El D'Nah is a world on the Imperial/Vargr border in the Pretoria subsector. It is a medium-sized world with a thin atmosphere tainted with high oxygen, and most of the surface covered with water. The 50 thousand people live under a feudal technocracy, which evolved from the original colony structure, at an average stellar tech level. In addition there are approximately 8 thousand Vargr, the remains of an ex-corsair band that settled there 38 years ago. They are now integrated into human society as citizens and rate a 6 on the Tetusu-Dene Scale (Vargr participation in government, but are treated as a lower class). This state of affairs should not last too long as El D'Nahians are fairly progressive in their outlook, though there are militant factions amoung both the humans and Vargr who could still cause problems.

Human cultural aspects are heavily influenced by the colonial origins of the society and include a superstitous air most noticable in the elderly. Medical figures have a witch-doctor like status and are afforded many privileges. Other human cultural aspects include 2 prominent local customs: communal pologamy; and children are renamed when they marry.

Born to the large working class family of Bill and Selena Lawton, James has had 8 siblings but 3 died shortly after birth and 1 (Mary) was executed for murder at 17. The remaining 4 (Bill Jr, Dale, Julia, and Christie) are all younger than James. Julia has been invalided out of the Scouts with a war related injury (not 5FW). If James could be said to have any allegiance it is to his family. James is not very stable, tending to freak out when things get too stressful. He is somewhat disrespectful of the law but usually knows when to keep his mouth shut. Most of his problems center around his resentment of the Vargr enclave on his homeworld.

The most important fact about James Lawton is that he is a mutant. He is a psionic wild talent (no training required) which required drugs to keep under control. This he hides by claiming to be a hemophiliac - needing daily medication.

At the age of 18, James could drive, work a computer, handle a pistol, and had some skill with a knife. To avoid embarrassing questions at home he ran away to the Imperial Navy (Gunnery Branch).

Strangely enough, since the war injury of his sister Julia, he has focussed his attention on his career, first winning a place in OCS and then distinguishing himself in combat.