Michael Ryan

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Michael Ryan CCG.jpg
Michael Ryan
Character Profile
Born 3028
Affiliation Draconis Combine
Profession Sho-sa

Michael Ryan (born 3028[1] - died 3???) was the overall commander of DEST forces assigned to Task Force Serpent.

History

Early Life to Clan Invasion Era

Born on the Proserpina Prefecture world of Junction, Ryan applied for and was accepted in the Sun Tzu School of Combat. Excelling in the school's halmark of coordinating disparate military forces and formations, Michael graduated in 3050 and immediately submitted an application to the Internal Security Force for acceptance into the Draconis Elite Strike Team school on Pesht. Attaining an excellent record of cooperation, leadership and determination, Michael graduated in 3054 and was assigned to DEST Two, serving with distinction as assistant team leader on numerous operations against Clans Smoke Jaguar and Nova Cat.[1]

In August 3057, Ryan was promoted to Tai-i and designated the leader of the newly formed DEST Six, [1]surviving the loyalty inquiry after Coordinator Theodore Kurita's assassination attempt in 3058. He and DEST Team Six were later chosen to escort the Coordinator to the First Whitting Conference on Tharkad.

Task Force Serpent

A competent officer and imaginative field commander, Ryan's natural abilities to integrate his training in both conventional and non-conventional warfare made him a natural choice for the Coordinator select to command the DEST elements assigned to Task Force Serpent, promoting him to Sho-sa.[1] Once in planet Defiance, where all units of Task Force Serpent should train, Ryan's team lead a very realistic exercise, assaulting "enemy" jumpship in orbit. Though they wear Kage suits, they win... at a heavy cost of casualties, including Ryan. When their opposite leader contact Ryan, he discover their enemies weren't common Davion crewmembers: in reality, they were agents of MI$, "the Rabit Foxes". [2]. The two groups start to train together, learning to trust and learn of the other. The destiny of DEST team of Ryan, after ending the maneuvers, was the kuritan Haruna frigate. The first combat mission of Ryan and his team was in the space battle of Trafalgar. There, commodore Beresick orders the frigate and Ryan's team to board and capture the Winter Wind, a Invader-class jumpship of clan Ghost Bears who have attempted to escape, and was disabled. Ryan's team board the ship, and managed to capture it after crush the elemental marine force protecting it, without any fatal casualties. They even capture a dropShip intact, the Ice Dart.

Huntress

Ryan and his team were the first troops of Serpent to land on Huntress, because they must destroy the SDS defense system who protect the planet before the other units can land. They did it using the Ice Dart, who for the Jaguars, was "destroyed" in a crash. The ship lands on continent Abismal, while the troops throw themselves on parachutes. It took the DEST teams three nights to make their way to their objective, as surprise was essential and maximum stealth was necessary, limiting their movements to only a few kilometers every night. On March 5th, only hours before the task force was due to jump in, the DEST teams arrived at Mount Szabo and reconnoitered the entrance to the facility, finding the main gate guarded by a three meter-high wall topped with razor wiring and a pair of armored Elementals. Hijacking a hovertruck and eliminating both Elementals with well-placed Tsunami sniper shots, the teams gained entry to the facility covertly and secured the door behind them. Inside, the teams split to hit three discrete objectives: Team Four towards the main planetary sensor network control station, Team Five to take out the main Command and Control room, and finally Team Six, led by Major Ryan, was tasked with taking the SDS control center. The teams initially ran into no problems, storming each room quickly, but at the SDS command center one technician managed to trigger an alarm before being gunned down. With surprise lost, the DEST teams swiftly planted their charges and executed the remaining technicians before starting their exfiltration. A rapid response team of two Elemental Points summoned by the alarm complicated matters however, arriving as Team Four attempted egress. A brief but vicious firefight broke out that cost the DEST teams six men before the rest of their commandos arrived and eliminated the enemy reinforcements.[3]

The remaining 24 Commandos left the area before further reinforcements arrived and the charges detonated on schedule, achieving the primary objectives of the mission. However, by necessity, the DEST commandos were forced to leave their dead behind. After the first mission, Ryan's team joined without problems with the first units of Task Force, but they were too weakened to take part in the rest of Huntress battle, until the Jaguar's reinforcements arrived. Then, General Winston ordered them to protect the genetic repository of Lootera, now a field hospital for Task Force Serpent. Later, they leave his post under General Winston's orders and joined the Northern group. Their team had also taken heavy casualties, apparently while protecting the final units pulling out of Lootera, leaving them with 5 effective and 8 walking wounded.[4]. Major Ryan, somewhat frustrated at being kept out of the fighting while the other units of the Task Force fought for their lives, proposed that he set up an observation post 5 klicks out from the main Inner Sphere forces Bivouac to keep an eye on their back trail while they tried to get some rest and repair. Taking with them a number of Man portable TAG designators, the five Commandos would be in a position to spot for the half a dozen remaining units with Arrow-IV missiles should the Jaguars show up. Everyone being aware that the DEST team would not survive if the Jaguars detected them and charged, Winston gave a green light reluctantly. Later that day, a reconnaissance star of OmniMechs indeed appeared in the mountain pass they were watching. Ordered to let them go without revealing his position Ryan and his men waited patiently and half an hour later, two Trinaries of BattleMechs with many Elementals in support arrived and the commandos went into action. Three Clan 'Mechs were destroyed by the guided missile attack and a forth heavily damaged. Major Ryan personally made an Anti-Mech attack on a fifth, blowing off its leg, but in exchange the DEST team was destroyed - although Major Ryan and one other survivor would manage to break contact and eventually rejoin the Northern army and the four remaining WIA commandos who had been forced to sit the engagement out.[5] If there are other survivors wounded probably were executed by Jaguar troops after they attack the camp of the North group. It is almost certain than Ryan survived the campaign. Their final destiny after return to Combine is unknown, but probably was promoted for his heroism.

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Twilight of the Clans, p. 15 "Personalities - Sho-sa Michael Ryan"
  2. The Hunters p. 90
  3. Sword and Fire, ch. 15
  4. Sword and Fire p. 70
  5. Shadows of War, page 96

Bibliography