Aaron Sandoval II

File:Aaron Sandoval.gif

Duke Aaron Sandoval (Born 3099) - 32nd Century nobleman, politician, MechWarrior, rebel faction leader, and the last Lord Governor of The Republic of the Sphere's Prefecture IV.

History

Early Life

Born on Robinson to parents, Mark and Pamela Sandoval, his mother dies during childbirth. After two years, his father Mark brings Aaron back to the Republic on Addicks. Sometime later his mother Countess Edwina Sandoval joins them on Addicks and helps raise Aaron. His father, during his infancy returns to Republic politics as Addick's Assistant Governor in 3107. Aaron's grandmother becomes important to him and gives him early education in world of politics.

Growing up, Aaron with influence of his grandmother, pursues education centered around politics. After going number of Republic schools, he goes overseas to the Federated Suns world of Marlette in 3115. At the Brighton Preparatory school, he becomes fast friends with his cousin and future First Prince Harrison Davion. Time with Harrison encourages him to excel in his education, specially political science. He then attends the Republic's Sandhurst MechWarrior Academy from 3117 until 3120, where he tested well as a MechWarrior. He also goes to League University to pursue degrees in political science before entering military as part of his mandatory military service requirements.

Brief Military Career

During his career with Republican Armed Forces, he served principally as military aide to Legates on Addicks. Despite his good performance as MechWarrior, he drawn into serving the military bureaucracy. However, was drawn into active combat as part of a Task Force of Republican forces combat and hunt down smuggling on the border. During the campaign he soon discovers the pirates/smugglers are backed by members of his family from the Federated Suns during battle on Schedar. He instrument in secretly covering up his family ties in pirate/smuggling activities and shutting them down on that world. Publicly, it is unknown that his family was involved in the raids. His active combat role ended prematurely as he was pulled duty as aide to Prefecture VI's Legate Amanda Cross.

In 3123, his father, then Count Addicks, dies stroke prior to him attempting re-starts his career as republic senator. His father's death proves to be turning point, making choose get into politics after his military career ends.

At end of military service time in 3124, Republic military attempted to entice Aaron to remain with Armed Forces. However due to personal reasons, he choose not to.

Early Political Career

During his early days of his career, he steadily rises from in Addick's politics. He proved to be able administrator and served as aide Prefecture IV's Lord Governor William Sung. In 3127, Aaron is elected as Governor of Addicks, where he begins his efforts to spread his influence across Republic's political scene. He builds good will among the where he champion projects that help the non-citizens residents works. Though his efforts, the Immigrant Coalition Committee would come through for him allowing him become Lord Governor of Prefecture IV in year later.

As Lord Governor of Prefecture IV

During his service as Governor for the Republic as governor of Prefecture VI he word hard with his ambitions.

In 3130, Aaron appointed Kal Radick as Prefect over experienced General Michael Sampson when he was given two candidates to considered by the Paladins. Aaron was involved in the General Sampson withdrawing his candidacy and becoming Prefecture's training Commandant.

However, he made number enemies, including on his home world of Addicks. Where CEO Jacob Bannson of Bannson's Bannson Universal Unlimited became critic of Aaron due to him passing anti-trust measure which blocked Bannson expanding his empire. Aaron travels between Prefectures of the Republic in his private DropShip, Opportunity, on diplomatic and trade missions. He was noted for his personal wealth, Northwind and later Terra where he seen as Tikonov’s Earthwerks Ltd would created expansive deal between multiple Prefectures.

Also during this time prior to the Blackout in August 3132, the he seen exchanging harsh words with Prefect Katana Tormark. Citing her as lack of loyalty to the Republic, despite her actions in curbing BattleMech smuggling.

The Blackout & Swordsworn

After the collapse of HPG Network in early August 3132, Aaron begins to use his influence to form his own armed force. Forming secretly his breakaway faction which would be known as Swordsworn. His army, using his influence and his regiment of personnel, he begun bring worlds under his influence while not openly admitting rebellion against the Republic. In forming the Swordsworn, he believes bring these worlds under aegis of House Davion, that he be rewarded for his efforts. He recruits from many disenchanted individuals with skill, equipment and money, including those whom were originally part Federated Suns.

He puts his cousin, Erik Sandoval-Groell, which he help raised since a child become a Commander of his forces. Uses him as leading agent to command elements of his army fight against other renegade Republic splinter factions including his own Prefect, Kal Radick. He first dispatches Aaron to Mara, where Erik was to influence Sandoval family on the Prefecture III world to join his Swordsworn. However, Christine Sandoval siding with natives fights Aaron's proxy returns Erik back to him on Tikonov.

Aaron then dispatches his disgraced cousin, to Achernar where Swordsworn forces on planet would attempt to usurp control of Archernar's rare functional HPG Station in 3133 from Republican and Radick's Steel Wolves forces.

The Liao Incursion

New Aargon and New Canton

In 3134, Capellan Confederation commenced a incursion into Republic's Prefectures V and VI. Seeing this as opportunity gather more worlds under his banner, Aaron offers his SwordSworn to aide in fight to repulse the Confederation forces. On New Aargon in October, bulk of Aaron's forces such as this Davion Guards, help blunt attempt to take planet. Aaron had selected the planet, since it was well defended and would be the best place to bloody nose of the invasion force. However despite his forces success and his swooning support by the planetary governor, he knew efforts to stop incursion was beyond his means.

Leaving his Cousin in charge of the cleaning up New Aargon, Aaron traveled the Prefecture's VI capital on New Canton. There he attempted to negotiate a defense pack with Prefecture's government. However New Canon government delayed in his talks for days, only meeting with Prefecture's Lord Governor Jose Sebhat once. It wasn't days later did New Canton's Legate, General Divos Sebhat announce that talks were never to begin. He tells Aaron, that they had engaged in talks with House Liao officials and signed a non-aggression pack with them. Gifting three their worlds to avoid open conflict on New Canton. He also reveal the he knew the Duke's allegiance to the Republic was questioned, that he had his own agenda to join House Davion. The Legate then announced Aaron only had hour to leave the planet. If he fails to leave the planet, he would be arrested and held for Confederation officials. Aaron and his party makes a mad dash and drive through New Canton's capital of Merrick City. Fighting through relentless traffic, they make it to space port and take off in Aaron's flagship, a Union Class DropShip, Kiwanda. However, during lift off, the DropShip experiences explosion which destroys the ship's landing gear and damages the ship's engines. With no help from the ship's captain, Aaron takes his bodyguard Ulysses Paxton, his valet Deena Onan, and rushed to the 'Mech bay. There he mounts his modified Black Hawk and has his two employees squeeze into confines of his 'Mech, (The body guard into a empty missile bay, Deena squeezed into small alcove in back of cockpit.). Aaron is forced to lazes through the dropship's Bay door and uses his 'mechs improved jump jets fly free from the doom ship.

Aaron manages to control the descent of his 'Mech near a reef off shore of Barosa Island. Burning out his 'Mech Jump Jets, he manages to keep his body guard alive as he slogged along shallow reef to the shore. He manages maneuver his 'Mech from crashing wave of his Dropship's crash landing. Once on isle's shore from Gulf of Emeralds, he makes his way to the Island's Spaceport.

Once at the Spaceport perimeter, he attack by the Spaceport's security forces. His 'Mech damaged, and running hot. Aaron reflects on his situation compelled to believe that it that accident that claimed his DropShip was sabotage. Aaron then offers reward to any DropShip crew who would aide him from escaping New Canton. He is rescued as his Black Hawk becomes disabled by Captain Gus Clancy at foot of his Excalibur Class DropShip, the Tyrannos Rex.

Tyrannos Rex & Campaign to Swoon Worlds

Captain Clancy uses his loading 'Mech to drag Aaron's Black Hawk aboard the Tyrannous Rex under fire by the pair security 'Mechs. The 'Rex's guns fends off the attempt to take out the Duke, however Space Port Security 'Mechs hit Aaron's Black Hawk and injures him as he and his party is pulled aboard. His 'Mech had taken near, head hit nearly killing him.

After take off and fending off New Canton security forces, Aaron wakes up and meets the 'Rex captain. Aaron is amused by the Captain Clancy's rough and honest character and negotiates deal for him to rent out his ship serve as his flagship.

While Aaron was on the run, New Canton government begun to circulate news/rumors of the Aaron's demised. By the October 20th, the Aaron managed to counter the circulating new of his death with his own announcement of him surviving bungled assassination attempt.

In travels to Pleione to a SwordSworn Fleet staging area and meets with Erik. He reveals to Erik that he has revelation of changing his strategy of trying gather worlds to their banner. He reveals that only way he muster enough forces fight of the Liao Incursion is to muster sufficent worlds into a Coalition. Aaron tells Erik had decided to utilize the Tyrannos Rex and convert into mobile headquarter and palace. That he needs to apply new method to more successfully gain allies to join him. He then dispatches Erik to Shensi, where he is to conduct important diplomatic mission to win world for the SwordSworn. Secretly, Aaron had dispatched Deena to conduct mission to guarantee Erik's success on Shensi. By arranging the Liao mercenary company, St. Cyr’s Grenadiers, to attack Shensi during Erik's predicted negotiating difficulties.

After parting ways with his nephew, Aaron has the Tyrannos Rex to Azha. There on planet, he has the ship refitted into his envisioned flying palace and command center.

In late November, Aaron arrives on the newly refitted Tyrannos Rex and puts on spectacular show to announce his arrival. On board his ship, he conducts a extensive party for notable government officials as well as local celebrities. He uses the planned Liao raid on Shensi, to encourage the local government sign on to his coalition of worlds.

By December 5th, his nephew arrives in orbit with meet Aaron's flagship. He congratulates him after learning from him the success of winning Shensi to their cause, however Erik distressed to find he was sent on mission he unknowingly would have been likely killed by mercenaries that he arranged. Aaron dispatches Erik to take command SwordSworn forces struggling against invasion on St. Andre.

He then travels to Poznan he tries to win the highly contentious population to join his cause. However, before any deal could be made, alert arrives of Erik's forces situation on St. Andre has turned desperate. Aaron then careens to his allies and musters all the SwordSworn forces he can muster and brings rushes to aide his nephew's forces.

On December 24th, as the Liao forces begun their invasion of ancient Star League outpost, Fort Ravengale. Aaron's force of four DropShips and numerous of 'Mechs conduct a hot drop after destroying Liao forces conducting a orbital insertion against the Fort. He then leads his men in hot drop with own refurbished Black Hawk rally his troops and force out Liao forces.

His arrival raises his troop's morale, is fight. They give him nick name of the Flying Duke, due to his dramatic hot drop insertion to save the fort. After the clean up, he meets with nephew at telling him he had learned of the Liao spy that he had been dealing with. Erik gave casually tell him that he'd taken care of her.

Notes

Some early information is found in the Republic of the Sphere PDF original appeared in the character WizKids canon website, as a online INN Profile. After the events of novel Fortress Republic, its is unclear happen to Aaron Sandoval.

Aaron Sandoval II during 3134 was noted for piloting a customized Dark Age era non-OmniMech version of the Black Hawk BattleMech. The 'Mech based on original version with addition of Improved Jumpjets. It was painted with glimmering White with gold highlights.

Bibliography

• A Call to Arms
• Fortress of Lies
• Sword of Sedition
• Fortress Republic
• Republic of the Sphere PDF - Free Canon Online Source provided by Catalyst Game Labs.