Kaplan's background of violence and assassination began with the occupation of his home country of Ruyamar by the UUCS. He fought in the initial phase of the war with Ruyamar's standing army. He quickly learned the futility of fighting the Ursine war machine on its own terms.

In those days, the Black Knives were an organization of resistance fighters specializing in political assassination. He soon found their tactics more to his taste, and left the regular army.

As a sergeant in the brief period of open fighting, he was equipped with obsolete weapons bought second-hand from more affluent nations and an improvised uniform. Ursine officers were issued ornate kindjals, and he carries one formerly owned by a UUCS captain he killed. This was the action that earned him the notice of the Black Knives.