Cassiopeia Suthorn

Cassie Suthorn (Born 3031) 31st Century Infantry Soldier, Scout, and Mercenary with the 17th Reconnaissance Regiment.

Character Description

In her prime, Cassie Suthorn was tough and fearless Scout and Anti-Mech infantry trooper. She used her fear of BattleMechs from her childhood to over come most her fears. Though she was is emotionally troubled. Ethnically she has mix of Thai, Filipino, Japanese, French and Irish, which her asian heritage most pronounced. She been described in her youth as small brown skinned Asian women, with black hair and gray blue eyes. Cassie time on the street in her youth allowed her to control her emotions, and so she can choose what she would like to project.

Character History

Early Life

Born as Cassiopeia Suthorn, she was child of Draconis Combine nationals Alexandra Yamaguchi Suthorn & Manco Suthorn. After her birth in the Combine, her parents immigrated to the Capellan Confederation world of Larsha as refugees. Her family had higher-status than they had in Combine, her mother and other fellow female refugees attempt buy clothing recapture that status. In those very year years, Cassie was happy child living on out skirts of the planetary capital city of Kalimantan. This changed in May of 3034, when BattleMech force arrived to raid the planet's capital. Her father at the time was Commander among the armed forces protecting the city, she meet with his young family one more time before called to fight.

The Larsha authorities in preventing panic to spread, only issued a Alert and forbid any evacuation. The fighting reached Cassie's home where stood outside as a Atlas BattleMech course of fighting the infantry troops trashed her home before her eyes as her frighten mother move keep safe from her house's destruction. Later learned her father was killed in fighting she witness and this event dramatized her with nightmares of BattleMechs.

In growing up, her mother became more detached seen many lovers after her husband had died. By early teenage years, Cassie had been raped one of them. Due to her mother's having multiple lovers, she developed feelings of not liking exploit herself.

She came under the guidance of Guru Johann, who trained her in martial arts of Pentjak Silat. He had drawn to her, to become her mentor & teach since she felt he could sense her emotion hunger to destroy the demons of her dreams. On her 12th birthday, he gave her a twelve hundred year old Kris blade by him which she named Blood-drinker. She loved Guru, learned much from him as mentor. He taught her how to master manic and fear she experienced. He on giving Blood-drinker to her, told her the wavy shaped blade was alive, that it remember all the battles it had been used since its forging on Terra's Malay Archipelago.

Shortly after, receiving her Kris, Guardsman lover of her mother attempted again have his way with her. She presented her Kris as means of stopping him and threaten to kill him. He left vowing he would return with his squad mates to take care of her permanently. When she went to her mother, she slapped Cassie saying she should not done anything. With that, she left her home and only Kris and clothes on her back.

In Service with Larsha Home Guard

Living on the streets of Kalimantan, Cassie learned that stealth was the key to surviving on the streets. She ran with a range of shady folks, from con-artists and street punks, to other street-smart individuals. Remembering her mother's behavior with relationships kept her from becoming prostitute and developed dislike to beautiful women who seemed to flaunt themselves. When she was 16 years old, Cassie had become a street thug, and was forced by the authorities to join the planetary militia's criminal troops. Her unit was designated as the Glorious Redemption Detachment 325.

In 3047, BattleMechs were raiding Larsha capital city. During the raid, her GRD troop was raiding business. However, as BattleMechs neared the locations, something down in her changed. She turn her fears, into fearlessness, despite her not holding ranks, she took charge of the criminal youth and lead them out of the building. As raiders closing to their position, she devised means to take down inbound 'Mechs she so hated. As a Wolverine, closed to her position she had her fellow troopers gather mob handle and fire ax. She then scooped up the live electrical wire she had previously cut with the ax, and charged the Wolverine and struck the 'Mech in its knee joint. The powerful charge fused the actuator, and caused it to fall. Dumbstruck in her accomplishment which could not believe managed cripple a BattleMech, she begun to be surrounded by other 'Mechs of the raiding force. The down MechWarrior, Bobby Wolf, was angry at destruction of his beloved machine threatens to take her down himself. However, he stopped by woman piloting a Phoenix Hawk BattleMech identified herself as Lt. Senior Grade Patricia Camacho of the 17th Reconnaissance Regiment. Where she asked her after seeing her potential talent Cassie exhibited, she asked for Cassie to surrender. Which would mean, her being taken off planet, likely forever. She having expected to die, before after taking down the BattleMech, had nothing loose and did so. Cassie passes out in front of the Lt. Camacho's Mech, as she moves big machine to pick her up.

Early Years with the 17th Recon

Two years after her recruitment, Cassie was placed in ranks of infantry of the Regiment. However, she did not fit in. Many of the Regiment's clannish culture had prevented her feeling part of the regiment and as part its family. By 3049, the regiment was hired work on the Magistracy of Canopus world of Borgan's Rift, on a contract eliminate the world of pirate band lead by the Red Lion. Detachment of the Light & Medium Mechs were sent by the Regiment is sent deal with pirates, lead by hot-headed Lt. Gavilán Camacho, Regiment's commander's son. Mission was to serve make-or-break for Lt. Camacho's command. After two weeks on the ground, it was decided that then Private Cassie Suthorn would the unit's new scout, since all her jobs she was given were failures. Her assignment was penetrates the pirates inner saccum in the city old industrial city of Howe.

In played as a double agent slipping into the inner succumb the Pirate's strong hold and meet with exHouse Liao Colonel. Playing up her background, she fool them in believing she was captive of mercenaries. While in their camp she discovered that pirates had only six light and medium 'mech and a small DropShip. She was able to convinced the Red Lion to have his infantry troops enter the woods outside of the city limits. While place their 'Mechs in deadlands near the city, to best the her mercenary "captors" to fight in outdoors where their weaknesses.

In resulting night battle, Cassie snuck into a ancient hulk of a BattleMech, which was once known as a Gladiator. In the stripped wreck, ship spied on desperate fight with the Red Lion's reinforced lance. Using her skills of stealth, she placed a SRM launcher into the 'Mech prior to the battle, as the Red Lion's Heavy BattleMech appeared on battlefield finally, she was able use ambush him. Using the launcher, her missiles fired into the thin armored back of the Rifleman, which largest threat of the field. In doing so clinched the mission, saved them from defeat. She was then proved to them that she considered them her family.

To Clan Invasion and its aftermath

After being appointed and proving herself, she was transfer to the Scout Platoon of the Regiment. In intermediate years, she developed keen edge to art of hunting BattleMechs.

By the Clan Invasion the unit was caught on world of Jeronimo, when Clans invaded. There the unit faced Clan Smoke Jaguars, found themselves in a losing. In their retreat, Lt. Patricia Camacho lost her life fighting the Claners, in doing so Cassie lost someone was her only friend. After the death of Patricia and half of the regiment, she rest of the unit would swear blood vengeance against Clans, specially Jaguars for their losses.

She was given the nickname of Abtakha, Clan nickname for adopted outsider as her call sign. She was convinced by Colonel Don Camacho to take the rank of Lt. JR. for her actions on the planet.

In aftermath of the disaster on Jeronimo, the unit was reeling from destruction the Clan had rotted. The unit conducted contracts in the Periphery to recover, one such mission was to the world of New Horizons in 3056. In their mission to hunt pirates, Cassie was slinger through swamps and muck of the humid world's outback two weeks. She tracked down the Pirate's base, while hunting Marauder BattleMech. While in muck, she marked parts of the great swamp for her people know where not go and get stuck. She then slipped into the base an left a homing beacon for the Regiments' artillery to bombard base. After fooling the Pirates troops, into their ambush, she begun to resume her hunt for the 'Mechs. Despite losing the 'Mech she was hunting to artillery hit, she in course of the battle, trap a pirate's Locust 'Mech in swamp and kills the pilot as he egressed from the stuck machine. In hopes to help replenish the regiment's ranks of BattleMech they had lost to the Smoke Jaguars.

After leaving New Horizons, the 1st Battalion's, Bronco Company new commanding officer, Captain Kali MacDougall begins try befriend Cassie. However, Cassie ignores her attempts, partially to do her bias against MechWarriors. Specially one who pilots, Atlas, which was same design that killed her father and ruined her life.

Garrisoning of Hachiman & Uncle Chandy

In August 3056, the Caballeros arrived in contract of Uncle Chandy to garrison his Hachiman Taro Electronics on Combine world of Hachiman. Cassie was given the honor of leading the entire 90+ BattleMech regiment into factory's compound on her mountain bicycle.

After Cassie "befriends" Federated Commonwealth News Service reporter Archie Westin. She does so to keep young report from being rough up and possibly killed by her fellow roughly Caballeros. Though not personal relationship, she explains to him of how to handle her fellows, for sake of the Colonel's honor. After brief encounter with Captain MacDougall while in local bar Permissiable Repose, that the unit had adopted, she begins to scout the complex and surrounding city. She and members of the unit's unusual Scout platoon checkout the buildings on opposite side of the complex's river shore. Feeling it’s a security risk's insists in seeing Chief of Security of H.T.E, Mirza Peter Abdulattah. She explains to him that, she wishes to utilize buildings that owned by Chandrasekhar Kurita, and rig them as booby traps and other surprises for potential invaders. She confronted by the unit's command staff on what she been doing, she convince less stubborn of them that there is a undefined threat to the unit, she seeking it out. After end of the discussion, Colonel Camacho, gives permission Cassie to scout as she chooses.

Over time she was there, she was able over come some of her predigest about MechWarriors, and became friends with Captain Kali. Whom had told her she had admired her since skills, unique beauty and her saving the unit in the past. As they became more acquainted in unit's bar, personnel with the 9th Ghost Regiment enter the bar. After opening brawl between yakuza of the 9th Ghost, where the "introduce themselves".

Undercover in Masamori City

In September, Cassie would go undercover, slipping into the underworld of City of Masamori. There posing a Davion worker from a interstellar merchant vessel, she inherently rescued prostitutes from violence and made them part of her intelligence gathering network she been setting across the city. Another means of collecting information, she posed as a dancer at the Kit-Kat Club. As she became more connected she found Kazuo Sumiyama had some interests against Uncle Chandy's H.T.E. Company was now courting DEST to resolve issue he believe he had "discovered". Cassie immediately noticed threat as red headed envoy of DEST with his escorts at meeting in warehouses of the space port. She able record the meeting and barely escaping a DEST operative by killing him and making it look like an accident. Immediately after the meeting she goes to H.T.E's head of security Peter Abdulattah and reports of her findings which is brought to his master, Chandrasekhar Kurita. Uncle Chandy revealed that man Cassie had surveyed was heir-designate of the Draconis Combine's ISF, Ninyu Indrahar. Uncle Chandy informs because of the threat of now ISF thinking he ambitions of power for himself, he needs prove his innocence, that she will work directly for him. She would help Chandrasekhar Kurita discover means undo threat to him and her regimental family. Through her meeting, she earn became trusting of the Kurita lord.

Late September, Chandy's enemies generate a story of H.T.E. developing Faster-than-Light communication, this leads to H.T.E. Compound being attack by the Word of Blake raiders in two prong attack. Cassie and rest of the regiment respond to attack, with minimum losses, however it was soon discovered that the raiders were cover for DEST troopers trying to penetrate the compound.

As part of investigation she stumbled on Chandy's exchange program with the Clans, which merchant caste had been quietly shipped to Hachiman as part of exchange program. After the invasion, Uncle Chandy calls for Cassie, and discusses their chances of repelling the next attack by the Breath of the Dragon, the ISF. It feels that they need prove to them their innocence and that his rival Tanadi Computers are true instigators of the situation. He suggests to Cassie to go undercover and get close to high ranking people of the situation.

At party setup by Uncle Chandy, Cassie managed to trick Planetary Chairman Percival Fillington into thinking she was one of her employers lovers attempting to escape his clutches. Flown away as planned, Cassie played role of scared woman whom had flown from their enemies. During her stay with she came known as "Percy". She noticed that Chairman's innocence mentality about him which se came to like despite her inner voice causing her resist becoming involved. She begun see that Chandy's rivals had influenced young governor into believing her employer was threat. She witnesses, but doesn't get evidence to prove that Tanadi Computers and DEST dealings with the planetary governor, before she herself is pulled out of the mansion. However, she was able to plant a listening device before being retrieved.

After returning to the compound and reporting her findings, forces set against Uncle Chandy stage a event that makes look like Cassie and her mercenary family had staged a coup and taken their charge hostage. This set into motion friends in the 9th Ghost were forced storm Compound on November 1st.

On eve of the impending attack against the compound, Cassie is sent on mission to deliver information proving that Tandai Computers and Yakuza boss Kazuo were involved with Clan activities and was framing Uncle Chandy. She is needed to penetrate through city during the assault of the 9th Ghost to ISF headquarter and deliver the evidence of her and her regiment's innocence. Prior to the mission, Kali confronts Cassie one last time, tells her she should no longer feel soiled from crimes done to her in childhood, be human before it destroys her. She is able rid of herself last of her haunted grief during the night prior to the mission.

Siege of H.T.E. Compound and the Race prove their Innocence

On the Day of the Dead, 2nd November, she meets with Colonel Don Camacho prior to the mission, she wishes her to stay safe tell her she like daughter to her. However Cassie senses Don wasn't expecting to survive the battle, because his grief held for long lost daughter. She confronts him like no else would, tells him he the clue to hold their regiment, their family together and he must survive for sake of everyone. She also bluntly tells him, he was not true reason her daughter died, she did on her own. She convinces Colonel, stay alive despite how he fells.

She leads her platoon of scout infantry through the sewers of compound to move her people pass the battle between the 9th Ghost and her regiment. After by passing the horrors of the battle between whom used to be friends and loss of comrades. Cassie brought her people with distance of Ninyu Kerai-Indrahar's headquarters at the incompleted building known as the Coordinator's Rest Hotel. Through abandoned, Cassie and her people begun their stealth approach into the building, taking down guards with armor-piercing ammunition. Once the in the hotel, she and her people stormed the lobby with bullets flying at them. Despite her force being cut down in half, her surviving people managed to breach lobby and rode elevator and left explosive decoy to lure away DEST troopers attention as they died. After arriving on the top floor, Cassie and her remaining troops moved to meet their target. She engaged in one-on-one combat with female DEST commando, and managed to turn the tables on her. After ordering her remaining people to hold position, she took out-cold trooper with her. Using the trooper as shield, she is able over come Ninyu's last of his body guards. He where she presents him a holo-projector showing him evidence that proved that Chandrasekhar Kurita is innocent of charges of treason. She motivates him more by twisting his arm with her Kris to him encouraging him to end hostiles. Shortly after, Ninyu announce hostiles head ended.

Aftermath

After the battle, ISF produced false story that the battle was against undiscribed foe, not against her fellow Caballeros. She and the rest of her were sited as heros along with their friends from the 9th Ghost.

Cassie meets with Earl once again, to apologize for hurting him and leading him on, but not for what she did for the regiment. In their brief moments together on beach, he revealed her she still was interested in her despite everything she had done to him. She despite her instincts, left open the opportunity for him together know her better.

She convinces Uncle Chandy to reveal the truth, that it was he who was had been smuggling Clansman to the planet. He reveals that he had been bringing Clan Merchant Castes from various clans as service to House Kurita. Through them, he tells her he can soften the Clan's people enough so when the Treaty of Tukayyid expires, they will not be as able body as once were. He apologizes for using her and her mercenaries but did not want to hurt them personally.

Afterwards, she meets with Kali, tells her Chandy had ask her to stay by his side. She tells her that she would think about. With laugh they're conversation leads to them finally becoming true good friends.

Notes

Cassie Suthorn was created by novelist Victor Milán. Her history person history as of this writing during the Clan Invasion and Jihad have not been written as of this writing. During the Clan Invasion, Her unit written in early parts of the novel as being with the FedCom, however during war, it was made clear that their severe losses were on later be classified Draconis Combine world of Jeronimo. In later parts of the book, the unit was fighting with the Draconis Combine.

Bibliography

• Close Quarters (Novel)
• Hearts of Chaos (Novel)
• Black Dragon (Novel)
• 25 Years of Art and Fiction (Short Story, Ozymandias)