Jeffrey Calderon

Jeffrey Calderon.jpg
Jeffrey Calderon
Character Profile
Born 3026
Died 28 July 3061[1]
Affiliation House Calderon
Position Protector of the Realm
Parents Thomas Calderon (father)
Katherine Calderon (mother)
Siblings Edward Calderon
Ian Calderon
Janice Calderon
Felix Calderon
Children Erik Martens-Calderon (illegitimate)

Jeffrey Calderon was youngest son of Protector Thomas Calderon and his wife Katherine. He reigned as Protector of the Taurian Concordat from 3055 to 3061.

History[edit]

Heir House Calderon[edit]

The youngest of all the Calderons in his generation, Jeffrey was not initially the heir apparent, but tragedy struck his family with alarming regularity until, finally, he was the only available Calderon of his generation to take the Protectorship. The eldest brother Edward died in a Dropship accident in 3034[2] and his brother Ian was eaten by a Thraxan Devourer in 3042 while on campaign with the mercenary Green Mountain Boys[3]. His sister Janice would have been a marvelous Protector, but her infection with the Brisbane Virus, a degenerative nerve disease with no known cure, made her unable to take the Protectorship and keep what little of her health remained.[4]. His last sibling Felix disappeared on an exploratory mission into the Deep Periphery and has not been seen since.[5]. This decimation of House Calderon left Jeffrey the only heir when his father's growing mental illness finally came to a head.

Protectorship[edit]

Jeffrey Calderon came to be Protector at the request of Janice Calderon and Marshal Hadji Doru after Marshal Doru declared Thomas Calderon unfit to rule. Thomas' paranoia had been growing for many years and reached a zenith in 3055 when he demanded that the military arrest prominent members of the government. These governmental officials had disobeyed his commands in regards to support of the Far Lookers movement and in the resumption of active colonization from the Concordat. Though his concerns, that extending the borders would make it harder to protect the peoples of the Concordat, were relevant, his response was not appropriate and Marshal Hadji Doru came to Jeffrey and begged him to take the reins of government from his father. [6] With his assumption of power Jeffrey became one of the youngest Protectors in Taurian Concordat history.[7]

The new Protector had many challenges facing him in his first years, including a faltering economy and a populace that was tired of the constant stresses of multiple years of heightened military alert under his father's leadership. One of his first official acts was to repeal civilian conscription of builders and construction personnel as well as the various taxes that had been earmarked for military buildup in the Concordat. He also announced measures to enhance trade, both internal to the Concordat and with external governments and trading partners. He also repealed the restrictions that had been placed on Concordat colonization efforts.[6]

In the years before becoming the Protector, Jeffrey had been in secret negotiations with Emma Centrella of the Magistracy of Canopus to support stronger trade relations and joint colonization efforts. With his assumption of power these negotiations became open and, in March of 3056, the Treaty of Taurus was signed between the Canopian and the Concordat governments.[6]

Jeffrey came to power with the support of the people and the military. He was ably advised by his sister Janice and was seen to be both intelligent and energetic, and under his guidance the Concordat entered a renaissance of sorts.[7] Under his leadership the Taurian economy strengthened and his policies toward government spending caused a resurgence in production of all products throughout the Concordat. He authorized increased production of BattleMechs in Taurian factories, funding this expansion with the reorganization and streamlining of Military spending.[6] The unofficial motto of his reign was "Men and Machines, anything else is wasteful".[8]

During the waning years of the 3050s the Centrella-lead Canopian government entered into an agreement with the Capellan Confederation which promised favored trade status and joint military support between the two realms. In 3058 diplomats from both nations approached the Protector to join the Capellan/Canopian alliance as an equal partner. Though Jeffrey was hesitant regarding the military ties inherent in the Alliance he did see the advantages of a trade partnership for the Concordat. His hesitation stemmed from his distrust of Capellan leader Sun-Tzu as well as his reluctance to commit Taurian forces to military adventures in the turbulent Inner Sphere. The three leaders agreed to meet in a summit to be held in the New Colony Region on the planet Detroit in the latter months of 3060. This planet was chosen because the state of the art BattleMech facilities that had been built with Capellan support were seen as a graphic example of the benefits of this potential Trinity Alliance. This decisions would have fateful consequences for both Jeffrey and the future of the Concordat.[9]

Death[edit]

On Christmas Eve of 3060 President Sherman Maltin and a group of rogue Colonial Marshals took the Magestrix and Protector hostage, demanding freedom for the New Colony Region in return for their safety and release. The leaders of the Canopian and Taurian governments were held hostage until the early months of 3061 when a force comprised of Capellan and Magestracy units, led by Naomi Centrella, attacked the rebellious Colonial forces on Detroit. The rescue attempt freed the Magestrix, but Jeffrey Calderon was killed during the rescue when he was caught in the crossfire.[9]

Upon his death, with no obvious or legally recognized heirs of House Calderon available, the mantle of Protector was taken by Grover Shraplen, a vocal opponent to the policies and government of Jeffrey Calderon.[9]

Rumors of Heirs[edit]

Though Jeffrey was never married rumors of an heir persisted. The most prevalent lead back to his early years during his period of mandatory service in the Taurian Military.[7] During this period it was known that he had a liaison with an officer of the Taurian mercenary unit Prey's Divisionals. This romance was renewed upon his assumption of the Protectorship, and there is a youth of appropriate age among the dependents of this unit.[10]

These rumors would subsequently be proved true in the form of Erik Martens-Calderon, and with tensions between the Magistracy of Canopus and Taurian Concordat increasing between 3063 and 3066 over the actions of the TDF within the New Colony Region at Shraplen's instruction and the subsequent Canopian occupation of Detroit, Baron Kithrong called for Shraplen to step down in favor of Erik in 3066. Shraplen's subsequent refusal and the increasing instability of his government would ultimately lead to a number of Taurian worlds seceding and forming a new realm, the Calderon Protectorate, with Erik as ruler-in-waiting and Kithrong as regent.[11]

References[edit]

  1. Era Report: 3062, p. 27
  2. The Periphery, 2nd Edition (sourcebook) p. 12
  3. 'Mercenaries Supplemental II p. 39
  4. The Periphery, 2nd Edition (sourcebook) pp. 13 and 14
  5. The Periphery, 2nd Edition (sourcebook) p. 13
  6. 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 The Periphery, 2nd Edition (sourcebook) p. 14
  7. 7.0 7.1 7.2 The Periphery, 2nd Edition (sourcebook) p. 26
  8. Field Manual: Periphery p. 49
  9. 9.0 9.1 9.2 Inner Sphere (sourcebook) pp. 105 and 106
  10. Mercenaries Supplemental II p. 55
  11. Handbook: Major Periphery States, p. 67, "Restoration: The Calderon Protectorate"

Bibliography[edit]