Joram Kithe was a resourceful, if cowardly, accountant for the Galactic Republic who received a temporary commission as a lieutenant in Republic Intelligence in order to study the performance of clone troopers on Pengalan IV. When that mission turned into a disaster, Kithe was put into the unusual position of leading the isolated survivors off the planet, destroying a missile factory on the way. Over the course of the mission, Kithe moved beyond his admitted cowardice and selfishness, bonding with the clones under his command and sharing in their danger.