Editing Ardan Sortek

{{Update Needed|[[Historical: War of 3039]]|[[Lethal Heritage]]|[[The Kell Hounds]]}}
{{InfoBoxCharacter
| image               = Ardan Sortek HWo3039.jpg
| caption             = Ardan Sortek
| name                = Ardan Sortek
| birthdate           = [[2993]]<ref name=HBHDp181>''House Davion (The Federated Suns)'', p. 181 - Ardan Sortek Profile</ref>
| died                = 20 April [[3067]]<ref name=EGc32>''Endgame'', Ch. 32</ref><ref name=HWo39p24>''Historical: War of 3039'', p. 24</ref>
| othernames          = 
| affiliation         = [[House Sortek]]
| rank                = [[Prince's Champion]]
| title               = [[Knight of the Realm]]<ref name=HD:FSp157>''House Davion (The Federated Suns)'', p. 157</ref>
| position            =
| profession          = 
| parents             = [[Adriaan Sortek (30th c.)|Adriaan Sortek]] (father)<br/>[[Vela Sortek]] (mother)
| siblings            = [[Felsa Sortek]]
| spouse              = [[Candent Septarian]]<ref name=HWo39p24/>
| children            = [[Adriaan Sortek (31st c.)|Adriaan Sortek II]]<ref name=HWo39p24/><br>[[Valisa Sortek]]<ref name=HWo39p24/><br>[[Terias Sortek]]<ref name=HWo39p24/><br>[[Meschach Sortek]]<ref name=HWo39p24/><br>[[Brittan Sortek]]<ref name=HWo39p24/><br>[[Katriel Sortek]]<ref name=HWo39p24/><br>[[Conner Sortek]]
}}
'''Ardan Sortek''' was the [[Prince's Champion]] and a close personal friend of [[Hanse Davion]]. 

==History==
===Early Years===
Ardan Sortek was born at his family's estate, Sortek Hall, on New Avalon in 2993.<ref name=HBHDp181/> He later graduated from the [[Albion Military Academy]] as a [[Leftenant]] and was appointed a [[Lance Commander]] in the [[Seventeenth Avalon Hussars]].

In [[3013]] on [[Addicks]], Ardan was preparing an offensive against the [[Draconis Combine]] with Hanse, who was having dinner with Major [[Dana Stephenson]], a friend of Ardan's.<ref>''Front Lines'' ''Irreplaceable'' p. 173</ref> Later, Ardan began dating Dana's friend Major [[Elaine Masters]] despite the fact she was older than him. In the [[Battle of Halstead Station]], Ardan saved Hanse's life but could not save Dana's; however, he confirmed her death and recovered the engagement ring Hanse had given her.<ref>''Irreplaceable'', p. 209</ref> Ardan's relationship with Elaine didn't last, as he wasn't ready to start a family yet. 

In [[3019]], Ardan commanded a raid on the Draconis Combine planet of [[Nashira]] in which he and his men destroyed several important Combine computer research facilities despite overwhelming odds. For his heroism, Ardan was promoted to Commanding Officer of the [[Davion Heavy Guards]] and awarded the Federated Suns' highest honor, the [[Medal Excalibur]].

Ardan gave up his command when he requested to be part of the task force that would retake [[Stein's Folly]] in [[3025]].<ref name=HBHDp181/> After a rough landing, and leading successfully the ground assault, Ardan's ''[[Victor]]'' was destroyed by a Liaoist 'Mech, and left him alone, wounded and weak, in the jungle. After what appears to be a contact with a primitive alien species, was recovered by Liao troops, under orders of [[Pavel Ridzik]].{{cn}} They then were taken to a secret base on planet, where he recovered. There, he discovered a [[Hanse Davion (False)|double of Hanse Davion]] before being rescued by a Davion unit and sent to [[Tharkad]]. Later, Sortek returned to Stein's Folly on a secret mission, investigating the base, and found proof of a Liao plan to substitute the real Hanse with a Double, before the base self-destructed.<ref>''The Sword and the Dagger'' p. 189</ref> 

Sortek and Hanse were arrested under orders of Hanse's double but were rescued by Sortek's men, and managed to arrive at New Avalon. There, with help from the Lyran ambassador, they managed to prove that his friend was the real Hanse, ensuring the failure of the Liao plot.<ref>''The Sword and the Dagger'' p. 262</ref> Not much later, Ardan led the Davion counterattack and liberation of the planet [[Redfield]], successfully taken by Liao forces. Hanse would later appoint Ardan to the exalted position of [[Prince's Champion]].{{cn}}

[[Leftenant]] [[Andrew Redburn]] was asked to take a tour of Lyran space with Ardan Sortek in [[3027]]. They briefly stopped on [[Pacifica]] and met with [[Leftenant Colonel]] [[Patrick Kell]] and his [[Kell Hound]] [[mercenary]] battalion in March. Draconis Combine forces shortly thereafter invaded the planet and he, assisted by [[Hauptmann-General]] [[Sarah Joss]], fought with the Kell Hounds to defend the planet from Kuritan invasion. There, Arden found himself in at least one duel against an ''[[Awesome]]''.<ref name=TKH>''The Kell Hounds'', p. 40-41 "Blackened Panthers"</ref>

===Fourth Succession War===
After the creation of the [[Tikonov Free Republic]], Ardan was posted as Pavel Ridzik's liaison officer, but the two did not get along, with Sortek secretly calling Ridzik ''The Littlest Tzar'' to Hanse Davion.<ref>''Warrior: Coupé'', p. 132: "Hanse remember Holovid he received from Ardan remarking his true feelings for Colonel Ridzik".</ref> 

On July 21st, 3029 on [[Elgin]], Ridzik complained to him, venting his frustrations at having to move his JumpShip assets from various worlds as this could lead him to feel that he was vulnerable. The conversation was one that Ardan had expected, including Ridzik complaining about the continually forestalled return of the would-be capital world of his realm. Sortek reminded him that if Hanse Davion pulled economic aid, the Republic would fall.<ref>''Warrior: Coupé'', p. 171: "Lord Colonel Ridzik press for return of Tikonov".</ref>

Ridzik's plan to rid himself of the Davion overseer was prevented by Pavel's assassination. Ardan took Ridzik's place as the provisional leader of the Republic, which afterward became part of the [[Sarna March]] of the Federated Commonwealth.<ref>''20 Year Update'', p. 12: "Unification"</ref>

===Post War===
He and Andrew met with [[Archon]] [[Katrina Steiner]] and her daughter, [[Archon-Designate]] [[Melissa Steiner]]. The pair soon found out that their initial meeting with "Melissa" was in fact the decoy [[Jeana Clay]]. Ardan was aware that the double was to be used to keep the Lyran side of the Alliance quiet while the real Melissa could stay with Hanse Davion.<ref>''Warrior: En Garde''</ref>

He ceased to be Prince's Champion upon Hanse Davion's death in [[3052]] and was replaced by [[Galen Cox]]. He was reinstated after Cox's apparent death in [[3055]], to be replaced again by [[Simon Gallagher]] under [[Katherine Steiner-Davion]]'s regime. Afterward, he was forced into exile in [[3060]] alongside Prince [[Victor Steiner-Davion]] and [[Galen Cox|Jerrard Cranston]], all of whom served with the [[Star League Defense Force]] for the next several years.{{cn}}

===FedCom Civil War===
Ardan became the primary opponent of Katherine's rule leading up to the [[Federated Commonwealth Civil War]], alongside Dukes [[Eric Dresari]], [[Morgan Kell]], Petyr VanLees, and [[Frederick Bradford]]. The death of [[Arthur Steiner-Davion]] drove Ardan and his cousin, [[Bishop Sortek]], commander of the [[Davion Brigade of Guards]] and the [[First Davion Guards]], to openly revolt. He then became Victor Steiner-Davion's second-in-command of the Allied Davion forces in the civil war.{{cn}}

In [[3065]], Ardan went to [[New Syrtis]] to try and convince [[George Hasek II|George Hasek]] to join Victor's side of the war. He was rebuffed, but tried again after George's forces had managed to destroy [[Loyalist]]s invading the planet. George refused to support Victor but would continue to defend the [[Capellan March]] worlds, though he did release the [[Davion Light Guards]] to Ardan, as well as gifting two ''[[Templar]]'' Assault OmniMechs.{{cn}}

===Death===
Sortek died on 20 April [[3067]], while in his ''Templar'' OmniMech, saving Victor's life from a Loyalist head-hunting attack during the final battle of [[New Avalon]], the culminating battle of the Civil War.<ref name=FMU14>''Field Manual: Updates'', p. 14, "3067"</ref><ref name=EGc32/>

==BattleMech==
*[[Ardan Sortek]] had a ''Victor''-9B which he lost on [[Stein's Folly]] in [[3025]] at the beginning of [[Operation DOPPELGANGER]]. He later received a new one from the [[AFFS]]. During his visit to [[Pacifica]] he assisted the [[Kell Hounds]] in defeating a [[Draconis Combine]] invasion force, engaging a Combine ''[[Awesome]]''. Due to damage this mech was left behind with the Kell Hounds for repairs, and would later be used by [[Patrick Kell]] during his final battle. During the [[War of 3039]] Sortek again piloted a ''Victor''.

==Family==
Ardan's father was [[Major]] Adriaan Sortek, Baron of Crossroads Prairie on New Avalon, and a close friend of First Prince [[Andrew Davion]].<ref name=HBHDp181/> His mother was Vela Sortek. He had one sister, Felsa, who had at least one male child of which [[Hanse Davion]] was the godfather.<ref>''The Sword and the Dagger''</ref>

He had a cousin, [[Marshal (rank)|Marshal]] [[Bishop Sortek]], who was killed in action on New Avalon in mid-October of [[3063]]. Ardan and Bishop last spoke to each other on September 23, 3063.<ref>''FedCom Civil War'', p. 77</ref>

Ardan and his wife [[Candent Septarian|Candent]] had six children: Adriaan, Valisa, [[Terias Sortek|Terias]], Meschach, Brittan and Katriel. All served in the AFFS or government roles within the Federated Suns.<ref name=HWo39p24/>

Ardan is also recorded as having a seventh son, [[Conner Sortek]], who fought for [[Devlin Stone]] during the [[Jihad]]. It's not clear if Conner was one of the six children mentioned above, using another name. Conner had a son, [[Justin Sortek]] (thus Ardan's grandson), who became the CO of the [[Davion Guards (Swordsworn)|Davion Guards]], the elite regiment of the [[Swordsworn]].<ref>''Davion Guards as part of the Swordsworn''[http://cf.sarna.net/docs/mwda_dossiers/swordsworn_davion_guards.pdf]</ref>

==Behind the Scenes==
In [[MechWarrior 5: Mercenaries#Legend of the Kestrel Lancers|''MechWarrior 5: Legend of the Kestrel Lancers'']], Ardan Sortek was voiced by [[Chris Phillips]].<ref name=MW5Mc>''MechWarrior 5: Mercenaries'', closing credits</ref>

==Notes==
* One of the first characters introduced in one of the first [[BattleTech]] novels, ''[[The Sword and the Dagger]]'', he was also one of the last to die in the final novel of the original series, ''Endgame''. Effectively, this makes him the longest-running character in the original series of BattleTech novels before the start of the [[MechWarrior: Dark Age]] novel series.

==Portrait Gallery==
<gallery>
Ardan Sortek HDTFS.jpg|Ardan at age 32 in 3025
Ardan Sortek HWo3039.jpg|Ardan at age 46 in 3039
</gallery>

==References==
<references />

==Bibliography==
* ''[[Endgame]]'' (novel)
* ''[[FedCom Civil War (sourcebook)|FedCom Civil War]]''
* ''[[House Davion (The Federated Suns)]]''
* ''[[Imminent Crisis]]'' (novel)
* ''[[Irreplaceable]]'' (short story)
* ''[[MechWarrior 5: Mercenaries]]'' (video game)
* ''[[The Sword and the Dagger]]'' (novel)
* ''[[Warrior: En Garde]]'' (novel)

[[Category:Federated Suns Characters|Sortek, Ardan]]
[[Category:Notable Victor Pilots|Sortek, Ardan]]