Born the eldest son and presumptive heir of an Imperial noble family, Tim left his home and fortune behind in disgust when his parents threw in with Senator Torval, whose actions and political positions (particularly with regard to limiting the rights of Imperial Slaves) he viewed as contrary to the ideals of his grandfather. He has not actually been disowned, and his parents seem to view this as a "phase" of sorts, but he is quite serious about having left and has no intention of returning home while his family remains in Torval's camp. His Buckyball exploits and the fearlessness with which he has campaigned against local pirates near his adopted home of Miquitagat have lent him the air and reputation of a heroic daredevil, but those who know him well describe him as a calm, thoughtful, man who carefully analyzes his options whenever possible, only falling back on his razor-sharp intuition when pressed.