Centurion (rank)

A Centurion was an officer of the Order of Keltrayu in the Golden Empire, charged with various law enforcement, military, and civil service duties on behalf of Queen Rin Sakaros.

Overview and duties
At the foundation of the Golden Empire, the Royal government featured only three Force-sensitives; Rin Sakaros herself, her brother Tariun, and her apprentice, Keltrayu. As the Empire expanded, however, they began to recruit and train new Force-adepts. By 94 ABY, this loose confederation of students had been organized into the formal Order of the Golden Empire. It would be renamed for Keltrayu in 102 ABY following his death at the Battle of Tizgo V.

Rin selected "Centurion" as the title of the full officers of her Order, rejecting the term "Knight" for its attachment to the Jedi and the Imperial Knights. Centurions had a number of duties throughout the Empire, operating at the direction of the Prefect of the Order of Keltrayu. Centurions had the authority to enforce the laws of any system they were on, as well as all laws of the Empire as a whole, and could arrest citizens, conduct searches and surveillance, and use force (including lethal force) in the line of duty as needed. Unlike local law enforcement agents, Centurions could arrest any citizen with nothing more than reasonable suspicion, though such arrests needed to be substantiated within forty-eight standard hours.

In addition to their public law enforcement role, Centurions could be delegated to act as commanders in the Armada, conduct negotiations as ambassadors for the Ministry of Diplomacy, or be delegated to resolve intersystem conflicts on behalf of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Integration. Centurions could also serve as spies in non-member systems or even on member systems, infiltrating terrorist or separatist groups, criminal gangs, and dissident organizations.

Though all Centurions reported to the Prefect, some would regularly be assigned away from the Sith Star to patrol systems where their efforts were needed. When multiple Centurions were given such an assignment, one would usually be designated Praetor, a team-leader position that expired when the detail itself did.

The Queen could select any full Centurion for service in her Royal Guard, and it was considered a prestige posting. Some Centurions also served as instructors for the Novices of the Order. Very senior and experienced Centurions could be appointed to positions of great responsibility in the government, including Consul posts or roles on the Grand Council of the Golden Empire.

Training
All Centurions were trained aboard the Sith Star under the eye of the Prefect and the tutelage of educator droids and Praetor-Instructors. Rin Sakaros also took a personal interest in her disciples, and made it a point to visit them at least once a day whenever she was aboard the flagship.

Due to Rin's time among the Zeison Sha and her own considerable telepathic abilities, Centurions had well-developed skills in telekinesis and telepathy, stronger than the average seen amongst Jedi or Imperial Knights. They were also trained to use a variety of projectile and melee weapons, though all studied the use of the lightsaber. Centurions had basic exposure to Forms I, II, III, starwars:Form IV: Ataru, and V, and specialized in one or two. Though the majority of Centurions opted to use a single lightsaber, variations existed, including those who used double-bladed and long-handled lightsabers, as well as those who used two separate weapons, following the example of Tariun Sakaros himself.

Training for Centurions did not stop after promotion to the rank; indeed, Centurions were expected to be constantly improving their lightsaber and other combat skills while remaining scientifically, politically, and culturally literate and up-to-date regarding the Empire as a whole. Full Centurions had a private area of The Citadel which only they could access, filled with more dangerous and advanced challenges than Novices could be expected to face. Every Centurion had to run the course yearly.

Notable members
By and large, the majority of Centurions served well outside the public eye, and the full membership of the Order was classified to the highest levels in order to facilitate undercover law enforcement and espionage work. However, some Centurions achieved such fame from their work at the forefront of the Empire that their names became household words.

Foremost among these was Keltrayu himself, for whom the Order was renamed and who was counted as eternally first and foremost among Centurions, appearing at the head of any list of Centurions and outranking all others, even Prefects.

The Legate Sorrik achieved great fame due to his military commands. Service in the Armada also brought recognition to the Human Breek Zagrev and the infamously lethal Zyked warrior Rajj-Yo, whose name became a byword for ferocity. On the other hand, it was diplomacy and negotiation that gave fame and respect to Chindal and Corr Shaasa among Royal citizens.

Appearances

 * The Fall of Keltrayu
 * "It Takes Only One"