Cynthia Kelly
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Cynthia Kelly | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Personal | |
| Also known as | Backstabber |
| Born | 29 July 3104 |
| Affiliation | Bannson's Raiders |
| Profile | |
| Profession | MechWarrior |
Cynthia "Backstabber" Kelly was a mercenary MechWarrior with the Band of Five, part of Bannson's Raiders, during the Dark Age Era.[1][2]
Contents
Personal Appearance[edit]
Kelly had red-blond hair and green eyes, and was considered to be extremely attractive.[1] .
History[edit]
Early Life[edit]
Born in 3104, Kelly was raised in an abusive home on in the slums of New Anaheim on Nashira, leading her to develop an utterly amoral approach in order to survive dangerous years living on the street as a runaway. She often used her looks to obtain what she wanted or needed, using and discarding the men in her orbit.[1]
Becoming a MechWarrior[edit]
While it was unknown how someone of Kelly's disadvantaged background was able to become a MechWarrior, it was speculated that she was trained by a former lover who was either a mercenary or Solaris VII gladiator, due to her desire to acquire a lucrative trade.[1]
Band of Five[edit]
With the Band of Five, who were known for its violence and savagery, Kelly fit right in as commander of a Slasher Lance including Federick Bo, Charles Oles and Zeferino Smoen.[3]
This was exemplified by how she captured a Centurion BattleMech she later piloted, after she discovered during a raid that its pilot's wife crewed a Saracen hovertank in the same combat force. She disable the Saracen, and then threated to destroy its crew compartment, unless the Centurion was surrendered to her. The pilot complied in an attempt to save his spouse, but Kelly killed the MechWarrior after he left his 'Mech, and then killed the tank crew as well.[1]
Tactics[edit]
Kelly was known to prefer attacking "soft" targets in battle, such as infantry and Combat Vehicles. She was also known to identify female vehicle pilots amongst her opponents, by tapping into their comm channels, and then specifically targeting them. This was intended as a diversionary tactic, in order to draw their chivalrous male comrades out of position in their attempts to save the female warrior, allowing Kelly's lancemates to get into the enemies rear and destroy them.[1]
She did not however discourage such chivalry when it was applied to her benefit, for example when fellow Band of Five officer Federick Bo uncharacteristically twice broke away from his own target, in order to defend Kelly when she was perilously close to destruction.[4]
BattleMech[edit]
Kelly was known to have piloted, in order, an ancient Locust, a Firestarter, and a Panther, before obtaining the Centurion she had as of 3132. This parade of 'Mechs reflected Kelly's attitude to both her equipment and to her lovers, as disposal assets to be discarded once something better came along.
The Centurion, which Kelly named Fury and which had the serial number FS779-00P, was initially piloted by a Federated Suns MechWarrior during the FedCom Civil War. It was credited with the defeat of a Lyran Zeus on Kathil, after a hide and seek battle in woodlands, outside of Yare. The 'Mech remained on Kathil during the Word of Blake Jihad, where it saw action against the Word of Blake, before its pilot joined Devlin Stone's drive on Terra.[1]
Kelly subsequently replaced Fury with a VTR-U1-M Violator, which she called The Beast, and whose drill she enjoyed using on her enemies.[2]