Charles Winston

Charles K. Winston[1]
Personal
Born2963[1]
Died3053[2]
AffiliationEridani Light Horse
Profile
RankColonel
ProfessionMechWarrior
Family
ChildrenAriana Winston[2]
Gloria Winston[3]

Colonel Charles K. Winston was the commanding officer of the 21st Striker Regiment ("Winston’s Moonrakers") of the Eridani Light Horse, and its Command Company ("Winston’s Guards"), from at least 2998[4] until 3029.[5][1][6]

Personal Appearance[edit]

As a younger man, in his mid to late thirties in 2998 and 2999, Charles was described as tall, being built like a tank and having impassive blue eyes.[4][7] However, by the time he had reached his sixties in 3025 and 3029, he had become short and thin, though this contrasted with his still thunderous voice.[1] At this stage he however was still muscular like a former rugby player with medium-brown skin, with a thick graying goatee, and a heavily lined face.[5]

By the time of his death in his nineties, he would be recalled by his daughter Ariana Winston as having a lighter complexion than her own mahogany skin,[2] while still being short and thin.[3]

These relatively drastic changes in his appearance over time may have been attributed not only to his advancing age, but also his poor health, since from at least 3025 Charles had known that his heart was failing and at risk of causing a fatal heart attack.[1][5]

History[edit]

Marriage and Children[edit]

Charles was married in 2995, to a physician who worked in one of the Eridani Light Horse's MASH units.[1][5] Together they had two daughters, being:

  • Gloria Winston, the couple's eldest daughter, who grew up to be a historian.[1][3]
  • Ariana Winston, the couple's youngest[5] daughter born in 3011, who grew up to be a MechWarrior and later commander of the Eridani Light Horse.[1][8]

Charles was closer to Ariana than Gloria, due to Ariana choosing to follow in her father's footsteps, which was a source of some tension between the sisters.[3] Despite this close connection, when Ariana joined the Eridani Light Horse at 19 years of age around 3029 and struggled with basic training, he ordered that she receive no special treatment.[8][9]

Eleventh Battle of Hesperus II[edit]

Charles was already a Colonel and commander of the 21st Striker Regiment in July 2998, when his unit was successful in the Eleventh Battle of Hesperus II, repelling an attack on Hesperus II by forces from the Free Worlds League. This victory was however only won by 21st Striker purposely disobeyed orders from their incompetent ranking Lyran Commonwealth officer, Leutnant-General Wilhelm Mouttheim.[4]

Contract Negotiation[edit]

In July 2999 following increasing concern within the Eridani Light Horse at the incompetence of social generals placed over them by the Lyran Commonwealth, including the debacle on Hesperus II the previous year, Charles participated in the attempted renegotiation of the Light Horse's contract with the Lyrans on Auldhouse seeking more independent command arrangements. After these talks failed, Charles was sent to Galatea in order to negotiate a contract with a new employer, agreeing provisional terms with the Federated Suns on 14 October 2999.[7]

Late Career[edit]

By 3025, at age 63, Charles was the oldest line officer in the Eridani Light Horse. Due to his heart condition, which was only known to his family, close friends, personal Doctor and his commanding officer Brevet General Nathan Armstrong, Charles planned to retire within the year in order to avoid endangering his troops by having a heart attack in the middle of a battle.[1]

He however deferred his retirement, still being active in 3029, on the basis he would wait until his youngest daughter Ariana Winston had certified as a MechWarrior later that year.[5]

This deferral meant that when the Fourth Succession War started, he was still in command of the 21st Striker, and was in charge of their ambush of Warrior House Hiritsu on the Federated Suns world of Kawich on 12 January 3029. This was a catastrophic error however, as despite his wife and daughter Ariana installing a CPR Machine in his 'Mech, he suffered a major heart attack during the battle and lost consciousness. With his Regimental Executive Officer Major Jamal Fallehy already injured in the battle together with many other casualties, which was proving to be a struggle due to his forces being out of position based on poor intelligence received from their employer the Federated Suns, Charles attempted to pass command to Captain Cynthia Paulson.

Paulson however, a close family friend of Charles who grew up considering him an adopted uncle and who knew about his heart issues, dismounted her 'Mech to go to his aid leaving the even more junior MechWarrior Rowan Avellar effectively in charge of two battalions. While Paulson found Charles without breath or pulse, and thus effectively dead, she was able to revive him with the help of the CPR Machine in his 'Mech.

This lapse in command structure was however considered embarrassing by First Prince Hanse Davion, leading to a cover story being published, which reported the battle was a resounding success. In this fake story, Major Fallehy assumed temporary command of the 21st Striker Regiment, following Colonel Winston collapsing in his 'Mech. These reports, based on Charles dying at least for time, also include the incorrect assertion that he had later died in a Light Horse field hospital and was the only warrior lost by the Light Horse during the battle.[10][5]

First Prince Davion, at a debriefing session on New Avalon in March 3029 which Charles attended together with other senior Light Horse officers, also ordered that Charles only remain in commander of his regiment until Major Fallehy recovered from his injuries and was ready to take over. In the meantime, Charles was required to take his regiment to Sudeten, where it would be on loan to the Lyran Commonwealth and charged with the defense of the Olivetti Weapons facility on that world.[5]

Death[edit]

Charles lived long after he had ceased being an active MechWarrior, dying in 3053 at an advanced age.[2]

BattleMech[edit]

Winston was known to pilot a BattleMaster BattleMech.[6][10][5]

References[edit]

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 1.8 Mercenary's Handbook, p. 73
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 The Hunters, ch. 3
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 Sword and Fire, ch. 3
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Endless War
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 5.6 5.7 5.8 There's No We in Mercenary
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 Mercenary's Handbook, p. 76
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 The Hand that Feeds
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 Twilight of the Clans, p. 14
  9. ↑ Cyclops Lore and Blueprint
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 NAIS The Fourth Succession War Military Atlas Volume 1, p. 92

Bibliography[edit]

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