Marotta Kerensky

Marotta Kerensky
Personal
AffiliationClan Wolf
Wolf's Dragoons
Profile
RankStar Captain
ProfessionMechWarrior

Marotta Kerensky was a trueborn MechWarrior of Clan Wolf during the mid-thirty-second century.

History[edit]

Trueborn of Clan Wolf, Marotta fought in at least four battles against the Lyran Commonwealth during the formation of the Wolf Empire and distinguished himself in combat. Later he won a Trial of Position, obtaining the rank of Star Captain.[1]

In 3149 he won a Kerensky Bloodname after a duel in the deserts of Zosma. Marotta easily defeated his opponent, a female warrior named Frenz, by goading her with subtle taunts; using her own aggressiveness to overheat her 'Mech, a Timber Wolf. The Wolf Khan Alaric Ward assisted in the Trial, and was impressed by Marotta's cunning and calm.[2]

The next year, on New Earth, the Khan assigned a task to Marotta: oversee the planning of the imminent battle for Terra. Marotta didn't believe the Wolves had the manpower to take and hold Terra against the other Clans, specifically the biggest threat: Clan Jade Falcon. Marotta was an avid student of history, and devised an unconventional plan to obtain more well-trained troops: convince the mercenary group Wolf's Dragoons, ancient Wolf Clan descendants, to return to the Clan or at least fight alongside them.[3] Khan Ward not only accepted this proposal, but also assigned Marotta the mission of recruiting the Dragoons. During the trip, onboard the Savagery, a DropShip put at his service, Marotta learned the arts of diplomacy and negotiations from a Merchant Caste member named Byrne. When Marotta arrived at Parma, in Draconis Combine space, he found the Dragoons stuck in a difficult situation. The Dragoons had been loyally working for the Kuritans but the relationship was deteriorating, in part due to the Kuritan disdain for mercenaries.

Marotta received a mixed reception. The Dragoons showed him great respect as a Wolf representative, and Alaric's presents (a full company of brand-new BattleMechs) were well received, but even combined with his impressive negotiation skills this was initially not enough to convince the Dragoons to break contract with the Kuritans and join the battle of Terra. The Dragoons' leader, General Thomas Brubaker initially refused to decide, but the leader of Gamma Regiment, Colonel Nicholas Crews agreed immediately. Brubaker and Crews argued over the fate of several Gamma Dragoons who had been thrown in jail by the Kuritans, and the general subsequently relieved Crews of his command.[4] This only precipitated more conflict, causing Crews and his men to decide to mutiny and leave the planet in order to join the battle of Terra. Marotta began aiding them, and even helped lead the assault on the prison to liberate the incarcerated Dragoons. These mutineers later took Marotta's 'Mechs and formed a new unit, the Black Wolves Company. Marotta insisted on joining the imminent civil war against Brubaker's forces, and Crews gave him a temporary place inside the Black Wolves, effectively making him a Dragoon.[5]

Marotta participated in the short but brutal Battle of Parma against Brubaker's Dragoons, perfectly adopting the un-Clanlike Dragoons style of fighting. After Brubaker was defeated and captured, Marotta used his negotiation skills again to avoid a bigger Dragoons civil war, and brokered a deal with Brubaker to conceal the mutiny.

Later Marotta assisted a ceremony for the Dragoons that were killed in the fighting. All Dragoons would participate in this ceremony before their departure to Terra.[6]

ilClan Trial and Afterwards[edit]

During the ilClan Trial, Marotta fought alongside his allies in Clan Wolf-in-Exile. He took joint command with General Brubaker, with whom he had built trust during his time with the Dragoons. Kerensky would continue to lend support to his Wolf brethren until Malvina was spotted by Alaric. Under orders from Alaric, he would order all Dragoons to fall back, allowing Anastasia Kerensky to defeat her in combat.

After the events of the ilClan Trial, Marotta would attend a ceremony commemorating all forces who fought valiantly on Terra. After hearing the commotion between ilKhan Alaric and General Brubaker, he witnessed the Dragoon general swear Alaric's slights against the Dragoons' code of honor would not go unpunished. Brubaker swore a vendetta against the ilKhan for denying the Dragoons the glory of spearheading the attack on the Jade Falcons' leadership after spending their lives and units so wantonly. After the general and Dragoons cast off their BloodRibbons, Marotta tried to calm the angry leader, only to be knocked down in response. After recovering from the pain, Marotta warned the ilKhan about making enemies of the Dragoons and suggested finding ways to compensate them. However, Alaric was not interested, stating that manipulating the Dragoons was part of his plan to punish the mercenaries for their betrayal of the Clans so long ago. He also did not see them as a threat as the majority of their regiments were decimated and would take years to rebuild. Alaric then offered Marotta the position of Loremaster of the Star League as a reward for his duty and service to Clan Wolf. However, Marotta angrily refused the position, stating that his place was with the Dragoons now. Having negotiated with them in good faith, Alaric's misuse of their prowess was a slight against not just the Dragoons' honor, but his own honor as well. Hence, Marotta decided he must rectify his honor and mend relationships after this manipulation, even if it meant leaving the Clan and turning his back on the ilKhan himself. Alaric relented and stated that if he ever decided to return to Clan Wolf, there would be a place for him here. With that, Marotta discarded his BloodRibbon just like the Dragoons before him and left.[7]

Captivity[edit]

Marotta's hopes to calm the Dragoons' fury were in vain: During the Dragoons gathering on Savannah, Colonel Henry Kincaid, the commander of the two remaining intact battalions, ordered the arrest of all the officers accused of betrayal, including Marotta.[8] As Marotta wasn't a Dragoon, he wasn't judged, which saved his life. The others were less fortunate as Crews was executed and Brubaker committing suicide after being declared guilty. But while he was spared, Marotta didn't enjoy his stay: he was put in the brig for months on the DropShip Chieftain in solitary confinement. He had no visitors until Kincaid on August 17th. While Marotta didn't ask for forgiveness and was initially proud of his actions, he admitted to being unable to understand Alaric's plan for the Dragoons. Kincaid laughed at him, calling him a fool before leaving.[9]

The second and last visit of Kincaid happened in July 3152. By then, Marotta was on Nockatunga's nadir jump point station, with his clothes worn, appearing pale and emaciated after such a long imprisonment. The Colonel informed him of the recent raid on Gienah by Zeta Battalion. Marotta refused to believe that Alaric had abandoned his empire, but Kincaid told him that soon he could see it for himself, as he was to be released and sent to Gienah.[10]

Only then did Kincaid reveal why he had kept Kerensky prisoner: to punish him indirectly, sending him home a defeated man, to tell Alaric that the Dragoons had stolen a sibko of his own blood, distributing them to all other independent Inner Sphere Clans, and incorporated some into the Dragoon ranks. Marotta was horrified, but Kincaid wasn't finished with him: he wanted to insult Kerensky further by showing Alaric what the Dragoons had done with his progeny, and he swore future revenge against the ilKhan, using his own blood against him. After promising that he would kill Marotta on sight if he saw him again, Kincaid released him.[11]

Personality[edit]

Like many of the Kerensky bloodline, Marotta was an atypical Clan Warrior. He possessed the so-called Kerensky Vision, a patience most Clanners lacked. Also, he was very open minded, and did not distrust Freeborn or members of other castes. Instead, he willingly accepted help and teaching when needed, and accepted his own limitations openly.[12]

Additionally he clearly liked history, and sometimes called himself a poet. His patience and open mind made him a formidable opponent, as he never appeared to lose his calm, would not let insults or provocations affect him, and never rushed blindly into a battle. Marotta willingly changed his fighting style to fit his unit.[13]

As a person who truly sympathized with the Dragoons and their methods, Marotta's attitudes to his Clan's Khan relative to his mercenary partners became strained once it was clear that Alaric had intended to expend the mercenaries' strength while denying them their expected honor as the tip of the spear during the thrust at the Jade Falcons. As such, Marotta refused to join the Third Star League's ranks with the ilClan and opted to remain with the Wolf's Dragoons due to Alaric's misuse of his own honor.

BattleMechs[edit]

It is unknown what class of BattleMechs he normally piloted, but in his Trial of Bloodright he piloted a heavily customized White Raven and with the Dragoons he used a brand new Dominator.[14]

References[edit]

  1. ↑ Divided We Fall, p. 81
  2. ↑ Divided We Fall, p. 10
  3. ↑ Divided We Fall, p. 13
  4. ↑ Divided We Fall, p. 59
  5. ↑ Divided We Fall, p. 85
  6. ↑ Divided We Fall, pp. 115–118
  7. ↑ Hour of the Wolf, p. 359
  8. ↑ Redemption Rites, p. 6
  9. ↑ Redemption Rites, pp. 245–246
  10. ↑ Redemption Rites, p. 331
  11. ↑ Redemption Rites, p. 333
  12. ↑ Divided We Fall, p. 19
  13. ↑ Divided We Fall, p. 96
  14. ↑ Divided We Fall, p. 72

Bibliography[edit]

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