Hannibal Banacek
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Hannibal Banacek | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Personal | |
| Born | 3037 |
| Affiliation | Clan Star Adder |
| Profile | |
| Rank | ilKhan |
| Profession | MechWarrior |
Hannibal Banacek was saKhan and Khan of Clan Star Adder, and the final ilKhan of the Clans during the events of the Wars of Reaving.[1]
Contents
History[edit]
Early life[edit]
Born of the Banacek and Talasko bloodlines, Hannibal was the only member of his sibko to graduate as a warrior. Despite his pro-Warden leanings and outspoken criticism of the Crusader ideology, which made him a target for many Trials early in his career, Hannibal's tactical skills ensured his challengers' failure even as he rose through the ranks. In 3057 he won the Banacek Bloodname and by 3059 was commanding the Fifth Assault Cluster in his Clan's Alpha Galaxy. In this prestigious post Banacek was repeatedly commended by his superiors for his resourcefulness and battlefield flair. During the Burrock Absorption it was under his command that the outnumbered 5th spearheaded the charge at Fort Weller which broke Clan Blood Spirit's defenses and forced them to withdraw from Albion.[2][1]
In 3067, Banacek rose to command Alpha Galaxy, succeeding Dante Truscott when the latter became saKhan.[3]
Wars of Reaving[edit]
In December 3071, following the death of saKhan Truscott at the Blood Spirits' hands, Hannibal Banacek was elected as his replacement.[4] In the following years, Banacek led the Adders' Alpha and Delta Galaxies in eradicating Dark Caste and Society forces from Adder holdings on Brim, Homer, and Tathis, as well annihilating the resurgent Clan Burrock in the Tanite Worlds. These operations took their toll on him seeing the raw amount of lives lost at the Adder enclaves. It changed him from decidedly pro-Warden leanings to apply to that of the Clans.[citation needed] Hannibal was responsible for the subjugation of Stacha and the elimination of the Society's main laboratory complex and human prison pens on Cocyra Island.
After ilKhan Brett Andrews killed Khan Stanislov N'Buta, there was a declaration that Clan Steel Viper was the last remaining taint in Clan space. His act to bludgeon the once mighty leader of the Clans for the un-Clanlike killing of his Khan won him a great deal of respect from the other Khans present. With the respect of the Clan leaders and his stellar battle history he became the ilKhan for the Viper Annihilation, which he directed from the WarShip McKenna's Pride, for his symbolism.[5]
After preventing massive amounts of losses during the Viper Annihilation, it was the hope of the Clan leadership that Hannibal would stay the ilKhan in order to prepare for a renewed invasion. Instead he stepped down and took up Khanship of the Star Adders, after setting several guidelines in place to foster Clan growth and repair.
The ilKhan barely had time to settle on Strana Mechty before facing a new challenge. On 5 April 3076, he received news of an unknown force attacking Katyusha City. He contacted the Ebon Keshik headquarters, asking for information. The officer in charge, Star Captain Bhu Telinov, told him that an unknown enemy Trinary was attacking the center of the city. The only defending unit, a Trinary of the Katyusha Guard, was being torn to pieces. Banacek agreed to lend help, sending both of the Adders's Command Keshiks to assist.[6]
The ilKhan personally led the counterattack. After reaching the attacking forces, he contacted them and offered a chance to surrender. The leader of the Trinary, identified as the Retribution Wraiths, Star Captain Stas, laughed at him and explained how they hated the Grand Council and why. The Adders were forced to kill all the Wraiths.[7]
Soon after, Banacek, still wearing his MechWarrior suit, presented himself at the Ebon Keshik command center. There he was informed that the Wraiths' attack was a distraction to allow an unknown party to steal the McKenna's Pride, led by warrior Kyne. The ilKhan began giving orders to stop the fleeing WarShip.[8]
Later, Banacek ordered two ships to stay in orbit to coordinate the Pride's hunt, but in vain: the ship escaped. The next day, the ilKhan presented himself again at the Ebon Keshik's headquarters. There, he reprimanded the leaders for their failure, but didn't punish them. He also gave them new orders: officially, the unknown attackers should be presented as one of The Society's cells, and that the Great Father's body would be recovered in space and buried in a monumental tomb. But all that was a simple cover-up to hide their failure, and Kerensky's body, in fact, would be Stas's, after some alterations. He ordered Telinov and Kyle, who gave him the idea, to find who was really responsible for the attack, before departing.[9]
BattleTech[edit]
As Khan, and later ilKhan, Banacek's personal DropShip was Serpent's Fang, of unknown class.
Notes[edit]
The name "Hannibal Banacek" is a portmanteau of two characters played by the actor George Peppard: John "Hannibal" Smith from the TV series The A-Team and Thomas Banacek from the TV series Banacek.[citation needed]
References[edit]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 The Wars of Reaving, p. 183: "Hannibal Banacek Profile"
- ↑ Field Manual: Crusader Clans, p. 123: "Alpha Galaxy: Old Blood and Guts"
- ↑ Field Manual: Updates, p. 73
- ↑ The Wars of Reaving, p. 104
- ↑ Icons of War, p. 65
- ↑ Icons of War, p. 101
- ↑ Icons of War, pp. 122–123
- ↑ Icons of War, pp. 130–131
- ↑ Icons of War, pp. 177–179