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Growing up, Pad had always lived in his elder brother's shadow somewhat. Prak was athletic, dashing, and academically brilliant. In comparison, Pad only exceeded Prak in his ability to understand how people thought, and therefore how best to influence people in order to make them think what you want.
Everyone loved Prak and people said that he was clearly destined for great things. But Pad did not begrudge him this popularity. Indeed, he knew very well that different individuals have their own strengths and weaknesses, and he understood that others were projecting their hopes onto Prak because he was seen as a strong person that could succeed where others couldn't.
Prak was held up as a paragon and was encouraged to join the elite of Strike Force where his abilities could benefit the entire Alliance of Planets. But he was initially reluctant to leave behind everyone he knew, so his family asked Pad to convince him. Pad had always had a strong rapport with his brother and knew how best to persuade him. Spurred on by Pad, Prak did join the Alliance Academy where he excelled and, as he completed ever more successful missions, he rapidly rose in rank.
For his part, Pad was annoyed with himself that he had convinced Prak to do something in which he didn't really believe. He was even more disgusted by the people around him. Being able to understand how people thought didn't make them any more endearing, and the more Pad saw of others the more he became jaded and disillusioned with society. He became a virtual recluse, spending his time alone in the forests, living off the land and sleeping in a different place every night.
Then the day came when he received the news that Prak had not returned from his latest mission, that he was classed as Missing In Action but that the details of the mission were confidential. Consumed with guilt, Pad immediately left his homeworld and joined the Alliance Academy himself. He could not undo the damage that he perceived himself as having caused, but he could at least atone for his actions. By joining Strike Force himself, he could find out the truth behind Prak's loss and hopefully avenge his fallen brother.
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