Jerome Blake


Jerome Blake (b. 2739 – d. 2819), known as the 'Blessed Founder' or 'Blessed Blake' by his followers, founded ComStar and seized control ofTerra in its name in 2788, in the interests of preserving Star League technology and maintaining neutral communications for the Inner Sphere. [1][2]

Jerome Blake

Biography

Early life

Blake was born in Galesburg, a small town in North America. Very early, the child prodigy expressed an interest in engineering and subsequently became a loner of sorts, a social introvert as he spent much of his time studying. Ultimately coming to the decision to specialize in hyperpulse mathematics and physics, Blake graduated from the University of Lambrecht when he was only 16 years old. Blake would eventually join HPG personnel provider Starlight Broadcasting Ltd. and would be placed on permanent assignment to the Star League's Department of Communications. Immediately prior to the Amaris Coup, Blake had risen to the post of lead operations officer for the Class A station on the Terran Hegemony world of Oliver.[2]

The Star League's lead technician

In 2766, Blake was in the Free Worlds League on holiday as Stefan Amaris launched his coup against the Star League, luckily avoiding capture by Amaris forces. Afterwards, as the highest ranking technician of the few qualified technicians left, he volunteered to the Star League Defense Force to assist them, General Aleksandr Kerensky assigning Blake and his handful of technicians underneath him to devise a method for utilizing the remaining Class B HPG stations of the Inner Sphere not under Amaris' control. [2] During the SLDF's Rim Worlds campaign, he established a makeshift Prime Circuit using the HPGs that Amaris did not control, and these became the main method of communication for the SLDF and the Great Houses.[3]

During Kerensky's campaign approaching Terra, Blake volunteered his technicians and himself to lead the teams that reestablished communications in recaptured HPG stations, allowing for SLDF to manage their forces more easily during the offensives. This was not without risk: during the recapture of the Dieron HPG station, Amaris' forces broke through the SLDF lines and fired on the station, killing three technicians, while Blake received a serious wound to the head. His cognitive ability was not impaired, but in his later life he would lapse into short comas, presumably due to these injuries. Showing his respect for Blake, Kerensky had him treated aboard the McKenna's Pride, the flagship of the SLDF.[3]

Founding of ComStar

After liberation of Terra and defeat of Amaris forces, Blake concentrated again on his task of restoring general communications in the Inner Sphere. With the Unity City HPG virtually a complete loss, Blake restarted construction on the larger Hilton Head HPG complex, which had been overlooked by Amaris forces because the construction effort was abandoned and materials carefully concealed when Amaris began his coup. This would turn Terra into the true center of the HPG network once again.[4]

On October 10, 2780, Blake was nominated for the position of Minister of Communications of the Star League, while he didn't even know he was being nominated. It was quickly agreed upon by the High Council. Subsequently, General Kerensky was stripped of his title as Protector of the Realm and the House leaders dissolved the High Council. The Star League was essentially prepared to collapse, and the Council Lords prepared their own militaries for war as the Exodus occurred.[4]

Three days after Operation Exodus, the First Circuit was formed out of New Earth, Barnard, Alpha C, Bryant, Procyon, and Dieron. Conrad Toyama, of the Dieron HPG of the newly formed First Circuit, proposed the name ComStar, a mixture of Communications Enterprises Inc. and Starlight Broadcasting Ltd., which was quickly adopted.

Operation Silver Shield

In 2786, the plan for ComStar to seize Terra and surrounding worlds, standardize the Comstar Letter of Credit, and ensure ComStar's neutral status to all Great House Lords was outlined by Blake to the First Circuit as Operation Silver Shield. Blake met with all the Lords of the Great Houses and managed to convince them to guarantee neutrality towards ComStar and adopt the ComStar Letter of Credit. In 2788, as the First Succession War began to consume the Great Houses one by one, Blake set the modified military portion of Operation Silver Shield, using ComStar's resources to seize only Terra and take supplies from the nearby Hegemony worlds.[5]

In three days, Terra was completely seized by ComStar and Blake's Proclamation was issued, stating ComStar's neutrality, that ComStar was willing to defend its assets, and that its goals were peaceful.[6]

Mercenary Review Board


Creation of ROM


Death and afterward


Philosophical and/or political views


Positions

Preceded by
Unknown
(Previously Joshua Hoshiko)
Minister of Communications of the Star League
2780 - 2784
Succeeded by
None
Preceded by
None
Prime Administrator of ComStar
2784 - 2819
Succeeded by

See also

References

  1. ComStar, p. 4
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 ComStar, p. 7
  3. 3.0 3.1 ComStar, p. 8
  4. 4.0 4.1 ComStar (sourcebook), p. 9
  5. ComStar, pp. 12 - 13.
  6. ComStar, p. 13

Bibliography