Editing Hermione Aten

{{InfoBoxCharacter
| image               = Hermione Aten.jpg
| name                = Hermione Aten
| birthdate           = [[3044]]<ref name=ER3062p74>''Era Report: 3062'', pp. 74–75</ref>
| died                = 
| othernames          = Hermione Kelswa-Steiner
| affiliation         = [[House Aten]]
| rank                = 
| title               = [[Duchess of Skye]]<br/>[[Duchess of New Scotland]]<ref name=ER3062p74/>
| position            = 
| profession          = Noble
| parents             = [[Margaret Aten]] (mother)<ref name=ER3062p74/>
| siblings            = [[Sarah Aten]]<br>[[Ilse Aten]]
| spouse              = [[Robert Kelswa-Steiner]]
| children            = [[Margaret Steiner]]<ref name=TRO67p14>''Technical Readout: 3067'', p. 14</ref>
}}
'''Hermione Aten''' was a [[Lyran Alliance|Lyran]] noblewoman and politician, the [[Duchess of Skye]] and the wife of [[Robert Kelswa-Steiner]].

==History==
===Early Life===
The youngest daughter of [[Margaret Aten]], the Duchess of Skye, Hermione Aten spent much of her childhood in the public eye, surrounded by holovid reporters and aides. Like her mother, she believed it was her duty to see to the needs of her people. As a teenager during [[Operation BULLDOG]] and the conflict against the [[Clan Smoke Jaguar|Smoke Jaguars]], the young Baroness Aten hosted charity functions in support of [[Star League Defense Force]] veterans, showing a genuine regard for her causes.<ref name=ER3062p74/>

When the [[FedCom Civil War]] began in [[3062]], Aten returned to Skye with her family, hoping that the horrors of the war would not come burn in the [[Isle of Skye]]. The Atens were most concerned with the public speeches of Robert Kelswa-Steiner, [[Duke of Porrima]], heir to the [[Tamar Pact]] and leader of the [[Free Skye Movement]]. Kelswa-Steiner advocated the secessionist movement, using the current conflict as a justification.<ref name=ER3062p74/> In [[3063]], the Atens formally linked themselves to Kelswa-Steiner by betrothing Hermione to him.<ref name=FCCW131-132>''FedCom Civil War'', pp. 131–132</ref>

===Duchess===
[[File:Robert Kelswa-Steiner.jpg|right|thumb|[[Robert Kelswa-Steiner]], Aten's husband]]
On November 2, [[3064]], Duchess Margaret and Hermione's sister, [[Ilse Aten]], were assassinated, along with three of their security detail. The culprits escaped, and it remains undetermined who ordered the attack, though some circumstantial evidence exists that Kelswa-Steiner ordered the attack, perhaps even with Hermione's consent. Regardless, the event further destabilized the region.<ref name=FCCW131-132/><ref name=FMU12>''Field Manual: Updates'', p. 12</ref> In January [[3065]], now-Duchess Hermione Aten married Kelswa-Steiner.<ref name=FCCW130>''FedCom Civil War'', p. 130</ref><ref name=MMSD91>''Masters and Minions: The StarCorps Dossiers'', p. 91</ref>

This gave Kelswa-Steiner the power base he needed to further press the Free Skye case. In response, on April 16 3065, [[Archon]] [[Katherine Steiner-Davion]] ordered Duke Kelswa-Steiner arrested on charges of sedition, imprisoning him on distant [[Donegal]]. This would not only spark the Free Skye movement to greater action in the form of the [[Third Skye Rebellion]], it would also allow the Duke to deny responsibility should the revolt fail. The Duke's top aide, [[John Claverhouse Dundee]], claimed the title General of the Armies of Skye, nominally in command of the Free Skye Militia, though none seriously questioned that he was acting on the Duke's behalf. On April 29, a failed assassination attempt was made against Dundee, resulting in the deaths of two bodyguards.
Although the culprits were able to escape, the attempt was immediately blamed on [[Lyran Intelligence Corps|Loki]] terrorist operatives. Dundee used this to further rally support for the Free Skye movement.<ref name=FCCW131>''FedCom Civil War'', p. 131</ref><ref name=FCCW162>''FedCom Civil War'', p. 162</ref><ref name=HHS68>''Handbook: House Steiner'', p. 68</ref> Dundee and Duchess Aten formed an effective coalition.<ref name=MMSD91/><ref name=FCCW132>''FedCom Civil War'', p. 132</ref>

Although the rebellion was ultimately put down, the weakened state of the Lyran Alliance and Kelswa-Steiner's support of [[Peter Steiner-Davion]]'s "pan-Lyran Coalition" meant that the relative power of the Skye Province in overseeing its own affairs had been dramatically improved.<ref name=FMU165>''Field Manual: Updates'', p. 165</ref> Although Duke Robert had expected to dominate his young wife, her experiences during the conflict would lead her to a much greater understanding of the Skye Province's politics. By the time the conflict ended, Duchess Hermione was a capable politician and a full supporter of the Free Skye movement.<ref name=FCCW132/> She and her husband financed a [[Sanglamore Academy Training Battalion|training battalion]] for the [[Sanglamore|Sanglamore Academy]] on Skye to provide new recruits to the [[Skye Rangers]] who would already be firmly in the Free Skye camp.<ref name=FMU174>''Field Manual: Updates'', p. 174</ref>

In mid-[[3067]], Duchess Aten attended a party on [[Tharkad]] where she met with [[Hauptmann General|Hauptmann-General]] [[Barton Hale]] of the [[LCAF#Quartermaster_Corps|Quartermaster Corps]]. She blackmailed Hale with knowledge of the General's illicit insider-trading of military suppliers in order to compel him to help win approval for the purchase of ''[[Chimera]]'' [[BattleMech]]s from the [[Brigadier Corporation]] in the [[Free Worlds League]], machines that would then be steered towards units loyal to Free Skye.<ref name=HHS5-8>''Handbook: House Steiner'', pp. 5–8</ref>

Around the same time, Hermione and Robert celebrated the birth of their daughter, [[Margaret Steiner]].<ref>''Technical Readout: 3067'', p. 14</ref> Margaret does not seem to have survived the [[Jihad]]'s early years, which rocked the Inner Sphere during her early life. By 3077, Robert's illegitimate son [[Gregory Kelswa-Steiner]] had taken her place as Robert's heir, despite the circumstances of his birth.<ref name="JHS:Tp19">''Jihad Hot Spots: Terra'', p. 19 - "Who Is Gregory Kelswa-Steiner?"</ref>

Duchess Aten continued to handle matters behind the scenes during the early years of the [[Word of Blake]]'s [[Jihad]], skillfully manipulating the media, industry and mercenaries as needed. Aten became a great admirer of [[Devlin Stone]] and his coalition, particularly after Stone and his allies helped push the invading Blakists off Skye in [[3074]]. The Duchess focused her time on reconstruction efforts
on Skye even her husband took part in [[Operation SCOUR]], issuing tax breaks to companies that aided in the reconstruction of Skye's once-proud industries.<ref name=MMSD91/> She also helped militarily by recruiting [[mercenaries]] such as the [[Raging Horde]] to help defend Skye, offering newly produced [[Saxon|Saxon APC]] vehicles as bonuses.<ref name=MSU146>''Mercenaries Supplemental Update'', p. 146</ref>

==Personality and Traits==
As a child, Aten was indoctrinated in the belief of ''Noblesse oblige''. She supported many charitable causes which she seemed to genuinely care for.<ref name=ER3062p74/> During the early years of the FedCom Civil War, Aten learned quickly, becoming a valuable ally to both her husband and General Dundee.<ref name=FCCW132/> Though her union with Duke Robert was hardly a love-match, the two shared a common love for Skye that helped them to work well together.<ref name=MMSD91/> During her discussion with General Hale, she indicated that she preferred to be called Lady Aten as opposed to Duchess Hermione Kelswa-Steiner, implying a certain independence on her part.<ref name=HHS5-8/> She developed into a master manipulator of Skye's media and industry interests, and was more than able and willing to destroy the reputation of those who crossed her.<ref name=MMSD257>''Masters and Minions: The StarCorps Dossiers'', p. 257</ref> Physically, Aten was described as having a regal poise with a dusky complexion, deep brown eyes and black tresses. She further demonstrated an unexpectedly strong grip.<ref name=HHS5-8/>

==Portrait Gallery==
<gallery>
Image:Hermione Aten 2.jpg|Hermione Aten meets with Barton Hale in [[3067]]
</gallery>

==References==
<references/>

==Bibliography==
* ''[[Blood of the Isle]]'' (novel)
* ''[[Era Report: 3062]]''
* ''[[FedCom Civil War (sourcebook)|FedCom Civil War]]'' (sourcebook)
* ''[[Field Manual: Updates]]''
* ''[[Handbook: House Steiner]]''
* ''[[Masters and Minions: The StarCorps Dossiers]]''
* ''[[Mercenaries Supplemental Update]]''


[[Category:Lyran Commonwealth Characters|Aten, Hermione]]