She does not look her age, but somewhere in her 30s, until you look into her eyes and she seems decades older.

Maria was born on Earth on the North American continent to pure blood Solomani parents. In her late teens, her parents were assassinated in Solomani Confederation politics. Her father’s brother used Solomani family contacts to arrange for the newly orphaned young woman to attend Almeida University on the planet Ercan, in the Core District.

Maria was not excited about university far from home and was not engaged in her studies or making new friends. During her first year, Maria was approached by a scout for a hidden Psionic institute on Ercan, the Idmun Foundation. The Foundation itself was a scholarly archaeology research organization, looking into the past history of Ercan (once named Idmun, thus the name). And while it does this job reasonably well, the real purpose of the Idmun Foundation is to find, recruit, and train individuals with psionic talent. Maria took a leave from school and spent several months being tested. Amazingly, she found she was adept at every major psionic discipline. She spent the next several years in training, learning the science of psionics as well as improving her abilities.

Sometime in her 5th year with the Foundation, Maria, working on her own, was able to bring key information to Idmun, unlocking a significant funding source while neutralizing a threat. This and the unusual breadth of her ability brought her to the attention of more hidden actors. Unknown to most of the Idmun Foundation’s real leaders, there was a deeper force, one that worked with several organizations across many worlds within the Imperium. This was Mandala, a mysterious but powerful gathering of individuals working to not just maintain psionic knowledge in the face of unfair suppression, but grow in understanding and power.

Maria spent the next decade and a half working for Mandala directly as “human intelligence” within the Spinward Marches. Usually supported by a team of lessor psions with more practical skills, Maria would infiltrate, investigate, and instigate various people, organizations, and situations. During this time, her abilities increased in power and she managed to secure a TAS membership. To support this work, Mandal outfitted her with subdural armor, a neural comm, and a wafer jack.

After 6 terms, Maria was tired of the life she led. “I no longer want to whore around for you” is an exact quote she gave to her Mandala handler, Shika Yath. Shika was sympathetic. Maria left on good terms, with her connections to the secret organization strong. Shika, or other Mandala operatives will help their former colleague as long as it does not jeopardize the organization.

Now Maria is off to see the stars, as her own agent.