Richard Tchernovkov

Richard Tchernovkov
Character Profile
Born January 2777[1]
Affiliation Clan Coyote
Profession Scientist
Siblings Gerek Tchernovkov[1]

Richard Tchernovkov, later called Scientist Richard (Remer), was a Clan Coyote scientist and the twin brother of Coyote Khan Gerek Tchernovkov. He is credited as the lead scientist in the development of the OmniMech.[2]

History[edit]

Early Life and Exodus Years[edit]

Born on the world of Tikonov in the Capellan Confederation, twin brothers Richard and Gerek Tchernovkov were descendants of Ivan Tchernovkov, an Armor Corps officer who was the first non-MechWarrior to command a Star League division. Their father died during the Liberation of Terra. Their mother would take them both with her on General Aleksandr Kerensky's Exodus.[1]

When old enough, both brothers would attend the training academy on Babylon. Richard would test out of the academy very soon, as he was found to not have the instincts required of a warrior. He would instead pursue engineering, a field in which the young man excelled. Richard and Gerek were always close and communicated often, especially after the death of their mother. But when violence erupted on the Pentagon Worlds after the death of the Aleksandr Kerensky, Gerek would leave with Nicholas Kerensky for exile on Strana Mechty.[1] While sources indicate that Richard likely ignored the call for all scientists to leave with Kerensky, later, the Coyotes would record that he had simply "missed his flight."[3]

Regardless, it would be two more decades before the brothers would see each other again.

Pentagon Civil War and Operation KLONDIKE[edit]

In the wake of the Second Exodus, Richard and a small group of other scientists who had stayed behind formed an enclave of pacifists residing in the city of Versailles, high in the mountains of Abyssinia. There, they escaped most of the destruction and chaos of the war. Later, they would recruit a small force of soldiers to protect their independence and research from the raiders and marauders who roamed the land.[3]

By the time of Operation KLONDIKE, Richard Tchernovkov had worked his way into the position of leader of the enclave. When he heard that his brother Gerek was an officer in the new Clans that had come to claim the Pentagon Worlds, he would send an invitation for him to come and negotiate their surrender, though he did not tell him who he actually was in the message. He saved that as a surprise, which it indeed was when Gerek saw who he would be dealing with. The two brothers talked for days. On the third day, Star Captain Gerek Tchernovkov would send for his Khans, inviting them to tour the city.[3]

Ushering in the Golden Century[edit]

The Coyotes would be leaders in the Clans in the post–Operation KLONDIKE Clan sphere. To support this growth and protect their many gains, they had their scientists concentrate much of their resources on advances in war-related technologies. New 'Mech designs would be commissioned throughout the next few decades, culminating in a fantastic breakthrough. Scientist Richard (Remer)—having exchanged his surname for a Labname after joining the Clan—had been following up on Star League research that had produced the Mercury BattleMech. His research and experiments led to the invention of a prototype OmniMech in 2847.[2] After nine more grueling years of further development by his teams of scientists and engineers, and with aid from the scientists of Clan Sea Fox—all the while overcoming a great many technical challenges that cropped up along the way—the OmniMech was finally unveiled in 2854, ushering in a new age of growth and dominance for his Clan.[4][5]

Legacy[edit]

Richard Tchernovkov's legacy might not be given the prominence of a warrior in the Clans, but that does not mean that it is any less important. To the contrary, his lead role in the invention of the OmniMech revolutionized war within the Clans, and would one day help to lend an air of invincibility to the Invading Clans during Operation Revival, making his imprint on human history much deeper than almost any warrior could ever possibly hope to match. As a scientist, his genes would not become part of the Clan eugenics program. But as the twin brother of a great Khan who was very much a part of the breeding program, that point loses much of its meaning.

References[edit]

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Field Manual: Warden Clans, p. 39: "Gerek Tchernovkov"
  2. 2.0 2.1 Field Manual: Warden Clans, pp. 40–41: "Birth of the Titans"
  3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 Historical: Operation Klondike, pp. 67–68: "Celebration Day"
  4. Field Manual: Warden Clans, pp. 41–42: Crusade of the Valiant
  5. Field Manual: Warden Clans, p. 41: "The Renaissance Spreads"

Bibliography[edit]