Dr. Ruk V’dora (a.k.a. "Rukus")
Ruk V'dora. A former Advanced Recon Commando who set out and earned more than one degree in hyperdimensional physics. He may be a bit shy, with some 'impostor syndrome' that creeps up on him, but make no mistake... when the blaster bolts go flying, he's the rock you can depend on.
There are many in the galaxy that are fond of saying "one clone is like another". At first appearance, that is true, especially with the 257th Clone Detachment that survived a 30 year cryosleep. Those Clone Troopers, genetic offspring of Jango Fett, wear the same face. They take pains to change hair styles, get tattoos, or other alterations, but they still appear approximately the same.
But looks can be deceiving. Each clone, to the surprise of some of their creators, found their own individual personalities. Then they sought to make their own way in the galaxy.
Ruk, or the former Advanced Recon Commando TC-622, cut a path far different from any of his clone brothers. In doing so, Ruk showed them it was possible to be a ‘real person’ and not a ‘disposable creation’.
A Clone By Any Other Name
Like any of the Kaminoan Clone Troopers, Ruk was designated a number when he was ‘decanted’ with his pod from their birthing chambers. In short order, as with all clones, numbers would not do. They wanted names. As real as any could be had. TC-622 was no different.
Names for Clone Troopers were taken from any source: shorthand for their TC id’s (such as ''Acer''), or a nickname from a habit or notable event during their early days. With 622, it was the latter.
His nickname comes from an event that happened during the brutal training on Kamino. Ruk and his pod were on a simulated training mission against Confederacy battle droids. The mission was a test. A performance evaluation of their skills and ingenuity against near overwhelming odds.
The pod of clones moved in, with Ruk assigned to set up a distraction. Using a nearby shuttle, that was technically not a part of the simulation, he devised a way to cause a false hyperdrive meltdown. But his ‘simulated meltdown’ was too accurate and caused a panic, and a few accidents, among the Kaminoan observers. The test was stopped, yet considered a success for the pod of clones and their abilities.
Look, in my defense, the shuttle was unsupervised and it was a good idea at the time…
As a result, TC-622 earned his ‘name’. It was ‘Rukus’ for the amount of memorable disruption he caused. He immediately shortened it to Ruk, since he felt the training had been a failure and the nickname was a reminder. Later, after losing half his pod-brothers to battle and wounds, the name ‘Rukus’ was also a reminder of who he had lost. It became even more reason to be ‘Ruk’ not 'Rukus'.
His ‘family name’ came much later.
The Galactic Civil War had come to its inevitable end. The Emperor, a Dark Lord of the Sith, was dead and the Alliance of Worlds formed to stand against the cracked but surviving Galactic Star Empire.
Meanwhile, the surviving clones of the 257th who had stood against the Galactic Empire found themselves in a situation they hadn’t ever dreamed of. The war had ended, and they were alive.
All clones, Ruk included, knew the stories. During the Clone Wars, wounded or maimed clones were treated and often given cyberware. But far too many were silently ‘recycled’ for the ‘good of the cause’.
Now, with the wars over, the clones were given a chance. The Tapani Emperor, with deepest respect, formed a new Vor House of the Landsraad. House Vorysadora; a Vor house for the surviving clones for those who wished to declare allegiance to it. No matter what, all clones were allowed to choose their own legal ‘family’ name. To finally have 'real' names, not just a number.
Ruk created his family name out of respect for the Jedi that had rescued the 257th from cryosleep. Vanya Ysadora. So Ruk legally became ‘Ruk V’dora’ with Tapani Imperial blessing.
It’s sort of nice to pick your own name… from a certain point of view.
Physical Description
General Physical Condition
Ruk is a human clone of the Mando'a Jango Fett. As with any Kaminoan cloning product, he is in excellent fitness and health for a human.
During his time in the Clone Wars, Ruk had the same special alterations as all other Republic clones. The organic control chip and accelerated aging. But Ruk was put under cryosleep before Order 66 was issued, which damaged the control chip. Once thawed, Alliance medics removed the chip.
The accelerated aging was a different matter. This was a genetic flaw, introduced by the Kaminoan scientists, that required a special serum and therapy to reverse the effect. Ruk, like all the clones, has gone through this process to remove the ‘Kaminoan kill switch’ on their lifespan.
General Appearance
His usual ‘work attire’ in the field is a modernized version of the ARC "Crusader" Armor. As has become the tradition for that type of armor, Ruk’s Crusader armor has been customized to suit his personal needs.
The style would be called ‘retro’ as Ruk retooled the suit to resemble his Clone Wars’ era ARC Armor, complete with deep blue trim and kama. But that is only the outer appearance. Ruk’s personal customizations have been more to function than style.
Ruk’s armor contains additional sensors, whipcord thrower, grapple lines, and additional sensors for material and environmental analysis. The latter sends full area readings to the heads-up display in his helmet.
For his relaxing, ‘off work’, attire, Ruk dresses in a plain and simple manner. At least for him, he thinks it's plain and simple. The black vest, military-like cargo pants and tan linen shirt have caused people to accuse him of dressing up like a holo-vid adventuring archaeologist or a smuggler.
Specialized Equipment
Ruk’s carries only a few specialized items. First, and most important, would be his armor vambraces. Specifically, the left one as it contains his custom coded sensor package and holo-display.
The vambrace, when worn with his armor, will transmit data and other information to the heads-up display in his helmet. But when worn separately, it can generate a small holoscreen over the vambrace. This lets him take local sensor readings of materials, environment, or other phenomenon and get a quick analysis.
Second among his specialized items is the twin set of DC-17 blaster pistols. Vintage, he’s kept them in good repair as they survived the Clone Wars, cryofreeze, and more. It isn’t uncommon for Ruk to wear them even when ‘off work’.
Last is a recent addition from an assignment that took him to the Zetauri System in the Shindra's Veil nebula. A red bladed lightsaber.
The weapon had belonged to a doctor who was secretly a Sith devotee with an agenda. This ‘agenda’ had involved an attempt to eliminate Ruk, his partner Pala, and cause general havoc to the entire team. This plan failed, leaving the Sith devotee and his partner arrested, and Ruk with the Sith’s lightsaber.
Ruk hasn’t turned the lightsaber over to anyone, mostly because he isn’t sure who should get the weapon. He’s considered more than once handing it to a Jedi, but they are difficult to find at any given moment. Currently, he keeps it in a specially designed holster on his belt for safekeeping.
I tease him of keeping it as a trophy, just to spite that murderous piece of bantha poodo, Eman, who tried to kill us. Really, he knows it's not a toy. I’d feel better if he would just wreck the thing or hand it over to a Jedi, though.
Mental characteristics
Education
Ruk has always had an interest in the sciences. Specifically, hyperdimensional physics. During the Clone Wars, his interest was focused on hyperdrives, their inner workings, how to repair one, and naturally how to disable one. All things that related directly to the war effort.
Once thawed from cryofreeze 30 years after the Clone Wars, Ruk’s fascination remained the same. But he found that the new command structure, the Rebel Alliance, was more loose about his studies. Quietly, he pursued long distance course learning in physics, astrophysics and more in his off time.
Then, as the Galactic Civil War came to a close, he pursued more formal degrees. This was both out of an interest in the subjects and his own way to find his place in the galaxy. To feel less like a ‘clone’ and more like a ‘real person’ or a ‘natborn’ a Clone Trooper would say.
One degree led to another, which then became a doctoral degree in hyperspace physics. This garnered the attention of certain Vor nobility, which then propelled him to his current employment as an agent of a semi-covert “think tank” organization called “Null Force”.
Mental Trauma
Ruk is a quiet person, not driven to long conversations. But under that reserved demeanor, he carries haunted memories of his past. In particular are the memories of battle and losing half his original clone pod in battle.
To this day, Ruk remembers his lost clone brothers and feels he wasn’t there for them. This shapes, if not fuels, some of his desire to protect and help people.
Coupled with this is a trauma that many clones carry. A strong impostor syndrome. Clones are all too aware they were only manufactured to fight and die. The fact that the 257th now knows that the war was nothing more than an elaborate trap to murder the Jedi and take over the Republic only aggravates the condition.
Ruk has moments where he questions is place in the galaxy. If he really is suited to work as an agent for Null Force. To be one of their “combat scientists” that secretly helps people. It’s a condition he constantly wrestles with.
Personality Characteristics
Motivation
Through all that has happened to him, Ruk is driven by a strong sense of "do what is right for the people around him." Some clones grew jaded from their time in the Clone Wars and later in the Galactic Civil War after being thawed. Ruk did not.
Ruk simply wants to protect others, help others, and work to do the next right thing. This sometimes lands him in a lot of trouble in a complex galaxy, but despite that, he holds to his beliefs even if his high goals of helping people get him a bit burned.
Personality Quirks
One of the more unusual quirks Ruk has is his need to carry a small notebook of flimsies. When he's deep in thought, he doodles and sketches to help clear his mind or calculates through a random hyperspace route.
Social
Family Ties
- Parent: Dr. Taun We
- Close siblings: Razak's Roughnecks especially Hudson.
- Siblings: Surviving and late 257th Clone Detachment veterans; Mar Jani's covert squad of custom-designed ARCs; according to Chaplain Ysadora, Boba Fett
- Cousins: Clan Venn, Yeager Lexics, K7
- Nephew: Jaster Fett son of Spar and Asajj Ventress.
- Niece: Ehlonna Lexics, Imperial Princess of the Galactic Star Empire
Ruk V'dora by CB Ash
Ethnicity
Honorary & Occupational Titles
Year of Birth
12698
33 Years old
Birthplace
Children
Pronouns
he / him
Gender
male
Eyes
brown
Hair
dark brown
Skin Tone/Pigmentation
olive
Height
1.8 m ( 6 feet )
Weight
79.8 kg ( 176 lbs )
Aligned Organization
Other Affiliations
Known Languages
An Unusual Nickname
His nickname. It is nearly impossible to get him talking about it. But I managed it once. It has to do with how he and his brothers were taught Galactic Basic.
One thing most 'natborns', or non-clones notice, is that Ruk's nickname is misspelled per Galactic Basic rules. The explanation is simple, but not one that most clones talk about. It is because of the Kaminoan teaching method for their products.
Kaminoan clones learn most skills from flash training starting at an extremely young age. The incident where Ruk earned his 'callsign' happened when he and his brothers were quite young. The spelling came from a hasty prank to stencil the nickname on Ruk's helmet by his brothers. In their rush to decorate his training helmet, they misspelled the word.
Unfortunately, the misspelling only added to the humor of the clone callsign. So the spelling choice for the nickname stuck.
Comments