Born and raised on Lave Station, Bobby Brightside grew up amidst the galaxy’s hustle, dreaming of making his mark among the stars. His path took him through the ranks of the Imperial Navy, where he served with loyalty but never reached the recognition he felt he deserved. A skilled pilot with a no-nonsense approach, Bobby’s years in the Navy were marked by routine patrols and endless assignments while the “top brass” claimed glory in conflicts like the Thargoid War. Eventually, frustration with Imperial politics and a desire for autonomy led him to strike out as a mercenary.

Since leaving the Navy, Bobby has forged his own path, bouncing between allegiances as he tries to balance loyalty with the pragmatic need for credits. Recently, he re-pledged his loyalty to the Empire under Emperor Arissa Lavigny-Duval, swayed by enhanced bounty payouts and the promise of fairer compensation. Though he’s wary of falling back into the rigid expectations of Imperial duty, the allure of high-stakes bounties and missions has kept him around—for now.

Bobby’s life as an independent contractor has been anything but straightforward. After dabbling with the Alliance under Edmund Mahon, he ultimately found the work less lucrative than promised. Following the advice of an old Navy friend, he returned to Imperial space, ready to leverage his combat experience and chase bigger bounties. However, Bobby’s loyalty remains practical rather than sentimental; his commitment to the Empire hinges on the payout.

In his journeys, Bobby has encountered everything from corrupt pirates to covert crash sites, each mission serving as a reminder of both his skill and the galaxy’s unforgiving nature. In the Bunson System, Bobby took down notorious pirate Joseph Cutler, a run-in that set the tone for his newfound Imperial allegiance. Ground missions have tested his limits, with hostile encounters at crash sites and planetary outposts revealing his grit—and his willingness to risk it all to complete the mission.

Bobby flies two primary ships: The Red Razor, a Vulture with a fearsome bite, and The Wanderer, a DBX he uses for exploration. After acquiring Meta Alloys and receiving engineering guidance from Felicity Farseer, Bobby’s begun to understand the potential of his ships beyond standard Imperial specs. He’s also gained invites from engineers like Tod McQuinn and Elvira Martuuk, offering further opportunities to refine his ships, for the right price.

Years of service, disappointment, and gritty independence have given Bobby a grizzled but deeply practical view of the galaxy. He’s a pilot who doesn’t mince words and is known for his dry humor and pragmatic approach to work. Though now allied with Lavigny’s Legion, Bobby keeps a healthy distance from the Imperial high command, preferring to interact with those on the front lines rather than the polished types in the upper ranks. For Bobby, loyalty is earned, not blindly given.

Despite the challenges, Bobby is driven by the thrill of independence. Each log, each mission, and each skirmish serves as another chapter in a career he’s shaping on his terms, with one clear goal: to leave his own mark on the galaxy, one contract at a time.