Saburo Sakai

Lieutenant Saburō Sakai (坂井 三郎 Sakai Saburō, b. 2485 - ) is the captain of the Overland-class transport Blue Sakura. Sakai was a flying ace in the Independent Fleet during the Unification War. He is credited with 28 aerial victories by official Independent records. He is known for being one of the last aces to survive the war. His memoirs were written in his autobiography entitled Star Samurai!, though it is little known outside of the Rim.

 Early Life  (2488 - 2504)

Sakai was born in the year 2488 at a small mining town on Miyazaki. He claims to trace his ancestry back to a Samurai family from the Earth-That-Was. He is the third of seven children, and worked to support his family as soon as he could. Miyazaki's terraformation was crude at best, resulting in several ailments and a low standard of living. The death rate was high due to being a Rim moon, with few resources and largely exploited for its metals. Sakai started working in the mines as a teen. Conditions were harsh, and corporations unresponsive to workers needs. But Sakai persisted, until his father tragically died from a work related disease.

With limited funds, Sakai's mother had difficulty raising seven children. Sakai was adopted by his uncle and sent to Sho-Je Downs to receive a formal education. The planet enjoyed a much higher standard of living, but experienced a competitive atmosphere and pressure to succeed. Sakai absorbed himself in his studies, but failed to pass the university entrance exams. After three years of intense schooling, he finally dropped out. With no other options, he applied to the Khalidasa Defense Force as a naval ensign. His educational background prepared him for the aptitude test and was quickly accepted into a fast paced training program.

 Pre-War Year (2505)

Sakai endured a physically and mentally harsh training regimen, designed to forge recruits into world class fighter pilots. Sakai transferred his skills operating mining machinery to flight controls, and discovered he was a natural pilot. He also dedicated his spare time to studying aerial tactics and maneuvers. One of his most powerful memories as a cadet, was when he was rehearsing an aerial operation and witnessed one his peers crash due to exhaustion. After graduating from the program, he was near the top of his class and awarded the rank of Petty Officer Second Class.

Unification War Years (2506-2511)

At the onset of the conflict, Sho-Je Downs allied with the Independents. Sakai was assigned to the Kuan Lo Air Group, consisting of squadrons from the Sho-Je Downs, Vishnu and Angel systems. Sakai spent the first half of the war raiding Alliance shipping convoys. While doing so, he managed to score over five kills, making him an official ace. Khalidasa's navy was poised to blockade the central planets, but before doing so, was forced to retreat from a concentrated Alliance offensive.

Sakai's Air Group was relocated to Barimend, orbiting Verbena in the Khalidasa system. Its neighboring planet Lassek was invaded and occupied by the Alliance. Due to logistical and supply problems, Sakai's division would be left to fend for itself. Lassek would be cut off from outside support for similar reasons. Constant back-and-forth fighting between Lassek and Barimend would define the rest of the air/space war for Sakai. While pursuing an Alliance bomber that had just strafed his airfield, Sakai was shot by a tail gunner. Heavily wounded and bleeding profusely, he miraculously managed to land at his base before passing out. Having narrowly avoided death, he was taken to an Independent hospital on Verbena to recover from his wounds. While healing, he met and formed a relationship with Hatsuko, an Independent comm. officer who also hailed from Miyazaki. Sakai spent the next couple of years training new cadets to make up for heavy pilot losses. Tragically, he would have to break off the relationship when he was fit to fly again.

With the war for the Independents worsening, every available pilot was tapped to turn the tide. Sakai was promoted to lieutenant and given command of his own squadron in his old Air Group. He embarked on multiple suicide missions against Lassek, until the group was finally forced to retreat under overwhelming Alliance pressure. Sakai was returned to Sho-Je Downs to make a final stand. As the war drew to a close, he participated in one of the last Independent air offensives, credited with taking out one Alliance bomber, before the war officially concluded. Reconstruction Years (2511-2516)

With reconstruction primarily focused on the Core worlds, Sakai found his situation little better than before the war started. He received no pension from the now defunct Independent military, and people were reluctant to hire someone that had resisted unification. He managed to eke out a modest living at a sign shop back on Miyazaki, and making speeches at local schools and colleges. However, he missed the glory and thrill of flying and longed to return to it. No longer able to tolerate civilian life, he saved up what credits he could and searched for his surviving wingmen. He finally tracked down Kenichi and Akamatsu of his old sqaudron, and were also fellow residents of Miyazaki.

After the war, unneeded military hardware was being sold in droves. Sakai, Kenichi and Akamatsu pooled their last credits to buy an Overland class transporter that had been requisitioned for the Independent war effort. Thanks to their connections with the former Independent forces, they illegally procured military-grade armor and weapons to equip the ship with. Now, Sakai and his crew travel the 'verse, in search of adventure, jobs and opportunities

 As a Browncoat and Dust Devil (2516 - Present)

Sakai is a sympathizer and supporter of the Dust Devils group, former-Independent guerrillas, continuing the fight against the Alliance. They have been labeled a terrorist organization by the Alliance, but Sakai believes this is propaganda. Even if the Dust Devils participate in morally questionable activities, Sakai stands by their right to continue fighting for the cause. Sakai uses the Blue Sakura as a safe house for Dust Devils needing a place to lay low after an operation. He has also been known to advise them on their operations from time to time, but has chosen not to participate in any of their missions directly.

Sakai was charismatic, well known and celebrated by his colleagues during the war. As such, he belongs to an extended family of sorts, consisting of fellow browncoats. Wherever he goes throughout the Rim, there is almost always a war buddy that recognizes him and is willing to offer help if needed. He is sometimes known among military historians and Independent supporters by his old nickname the Star Samurai. Personality

Sakai is laid back, unassuming and soft spoken. He is almost always dressed in pilot attire or flight gear, as both a reminder of his old days or because of its practicality while living on a ship. Although he lost the war, he and his friends are determined to live on their own terms, by any means necessary. Sakai plans to settle down and start a family someday, once he earned enough credits.

He is determined, loyal and brave. He's always eager to take to the controls of a ship, but his skills have gotten somewhat rusty over the years. He can fly the Sakura if need be, but often likes to coach younger, faster pilots on how its done. He's not a formidable fighter, but has studied Aikido in his spare time. He is also occasionally haunted by his wartime experiences and suffers flashbacks. He walks with a slight limp that comes and goes, due to a combat injury. Trivia

Once, during the war, Sakai spent a month's pay to purchase a Leica holo-camera. Several aerial photographs of his actions have been taken by it, and the photos survive to this day. He has kept and used the camera ever since, and considers it an important memento.

His ship is named after the emblem he used to mark his kills, stenciling one onto the side of his fighter for every victory.