Ezra Bradley
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Ezra Bradley | |
|---|---|
| Personal | |
| Affiliation | Eridani Light Horse |
| Profile | |
| Rank | Colonel[1] |
| Profession | MechWarrior |
Ezra Bradley was a colonel in the Eridani Light Horse and its leader when it was the Third Regimental Combat Team of the Star League Defense Force, and later the unit’s first leader as a mercenary command for several decades.[1]
History[edit]
Star League Era[edit]
Bradley studied at the SLDF War Academy of Mars circa 2734.[1]
During the Amaris Coup, Colonel Bradley led the Third Regimental Combat Team. As its commander, he oversaw the victory ceremony on the planet Zebebelgenubi of the Terran Hegemony on the 12th of November 2722; reminding those present of the cost of victory, and honoring their perseverance in spite of it. The same day, he met with Major Astrid Karlsson and her friend Captain Maeve Ramirez.[1]
After the ELH left Zebebelgenubi, Colonel Bradley was contacted by General Aleksandr Kerensky, from the WarShip McKenna's Pride. Kerensky congratulated him on his successful liberation of that planet, but denied Bradley's petition for the 71st Light Horse Regiment to remain on site, ordering them to rejoin the rest of their RCT to and assist in the liberation of Lyons.[1]
On the 25th of November 2774, Bradley met with Astrid and other Light Horse senior officers to discuss their response to the war crimes committed by the Rim Worlds Republic during the ELH's ongoing liberation of Carver V. He reminded the gathered officers of the importance of ethics and honor in warfare, and encouraged them to never allow the ELH to sink to the level of the Usurper and his forces.[1]
After the final battle for Carver V resulted in the death of Captain Maeve Ramirez and injured Major Astrid Karlsson, Bradley visited Astrid during a tour of the recovery ward, and gave her his condolences for her friend's death.[1]
On the 15th of February 2784, Colonel Bradley met privately with General Kerensky on Terra. He attempted in vain to convince the General to rescind his plans for Operation EXODUS.[1]
On the 8th of July that same year, Bradley transmitted a message from the ELH's base on the planet Radstadt to all the ELH units to inform them that Operation EXODUS had begun. He also informed the RCT of the outcome of their own vote on whether or not to join the exodus, with only fifteen MechWarriors and their dependents opting to join out of the entirety of the ELH's three remaining regiments. Bradley also announced his own intention to stay behind in the Inner Sphere and in command of the ELH, working to keep their honor and ideals intact amidst the smoldering embers of the coming Succession Wars. Upon finishing his address, he lowered the Star League's flag from its post at the ELH Brigade headquarters.[1]
Succession Wars[edit]
During the First Succession War, Colonel Bradley broke the ELH's contract with the Draconis Combine in response to the genocide the DCMS committed in the Kentares Massacre. The Combine government on Sendai responded by seizing the DropShips containing the dependents of the ELH's 8th Recon and 50th Heavy Cavalry battalions, and gave the ELH eight hours to return to their posts or see their dependents executed. When the ELH used the allotted time to attempt to negotiate with Sendai's government rather than rush back to their posts, the government made good on their threat and executed every ELH dependent they had captured. The response of the 50th Heavy Cavalry and 8th Recon battalions was to initiate a combat drop on the planet and eliminate every aspect of the planet's government, military, and infrastructure they could. Collectively this incident is remembered as the Sendai Massacre.[1]
Colonel Bradley remained in command of the ELH in 2853 while they were stationed on Circinus under contract to the Free Worlds League in a de facto occupation of the Circinus Federation, though he was over a hundred years old and wheelchair-bound by that time. Bradley had determined that Circinus' own resident mercenary force, the Black Warriors, were in reality a group of pirates, but could not openly act against them without potentially devastating political repercussions for the ELH's standing as a mercenary command. During this time, he was also carefully grooming any potential successors to his command of the Light Horse by making all regiment commanders take turns serving as Pro-Tem Brigade Colonels. During Idris Majed's term as Colonel Pro-Tem he uncovered evidence that the Black Warriors unit he was serving alongside was using the raids into the Lyran Commonwealth they were executing to engage in widespread looting of local civilian wealth. Unable to accept being a party to this dishonorable activity, he ordered his regiment to destroy the Black Warriors unit working with them and withdrew his force back to Circinus. After Majed returned, he met with Colonel Bradley, prepared to be reprimanded for his unauthorized actions. Instead Bradley informed him that he fully supported his actions as ones that upheld the honor and ethics the ELH was trying to preserve in the chaos of the Succession Wars. Bradley also attempted to teach Majed about where the ELH did have to be flexible and willing to compromise around that core of ethics and honor in order to survive by explaining why the Brigade needed to hide the truth about what had happened and continue their contract with the FWL at that time.[2]
Relationships[edit]
Bradley once mentioned having a wife, and had a very friendly relationship with General Aleksandr Kerensky.[1]
References[edit]
Bibliography[edit]
- Conflicts of Interest (short story)
- Dying Dignity (short story)
- No Tears (short story)