Gerald Marik (27th c.)

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Gerald Marik I (born 2632 - died 2703) was a Military Commander, Politician, and the twenty-eight Captain-General of the Free Worlds League.[1]

Biography

Early Life

Son of Captain-General Liam Marik, Gerald was not a politician as his father was. He married and had 4 children, Andrew, John, Elise, and Oliver Marik.[2]

In his early career he would join the Free Worlds League Military and rise up through the ranks to become a General. When his father died, he was not chosen to take reign of House Marik, this was past to his cousin, Terrence Marik. His last military command that he had served was with the 3rd Marik Militia until 2678.[3][4]

Captain-Generalship

The pursuit of Scourge of Death

In October 19th in 2678 on Marik, Gerald was among family attendees at gathering of entire Marik Clan. Gerald's world would violently and utterly change when a bomb planted in his cousin's estate's library exploded. Thirty Nine member of his family would be outright killed in the blast, including his cousin, the sitting Captain-General Terrence Marik and his entire family. Gerald would nearly have died as well if wasn't for remarkable feat of medical science. His condition was questionable, as his family's priest gave him the "Last Rites". With efforts of Star League and Free Worlds League's medical science he would survive and recover within a month of the blast that took his family's lives. He was fitted extensively with mechanical enhancements known as Bionics.[5][6] Investigators during Gerald's recovery would discover on the estate cache supplies and survival gear for surveillance. The police investigator would discover hidden tree house in one of the nearby tree near estate's where the Agent working for the terrorist watched Gerald's family gather to library when he triggered the bomb.[7]

Upon his, Gerald was supported by the Free World League's general population and the ruling Parliamentarian members. He would use every bit of this goodwill he could get to seek out the murders. He would dispatch his military and his intelligence agency, SAFE on trail of the terrorist. In course of the pursuit, civil liberties of the general population would be set aside for his pursuit. However, speculation began to build, as Gerald would seem to be eliminating potential political rivals and Star League members suffer from "police actions" into their terrorist by League's military forces seeking out terrorist cells. While doubt began to build over Gerald's action, on Westover, computer files would be uncovered SAFE. Agents of the intelligence organization would reveal that these allegedly files belong to the Scourge of Death and pointed out to one group's backers, ruling family of Principality of Regulus, House Selaj.[8]

War with Principality of Regulus and House Selaj

The discovery on Westover would turn the pursuit for terrorist into armed conflict between political rival. Gerald would rule the Princes and D’mir of Regulus were guilty of treason and order their deaths for the killing in a mock trial on October 1, 2679. Speculation of the truth of the guilt of the three Selaj Princes began to be questioned, but Gerald pushed ahead to pursue his prey anyway.

On hearing Captain General's order to submit, the three Princes of House Selaj would refuse Captain-General's authority, which they would order their Regulus Hussars regiments to standby for repulse federal forces.

With revelations of possible conflict emerged, the Star League Defense Forces deployed additional troops to the region. The Captain-General would travel to Star League Naval Base on Oriente, convince Star League regional commander. While not known for being a orator, Gerald gave emotional appealed to SLDF commander in the League, Admiral Millard Crichton, this was internal matter that justice must be done.[9] The Admiral would be swayed by Gerald words and agreed not to interfere. Crichton instead deployed his troops standby to provide humanitarian aid where it was need in what would be coming "civil war" between the two ruling families.[10] Admiral's forces, in form of the SLDF Navy would remain outside of the Principality while Captain-Gerald's Federal forces engaged Prince Selaj's forces. Battle between Gerald's forces begin on Hellos Minor, where his force would engage the Hussars forces lead by Prince D’mir Selaj’s in nearly a 4 week battle for control of the planet. However, the grind of combat would cause many of the Hussar soldiers to defect to Gerald's forces. Eventually, Marik's forces would rout Regulans from Hellios Minor, Prince D'mir would commit suicide as Gerald's force were about arrive at his estate on planet.

The Marik's fleet would stream further into the Principality, where two weeks after fall of Hellios Minor, Harmony would soon fall to Gerald's Forces. Now closing in on Regulus itself by late December, many of House Selaj's troops would continue defect. Believing they would not win war against Marik, Princes Puraj and Rajneesh would gather family, billions of monetary funds, their personal guards and flee to Magistracy of Canopus in January of 2680. In their wake, Gerald Marik would turn his anger on the Princes associates that they left behind by imprisoning and executing them.[11][12]

Later Years and Paranoia

After the conflict had concluded, Gerald was not satisfied with its outcome. He found that he could not declare the Selaj menace had passed. He would expand mandates he given SAFE and the organization would retain their expanded budget to undertake the Captain-General's orders. His concerns would become paranoid, seeing threats from House Selaj from every turn. In his paranoid state of mind, he would expanded policing powers of SAFE watch the League's citizens and render Free Worlds League into a defacto police state.[13] However, general citizenry would largely not effected and SAFE's activities would concentrated towards political members of Parliament and other ruling factions.

One notable later event during Gerald's rule was in 2695. Frustrated trade unions in the Principality of Regulus would vote to undertake a series of work stoppages / strikes, disrupting the economy. Sensing his old enemy a foot, Gerald would go to the Parliament and state that the worker strikes were backed by Selaj influenced separatists. He would appeal to them to seek authority to suppress them. The Parliament would grant him the authority with little resistance to act on his notion. In turn the Captain-General would suppress the uprising with bloody results, but however his people would find no evidence Sejai influence among the striking unionist.

Over the remainder of his rule, a professor named Thomas Menke of Western Merak Medical College briefly got notoriety for stating Gerald's bionics rendered him non-living individual and that he should resign his off. Professor Menke's fame did not last long, with allegations of SAFE investigating into his financial-backs grants would be traced back to corporations in Canopus space. However, the subject of Gerald's bionics would continue far past his rule as Captain-General.[14][15]

Death and Legacy

In January of 2703, Gerald would die, leaving his daughter Elisa as his heir to the throne. Her devotion and love for her father, would influence her reign with even more paranoia that even Gerald himself had. Despite medical examiners ruling that Gerald died due to sustained injuries from bomb blast of 2678, Elise would announce as she sworn in that it was suspicious and it was murder.[16][17]

Due to his recovery with heavy use of bionics, the Free Worlds League in the centuries to come would grown considerably more anti-bionic/cybernetics due to his legacy of leadership and the hardships that followed in Civil War in 28th Century.[18]

Centuries later, it documents of his rule, would reveal that some of his heavy-handed purges were not just paranoia, but rational thoughts on dealing with future political problems. Using the leverage he had gained in seeking vengeance for his slain family.[19]

Notes

Gerald was also known as "the Avenger" on the Marik's family tree for ruling the Family of Free Worlds League. His nickname different him from descendants who would be named for him with "II" and "III". He was also original noted being the XXVI (26th) Captain-General of the Free Worlds League[20], but later source book would end up listing him being the 28th.[21]

It should be noted, that the term "bionics" is not often used in BattleTech. The term is largely mixed in and supplanted by the term cybernetics.[22]

Succession

Preceded by Captain-General of the Free Worlds League
2678-2703
Succeeded by

References

  1. Handbook House Marik, p. 88 Captain-Generals in History / Gerald Marik - Character's age and status as leader of the League and name used for him.
  2. House Marik (Free Worlds League), PDF p. 171 - Gerald Marik's parentage of his four children, two who were killed in Scourge bombing.
  3. Handbook: House Marik, pp. 26 & 87-88 the Scourge of Death & Captains-General in History - Pre-Captain General history of Gerald mentioned briefly and from his father and cousin's mini-profiles.
  4. House Marik (Free Worlds League), PDF p. 171 - Gerald Marik's parentage and relations between his family clearly shown in the original family tree of Captain-Generals.
  5. Handbook: House Marik, pp. 23 & 26-27 Backlash & the Scourge of Death- Economic problems that lead to terrorist acts that killed him and majority of his immediate family.
  6. Handbook: House Marik, pp. 87-88 Kernath Marik & Terrence Marik - Terrence's background given more detail than previous published. While Kernath's profile reveals the location of the Dormuth place is on the planet Marik.
  7. House Marik (Free Worlds League), PDF p. 21 The Heat of the Moment - Investigator memoirs tells tale how police discovered the assassin's means of killing the Marik's family.
  8. Handbook: House Marik, pp. 26-27 the Scourge of Death - "Evidence" of the House Selaj is uncovered of having involvement in Gerald Marik's family death.
  9. House Marik (Free Worlds League), PDF p. 22 On the Trail of the Scourge and A Father's Plea - Gerald Marik's emotional plea with SLDF Admiral Crichton allow him to avenge his family and son without SLDF interference. Details of him traveling to SLDF base on Oriente.
  10. Handbook: House Marik, pp. 26-27 the Scourge of Death- .
  11. House Marik (Free Worlds League), PDF p. 22 - Gerald Marik's war with Principality of Regulus, including some details the war which are not mentioned in Handbook, like certain actions of the military campaign.
  12. Handbook: House Marik, pp. 26-27 the Scourge of Death - Aspects of the "War" with House Selaj and its outcome.
  13. Handbook: House Marik, p. 27 the Scourge of Death & Descent - Gerald's paranoia continues as he turns the League SAFE into secret police force and renders the nation into a defacto police state.
  14. House Marik (Free Worlds League), p. 23 On the trail of Scourge - Past mentions Police-State not effecting the nation only politicians and individuals criticizing him like Professor Menke.
  15. Handbook: House Marik, p. 27 Descent & Anti-Bionics Sentiments - Professor Menke's criticism of Gerald Marik updated and legacy. Gerald's later info of his rule.
  16. House Marik (Free Worlds League), p. 23 Like Father, Like Daughter - Gerald's paranoia would influence his daughter Elise to out shadow his own fears of sedition. His children would end up fighting each in Marik Civil War due to his paranoia influences.
  17. Handbook: House Marik, p. 27 Descent - Elise's influence of her father, accepting his paranoia as facts, would make her more monster than her father was.
  18. Handbook: House Marik, p. 27 Anti-Bionics Sentiments - With addition to Professor Merke's opinions of Gerald Marik and Captain-General's reign, he would end up creating negative image of the use of bionics and cybernetics.
  19. Handbook: House Marik, p. 88 Captain-Generals in History - Gerald Marik's profile reveals later info that he was being crafty and used heavy-handed tactics to solve future political problems.
  20. House Marik (Free Worlds League), PDF p. 171 - Gerald Marik's original spelling of name "the Avenger" is listed in family tree of Captain-Generals.
  21. Handbook: House Marik, p. 88 Captain-Generals in History - Gerald listed as the 28th Captain-General. Also no "Avenger" is officially listed in his name.
  22. A Time of War, p. 28 Universe Terms - Cybernetics term described.

Bibliography