Lori Kalmar

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'Lori Kalmar Carlyle
Character Profile
Born ca. 3005[1]
Died 18 July 3065
Affiliation Oberon Confederation
Gray Death Legion
Profession MechWarrior
Spouse Grayson Death Carlyle
Children Alexander Carlyle

Lori Kalmar Carlyle was a MechWarrior who lived during the late Succession Wars and the Clan Invasion. She rose to the position of XO of the famous Gray Death Legion, eventually marrying its commander, Grayson Death Carlyle. In 3065 Lori even took over command of the Legion after her husband's death and held that position until her own death in battle later during the same year.

Appearance[edit]

Lori Kalmar was a beautiful, tall woman with long blond hair.

History[edit]

Childhood[edit]

Lori Kalmar was born on the icy world of Sigurd in the Periphery. Her parents were killed in a house fire when she was 13, instilling in her a fear of fire that would persist until the Verthandi campaign.[2]

Military Career[edit]

At age thirteen, one year after becoming a state ward, Kalmar applied to the Sigurd Defense Forces and was on her way to becoming a MechWarrior with the Sigurd Independent Light Assault Group when in or shortly before 3024, a sergeant in charge of her school section tried to sexually harass her. She forcefully resisted, but subsequently found herself reassigned to what turned out to be a mercenary "Special Expeditionary Force" under Harimandir Singh that had nothing at all to do with the Oberon Confederation or its military. Kalmar thus wound up as one of the MechWarriors that attacked Trell I as part of a ploy by Duke Hassid Ricol to wrest control of the planet away from the Lyran Commonwealth.

She piloted a Locust during the operation, but was forced to surrender when Grayson Carlyle threatened to launch an Inferno round onto her 'Mech. Her fear of fire caused her to freeze and eventually surrender to the young commander.[3]

Kalmar subsequently worked together with Carlyle to eventually overthrow Ricol's forces once she realized that she and the three other Sigurdian trainees in her unit had been set up to be killed. Carlyle secured a Shadow Hawk during the rebellion and Kalmar was again given command of her Locust. After Trell I was freed, she and several Trellwan natives who had become part of the fledgling unit left the planet and traveled to Galatea where they found employment as trainers to the Verthandi Revolutionary Council.

Kalmar was captured by Governor-General Masayoshi Nagumo's troops on Verthandi and faced her deep-seated fear of fire, overcoming her fear to attack her interrogator and save Carlyle's life. Carlyle again commandeered a 'Mech, this time a Marauder, and Kalmar received the Shadow Hawk after her 'Mech was destroyed defending Verthandi infantry.

During the campaign on Helm, Kalmar and Carlyle realized their love for each other and the two became lovers. They later married and had a son, Alexander.

In 3045, she wrote an account of her time in the Legion, 'Mechs of Flesh and Blood under the Kalmar surname.[4] It apparently sold quite well as eight years later she wrote Mechs of Flesh and Blood, Vol. 2 this time under Kalmar-Carlyle[5] followed by Mechs of Flesh and Blood, Vol. 3 in 3058.[6]

FedCom Civil War and Death[edit]

During the FedCom Civil War, Lori took command of the Legion after Grayson's death after a long battle with cancer in 3065. At the same time, the Legion was assigned to Hesperus II to defend the critical planet from not only forces loyal to Victor Ian Steiner-Davion, but also from Skye separatists. During the final battle against the separatists held at the Defiance Industries complex, Lori Kalmar-Carlyle was killed by a hand grenade while fighting pursuing infantry, after being forced to eject from her damaged 'Mech.[7]

BattleMechs[edit]

For most of her career, Kalmar piloted two primary 'Mechs in combat - the Locust and the Shadow Hawk. She was highly adept in piloting both 'Mech designs, despite their design differences. The Shadow Hawk, called "Boss Lady", was lost on Glengarry during Marshal Brandal Gareth's assault in 3057 during Operation Excalibur, and she piloted a replacement Zeus later that year during the Legion's fight on Hesperus II against the Marshal, losing it at the end of the battle. She later briefly piloted Grayson's Victor after he died, until her own death on Hesperus II in '65.

Portrait Gallery[edit]

References[edit]

  1. According to Decision at Thunder Rift, ch. 16: Lori Kalmar is "almost 19 standard years old" when she is captured on Trellwan in 3024
  2. Decision at Thunder Rift, p. 134
  3. Decision at Thunder Rift, pp. 134–136
  4. Gray Death Legion, pp. 32–50
  5. Day of Heroes, pp. 41–55
  6. Day of Heroes, p. 99
  7. The Dying Time

Bibliography[edit]