Cal Jorgensson

Cal Jorgensson
Cal Jorgensson
Character Profile
Born 2761[1]
Died 7 October 2834[2]
Affiliation Clan Widowmaker
Rank Khan
Siblings Hans Ole Jorgensson


Cal Jorgensson was a twenty-eighth-century Clan MechWarrior, officer, and the last Khan of Clan Widowmaker.

Personality[edit]

Jorgensson was known in his younger years as a brash and outspoken individual.

History[edit]

Cal Jorgensson was among the many Nicholas Kerensky followers who joined him in the Second Exodus to Strana Mechty.[3] He was also the older brother of Hans Ole Jorgensson, future saKhan of Clan Ghost Bear.

Operation Klondike[edit]

Dagda Campaign[edit]

After the initial assaults on Dagda in September of 2821, Jorgensson, along with the rest of his Clan's Cluster, attacked the Pentagon Power known as the Oriente Dominion. The Dominion forces were only equipped with tanks and infantry, which Cal and the rest of the Widowmakers demolished easily. However, Jorgensson's life would be changed forever by the sound of a gunshot. Within the recently secured village of Sunflower on October 21st, saKhan Mariel Sanders was assassinated by a gunman disguised as a trader. The Clan suspended its combat operations for two days. After a long meeting, the Warriors of the Widowmakers chose Jorgensson as their new saKhan. He was the first individual to be elected by provisions written by Nicholas Kerensky for when a Khan is killed in the field.

Once elevated, saKhan Jorgensson's abrasive personality triggered bad relations with his Clan's fellow invasion partners, Clans Goliath Scorpion and Fire Mandrill. He triggered this ill will by referring to those Clans' combat operations as badly organized sideshows to Widowmaker operations. Scorpion Khan Cyrus Elam, angered by Cal's brash words, attempted to initiate a Trial of Grievance against the newly elevated saKhan. However, ilKhan Kerensky refused them permission to conduct the Trial. Jorgensson and his Khan Karrige would annihilate the remaining soldiers of the Oriente Dominion, an act they viewed as justice rendered for the assassination of saKhan Sanders.[4]

Later Years: the Brutal and the End[edit]

During the Wolverine Treachery, Khan Karrige was killed in the conflict with the now Not-Named Clan in 2823.[5][6] Jorgenson was elevated to senior Khan of the Widowmakers.

However, Clan affairs had not gone smoothly with its own lower castes. The Widowmakers' merchants staged an insurrection due to the freedom that Clan Wolf merchants seemed to enjoy. With Clan Wolf's economic growth, the Wolves' merchants challenged Widowmaker Merchants for years' worth of bauxite ore used to make ferro-aluminum from its mines on Dagda. Khan Jorgensson and his fellow saKhan attempted to block the Trial from taking place, and the Wolf merchants called on their warrior touman to fight a formal Trial of Possession. Despite the Widowmakers' loss, its merchants were awed by the respect Wolves' merchants were given by its military and the freedoms they had received. The merchants protested for the same rights as their Clan Wolf counterparts, which resulted in what was seen by Khan Jorgensson and his fellows as an insurrection. Jorgensson's Widowmakers were known to be at times brutal with their own civilian population, and Khan Jorgensson had the merchants killed. The brutality exhibited by Jorgensson's Clan touman shocked the greater community of the Clans. Khan Jorgensson claimed it was an internal affair, and pointed a finger at Wolf Khan Jerome Winson as the cause of the Widowmaker merchant uprising.

Khan Winson turned to the Clan Grand Council, who decreed that the Widowmakers were unfit to rule, and the Council agreed to the Wolf Khan's demand for a Trial of Absorption. Khan Jorgensson demanded a Trial of Refusal to fight for the right of his Clan to continue to exist.

Cal Jorgensson's 'Mech shooting ilKhan Nicholas Kerensky's 'Mech.

On October 7th, 2834, Khan Jorgensson and Khan Winson poised to do battle on Ironhold, in the Steitz Plains. Jorgensson headed up ten Stars' worth of 'Mechs to do battle with the Wolf Cluster. His battle with the Wolves would be overseen by ilKhan Nicholas Kerensky and other Khans of the Council in their BattleMechs.

In the course of events, Khans Jorgensson and Winson would call a Trial of Grievance at the height of the battle. Jorgensson dueled the Wolf Khan in his BattleMech, where he did not fare well against Winson. As all looked lost for him, a Widowmaker Star of 'Mechs broke the Circle of Equals to save him from being killed by Khan Winson. The 'Mechs of the Grand Council broke the circle as well to stop Widowmaker 'Mechs from interfering. Jorgensson's 'Mech had been knocked down. Reportedly dazed, Jorgensson saw an Atlas peering down on him, and he fired into the Atlas's head. In doing so, he found to his dismay he had killed the ilKhan. This sent the Wolves into a frenzy in which they slaughtered every last one of the Widowmakers on the field.

Death and Legacy[edit]

Khan Jorgensson survived the battle only to be executed shortly after, despite his protests that Nicholas' death was an accident.[7][8][9]

The Widowmaker Clan didn't survive much longer than its last khan – Nicholas's death turned the Trial of Absorption into almost a Trial of Annihilation. Very few Widowmaker warriors were taken alive, but their genetic legacy survived in Clan Wolf.

BattleMechs[edit]

Jorgensson piloted a modified Highlander when he accidentally (or deliberately) killed ilKhan Nicholas Kerensky.

References[edit]

  1. Operational Turing Points: Widowmaker Absorption, p. 10: "Cal Jorgensson Profile"
  2. The Clans: Warriors of Kerensky, p. 14: Death and Absorption - Khan Jorgensson executed October 2834 for murder of the ilKhan
  3. Historical: Operation Klondike, p. 121: Sandra Tseng & Hans Ole Jorgensson - Profile of Hans reveals Cal is his brother
  4. Historical: Operation Klondike, p. 85: "Dratha Redux" - Dagda campaign and elevation of Cal as saKhan
  5. Historical: Operation Klondike Fact and Fiction/Aftermath - Wolverine Trial of Annihilation is given a date, Khan Karrige's death occurring during this would lead to Cal Jorgensson's ascendance to the Khanship of the Widowmakers
  6. The Clans: Warriors of Kerensky, p. ??: "Crossing the Line" - Actual year of Annihilation established.[citation needed]
  7. Historical: Operation Klondike, p. 101: Death and Rebirth - A Brief retelling of Khan Jorgensson's actions as Khan and his demise
  8. The Clans: Warriors of Kerensky, p. 14: Death and Rebirth - Jorgensson acts as Khan from brutalization of his merchants and his reportedly mistaken killing of Nicholas Kerensky which ended his Clan's existence
  9. Wolf Clan Sourcebook, p. 22: "Death and Absorption" - Original account of the battle between Cal Jorgensson and Jerome Winson

Bibliography[edit]