Commandant Panchek

Tara has heard that Panchek wants Lilith Sorrengail’s position and then General Melgren’s, while Violet doubts he could ever surpass Melgren.

Major Varrish, the new vice commandant, answers only to Panchek, while the current executive commandant still handles operations.

Panchek expects his bargain with Berwyn to preserve access to Berwyn’s son, but Berwyn rejects that leverage by saying he has another and kills Panchek’s own netted dragon.

Under the name Lieutenant Lyron Panchek, he is credited as the author of Tactics, A Personal Memoir. In that work, he argues that Zolya would be his first invasion target because destroying Cliffsbane Academy would eliminate years of gryphon riders at once.

Panchek’s tactical writing also warns younger riders that Northern Wing fliers, though limited to lesser magic, are formidable in mindwork and hand-to-hand combat and should not be unseated against unless necessary.

Panchek takes the morning-formation podium with the Codex to handle a breach of quadrant law, calls the accuser forward, and enables Xaden’s public accusation before hanging back once the wingleader quorum forms and dragons arrive.

For the final Squad Battle task, Panchek announces that squad leaders and executive officers are considered effectively dead for the exercise. He orders each squad to acquire the item most advantageous to the enemy inside Basgiath’s walls, excludes dragons as targets, sets a three-hour deadline, and assigns sixty points for the winning squad.

Panchek formally announces the last War Games event, presenting the sounded alert as a simulated attack meant to test muster speed. He frames the exercise around simultaneous border attacks and faltering wards, orders squad leaders to choose outposts quickly, and requires everyone at the flight field within thirty minutes.

When the survivors interrupt the Death Roll, Panchek follows Lilith’s order to continue graduation. He delivers the formal remarks, commissions completed third-years as lieutenants, orders the new lieutenants to leave by morning, and advances the remaining classes.

Panchek accepts Kaori’s expert opinion that Violet’s unauthorized departure was driven by her powerful, worried, mated dragon. His decision clears Violet of all charges before Varrish can court-martial or punish her.

During amphitheater sparring, Panchek watches with other leaders and gives Carr the order to act when a Claw Section second-year drains the mat. Carr immediately executes the cadet with an alloy dagger.

Panchek accompanies the Aretian rotation. After landing, he protests when Kaori comes too close to Andarna, and Kaori suspects Panchek joined partly to observe how the Aretian Empyrean functions.

Before or during the Assembly chamber planning at Aretia, Panchek launches to request reinforcements. Trissa argues that those reinforcements will not come because Melgren has already proclaimed the battle a defeat.

After Berwyn’s exchange with Panchek at Draithus, Xaden decides Panchek will die, though the confrontation does not show Xaden killing him.