Shadow Flame Company

The Shadow Flame Company is something of a Private Military Company. An army for hire, with high political and systemic presence, able to influence some politics in the Republic.

History

During the last Great Hyperspace War, not every system in the Galactic Republic was capable of putting up a fight against the Sith Empire. Most had their peacekeeping forces, but they were unprepared or unwilling to compromise their lifestyles to accomodate a standing army or navy. Because of this, they were considered easy pickings for the Empire, and were left at the mercy of their enemy, their protection or rescue only for when the Jedi Order could clear up their great battles to go liberate them. Things were difficult for those systems. However, Ouka Enryu, a Ferenno noble, thought of a solution for this, and gathered troops and mercenaries from various quarters of the galaxy, forming a mobile army to go assist those systems. But mercenaries didn't work for ideals, so he charged the systems some supplies, housing and eventually money to keep their protection.
The longer the war dragged on, the more troops came to join Ouka, and the more disciplined the army became. Former high ranking officers joined him, and soon the Shadow Flame Company became known in the Galaxy as a force to be reckoned with. When the Jedi came to save those systems, they'd move on to another system in need of help, paving the way for a Jedi rescue. Before long, they were considered a force of their own, and had the support and appreciation of the Galactic Republic. After the war, there were still skirmishes, especially after the armistice was signed between the Empire and the Republic, settling into a Cold War.
It was then that Kurei Enryu, Ouka's son, who had been with his father for most of the latter part of the war, started taking over the company. He went up in ranks, training with the best fighters in the Company, and studying strategy both from ancient texts and the people loyal to his father. He eventually became recognized as a Commander in his own right, taking over his father, both as a businessman and as a powerful Warlord, which became his title in the Republic, despite the connotations. However, Kurei was loyal to the end to the Republic, and after a few close calls of almost working for the enemy, only saved by his Fiancee's incredible insight, did he make the crucial decision to establish something unheard of to a mercenary company. A full intelligence division, making the Shadow Flame Company more like an actual military than a mercenary group.
From there, their reputation remained stable. A powerful military force which defended the interests of the Republic.. for a fee. Some more pacifist voices in the Republic were against this group, especially due to their overall political weight. A mobile army with enough force to defend a planet on their own, or a system with support, was something of a black mark in the otherwise peaceful Republic. The fact they had an Intelligence Division, known to some members of the Jedi Council, and the Senate's higher ranking members, was also cause for concern. While Warlord Kurei had stated his loyalty to the Republic over and over again, claiming no political ambitions, the fact was that the Shadow Flame Company had a voice in various system's interests and defense concerns, without even the threat of a mercenary army, headed by a noble of Ferenno.
While the only political stance of the Shadow Flame Company has been purely 'For the Republic', more than one Senator has expressed some concern over them, and the Jedi Council has granted Kurei's first born son, Jedi Master Kamen, a seat with them, as a means to have some influence over the next move of the Company. Only time will tell, but so far, they have remained neutral in political matters, and refusing to act against the interests of the Republic.

Organization

The Shadow Flame Company is just that. A Company. While during the war, they mostly acted as a mobile army in defense of various systems, during the Cold War, they have become a much more corporate entity. They have more members now, with various mercenaries wanting a more stable life signing up to join with them, though there is a vetting process that makes it so they don't hire just anyone. They want to make sure everyone can work together, and as a functional army, with a chain of command. While during the war, it's said that Lord Ouka only hired people with exceptional skills, during the Cold War, experience and military expertise is more prized than personal combat prowess.
Due to the tenuous peace of the Cold War, the Shadow Flame Company has been maintaining its standing Fleet, despite it not having as much use as it once did, and has been taking steps to rotate new ships into their arsenal when they can, but at a slower rate, due to the costs. Because of this, while their Navy is still quite skilled, they have less mercenary pilots than they would like, even after a few recruitment drives. Those they have, however, tend to be experts. Their army, however, has only gotten more impressive, due to many post-war groups joining up, and their children being groomed to enlist with the SFC as well.
Due to this, the Shadow Flame Company has begun to send out smaller forces to do mercenary work, interfering in skirmishes and intra-system conflicts. Those groups, appropriately called 'Companies', are deployed at smaller cost and fee to help buff up forces or to help maintain peace when a conflict threatens to boil over. They have been the primary source of income to the Shadow Flame Company, officially. Unofficially, the Intelligence Division has been serving as a branch of the Senate and the Jedi Council for a more impressive sum, due to their lack of direct allegiance to the Republic Navy. They are allowed more leeway, since they don't officially work for anyone. However, due to the rather dishonorable practice of using private spies to do their dirty work, this has been infrequent.
As of now, the Shadow Flame Company remains battle ready and seems to be doing well financially, but they haven't had to move in large numbers in some time. With some luck, the peace will last, which in many ways is what Warlord Kurei has wanted, but if the Cold War were to turn into a red hot one, the Shadow Flame Company will be there to provide support to the Galactic Republic. For a steep fee.

Members

Warlord Kurei Enryu	Special Agent Neon Enryu	General Jii Sho	Admiral Raiha Sprigg	Specialist Jax Jokker

Forces

The Shadow Flame Company operates like a complete military force. It has an Army for ground combat, a Navy for space combat, and an Intelligence division to ensure victory through tactics and information. Most mercenary groups do not have the sheer numbers and spread of the Shadow Flame Company, which is a big reason they are considered an apolitical, but still politically weighty entity. Being able to stand in for a System's army, and mobile to any system, it's pretty clear the Senate has a reason to at least pay attention to them.

Shadow Flame Intelligence

Possibly the Shadow Flame Company's most important asset. They have a private intelligence division, which they don't disclose to most others. Some of the Republic Naval High Command, and the Jedi Council, are aware of it, but by and large, the fact that Shadow Flame Company has an Intelligence Division is a surprise to their employers. These are infiltrators, spies, and data analysts as well as trained hand to hand combatants, and trained assassins. Everything you'd expect from a trained Secret Agent, is what their Intel Division is like. The reasons for this are as varied as any other Intelligence Agency, but for the SFC, the main reason is to adapt and learn how to function both against a potential enemy, and an allied planet.
The Shadow Flame Company has built its legacy and reputation based on staunch defense of the Galactic Republic, acting as a De Facto military force for less powerful systems, dating back to the last great Hyperspace War. To do this efficiently, they need ears everywhere, so they aren't tricked or duped into wokring for the Sith or any terrorists or revolutionaries. After a few close calls, in which the wife of the SFC's owner and leader, Kurei Enryu, used her extraordinary intuition to avoid working with the enemy, it was decided they needed their own loyal and personally trained intel division. From there, they worked themselves into a vital part of the SFC's armed forces, researching in mundane and exciting ways in equal measures.
While they are sometimes used as agitators, saboteurs and assassins, their main goal is generally information gathering, both about allies and clients in peacetime, and against enemies in war time. The SFC's Intelligence Division is Neon Enryu's baby, and she intends to keep it strong and efficient, with versatile agents and much efficiency. Most field agents are women, not coincidentally, by Neon's own choice.

Intel Agents

Shadow Flame Intel Agent	Shadow Flame Intel Agent	Shadow Flame Intel Agent	Shadow Flame Intel Agent	Shadow Flame Intel Agent

Shadow Flame Intel Agent	Shadow Flame Intel Agent	Shadow Flame Intel Agent	Shadow Flame Intel Agent	Shadow Flame Intel Agent

Shadow Flame Army

The currently largest branch of the Shadow Flame Company, and what they're most known for. The Shadow Flame Army is a force which used to be formed of mercenaries and other soldiers of fortune, but in more recent years has had young men and women enlist, mostly due to their parents having served under their banner. They are as disciplined and trained as any regular army, and are loyal to their commanders, who are in turn loyal to their Warlord. The Shadow Flame Company treats its people well, and this generational loyalty shows it.
The Army has seen more use in the Cold War 'peace' than the other branches, mostly due to being organized into companies themselves, and sent out to pacify dissidents and pirates in smaller groups, acting as envoys from the greater SFC, and doing more standard mercenary work. They've also been called in in larger numbers to quell uprisings and maintain peace in systems where conflict might otherwise arise. Some of their numbers have gotten a somewhat bad reputation, mostly because when they're brought in, it usually means the conflict will escalate before it dies down again, but so far there have been no real accusations of misconduct or abuse of power, which is something that Warlord Kurei has made clear is not to be tolerated.

Army Personnel

Shadow Flame Army Colonel	Shadow Flame Army Lt. Colonel	Shadow Flame Army Major	Shadow Flame Army Captain	Shadow Flame Army Lieutenant

Shadow Flame Army Soldier	Shadow Flame Army Sniper	Shadow Flame Army Armored Trooper	Shadow Flame Army Diver Trooper	Shadow Flame Army Specialist

Shadow Flame Navy

The Shadow Flame Company Navy was a shining spot of hope for some systems in the last Great Hyperspace War, but has somewhat fallen in stature lately. This being said, they are still a highly disciplined fighting force, capable of holding their own against Republic Pilots and Sith Starfighters, at least on paper. Moreso than the Army, every pilot in the SFC Navy is a second generation hire, having just started their own proud naval tradition. Because of this, their parents are often their superiors, and no pilot is assigned to a wing with their parent in charge, for obvious reasons. However, because of this closeness to everyone in their branch, these pilots and officers are pushed to excel, leading to them being very capable starfighter pilots.
While the capital ships of the Navy have been in slow rotation towards newer models, the excessive cost of such an overhaul means it hasn't gone overly rapidly. However, their starfighters have been handily replaced with upgraded models, and even their holdover fighters have been overhauled with more modern systems, meaning even an older-looking model is as high performance as a modern fighter. The Shadow Flame Company understands the need for the Navy to have an allure, so their fighters have been using the same model for the last few years, dubbed the Thunder Figther model.