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3028. Pavel Ridzik signed alliance with Federated Suns that made Tikonov Commonality to secede from the Capellan Confederation. However, some people of Tikonov and other commonality worlds were not eager to revoke their allegiance to Sian and Chancellor himself. While majority of newly stated Tikonov Free Republic collaborated with Davion intruders, a few loyal warriors of CCAF became trapped in their recent home worlds, instantly turned to hostile territory. The loyalists were hunted by their converted comrades of Tikonov Republic Guards along with Davion Armed Forces and Department of Military Intelligence, but even being outnumbered, separated and abandoned by other CCAF, they weren't broken; no one of them became an easy prey. As long as they stayed in occupied territories, they were unable to oppose Liao enemies and even request help from metropolitan. Not an escape became their main priority, but sending a word to Sian: "We have survived; we loyal to our oath and we are still fighting for Capella!" Finally, they managed to make it done, and the message leaked out.
News reached the attentive ears of Chancellor’s adviser Tsen Shang in late 3029. Experienced politician knew well Chancellor's affection for good news; he decided to launch series of covert ops incursions into rebelled worlds, aimed to rescue loyalist forces (Tsen was planning to present them to his master as a symbol of loyalty or even form a retaliation force). The prize of operation was a symbol of Tikonov Commonality’s devotion to House Liao, the sign of nation’s unyielding spirit and thirst for retaliation.
Exhausted by guerrilla, wounded and hunted loyalists finally got a chance to break their long-standing siege. Since 3029 till 3031 CCAF managed to evacuate few left of survived warriors and equipment, not even enough to form a battalion. Disappointed, the Strategios made an unspoken decision to forget about their existence. That suited everyone except survivors, who considered themselves betrayed. They have come through years of fighting and losses not to be shelved as useless junk. And they made their own turn.
The letter, written and signed by all escaped warriors along with some other Tikonov natives staying loyal to Capella in all Confederation worlds, became a true surprise to Maximillian Liao. The petition contained no demands or complains, it was a confession and a humble plea for a chance to recover their honor, a vow to have no rest till Tikonov returns to the Confederation back again.
Touched by this penance (or maybe touched by upcoming madness - no one could say that for sure), Chancellor gave his agreement to found a unit, a brotherhood, bounded by their pledges. For the crest they took cross of Saint Andrew’s - an ancient Christian patron of Russia and Scotland. Unit came to life in 3030 as a battalion.
Unit is formed by veterans of 4th Succession War, mostly Tikonov native descendants of Russian and Scottish colonists. While most of warriors have great guerrilla background, unit had no opportunity to prove itself in any regular battle and lacks an joint combat experience.