Richard Calderon (24th c.)

Richard Calderon
Character Profile
Died 2387
Affiliation House Calderon
Profession Protector of the Realm
Parents Sandra Calderon (mother)
Children Daniel Calderon

History[edit]

Richard Calderon was the Protector who created the political entity that is now known as the Taurian Concordat in 2335, the year he succeeded his mother Sandra Calderon as Protector of Taurus. By this time the nascent colony had expanded out of Flannagan's Nebulea and counted no less than 18 star systems and many millions of citizens. Richard announced his intention to form a new political organization, the Concordat. This would be a commonwealth polity of the Taurian colonies and the local newcomers interested in accepting his technology and protection. Richard swore a "hands-off" local policy intending only to control the military and keep all trade within (and without) the Concordat regulated fairly and openly. Of the 18 worlds invited only Mandrace declined to join the Concordat.[1]

Calderon had organized the Concordat just in time. By 2360, the Federated Suns took notice of "somebody" operating in the Periphery on their borders when Taurian explorer Tracy Ashton Pendelton organized a revolt to free 15,000 captured Sarna Supremacy citizens on the Davion world of Tentativa that same year. Pendelton and her crew had been mapping and surveying star systems for the Concordat when they found the captive Bellites. The prisoners had been taken captive during a Federated Suns assault on the Sarna Supremacy world Bell in 2355. This act of compassion sparked a hostility between the Taurian Concordat and the Federated Suns that would span 700 years.[1] Convinced of the barbarism of the Inner Sphere, by 2368, the Taurian Concordat was prepared when it was inadvertently discovered by "Freicorps" retainers of the Tikonov Union noble Lord Tormassov fleeing the Capellan Confederation. Pursuing Capellan forces commanded by Anthony LeBlanc discovered the "Freicorps" in the Pinard system of the Concordat. Rushing to the scene at the head of the Taurian fleet Richard instead chose to open a dialog with Tormassov in the hopes of learning more about Inner Sphere weapons and tactics. The protracted dialog did not create any alliance but did allow Capellan General LeBlanc to catch up with Tormassov. In the ensuing battle several Taurian WarShips were captured and used to flee LeBlanc, who followed them... into a Federated Suns flotilla stationed at Sanurcha. Though the Tikonov "Freicorps" were able to escape (and were never heard from again), the Capellan pursuit force also encountered the flotilla and was destroyed, but the distinctive Taurian WarShips confirmed the existence of another nation "involved" in attacking the Federated Suns.[2][3]

Davion naval forces then attacked Robsart only to be beaten off with losses by the young Taurian Fleet. Despite this victory, Richard knew the cover on his nation was truly blown. Reynard Davion would neither forget nor forgive the destruction and capture of his forces. Sporadic fighting spread from Robsart throughout the Pleiades Cluster over the next two years. On Taurus, Richard Calderon granted himself emergency powers to prepare for what he thought would be a war to the death. Reynard did not have the time or resources to smash "an organized band of pirates" beyond the rim of New Syrtis, instead focusing on battling House Liao. Richard kept his emergency powers until his death in 2387 always certain a full-scale Davion attack was coming soon.[2][4]

Notes[edit]

  • Sandra Calderon's birth and death are not listed, though her son Richard supposedly succeeded her in the year 2335. In The Periphery, however, the paragraphs containing references to Sandra indicate she took over in 2330, but also say "In her first decade of her protectorship Sandra sponsored the colonization of..." If she did in fact serve as Protector for at least a decade, then the dates of Richard's rule may be incorrect. Also within those paragraphs are dates of "The years 2330 to 2360 were a time of prosperity..." possibly meaning the actual dates of her rule.

References[edit]

  1. 1.0 1.1 The Periphery, First Edition, p. 17
  2. 2.0 2.1 The Periphery, First Edition, p. 18
  3. House Liao (The Capellan Confederation), p. 24
  4. House Davion (The Federated Suns), p. 24

Bibliography[edit]