been able to sense things before they happen which has in turn helped him in survival and even with his marksmanship skills. He takes defeat and rejection rather well, accepting his refusal by the Jedi Order for his low level of Force Sensitivity. Rayon is a confirmed bachelor but has had difficulty approaching women. He made a few clumsy advances with Sugi and Sumi who politely and playfully turned him down which he respected, the three remaining friends regardless. Since being discharged, Rayon is believed to have returned to his family farm on Onderon but this has not been confirmed.