The Ngoyen clan at the time was in engaged in a shadow war with the Virus controlled government, and other puppet governments on the planet. In such circumstances, children were often used as gun runners and assassins. All capable males, and all females interested were trained in the martial arts. Andrei showed significent skill, and was selected as the Ngoyen adept to study at the Monastary at Ilaria. Ilaria had previously been the subsector capital of the Verge subsector, and had been the site of the only psionics center in the imperial parts of the sector. Even in the New Era people would come from all over the verge subsector to join the Ilarian Knights. Andrei and the adepts from several other clans were then smuggled off-planet as "slaves" on a free-trader ship. On Ilaria they were psionically tested and trained, and assigned a sensei. As a result of high level negotiations between the grand council of the Ilarian Knights, the Ides of March merc group, and the various elements of the Tavar Ryal resistance movement, these groups joined forces in an attempt to liberate Tavar Ryal (the planet only officially changed names to Nova Terre after the Rim League Rebellion succeeded in 1196), Ilaria, and Teloras. These groups formed the Rim League.

After spending four years of intense planning and training, the Rim League forces were smuggled back on planet. The Ryaltan Civil War started during 1188 and lasted until 1196. During the first four years of the war, Andrei and his sensei served as members of the rebellion. During their tour of duty they helped run weaponry to the clans of the Southern March. They also served as guards for various high level strategy meetings. During the third year of the war, the old abandoned Scout base was located by the rebels.

They recommissioned the base, and established a flight academy. Andrei having been one of the few people with significant starship experience was one of the members of the first class. They were trained secretly, and spent the last two years of their training gaining experience from acting as the forward intelligence screen for the Rim League Navy. With the final victory over the virus forces on the 15th of March 1196, the Rim League Explorer Corps was officially founded. Andrei has served as a explorer for the Corps for the next four years.

Due to the shortage of ships, Explorer Corps personel have been asked to seek joint employment on starhips other than those ran expressly by the Explorer Corps. Andrei and his sensei (who is now an official diplomat for the Rim League) were looking for employment as such when the advertisement came through.