Maria Esteban

Maria Esteban
Character Profile
Born c. 2992[1]
Died 27 November 3068[2]
Affiliation Lyran Alliance
Free Skye
Title(s) Leutnant-General

Maria Esteban was a Lyran General and high-ranking member of the Free Skye movement. She was most known for her actions during the FedCom Civil War.

History[edit]

Early Life and Career[edit]

The Eleventh Arcturan Guards

Esteban was presumably born in the Federation of Skye region of the Lyran Commonwealth, a part of space well-known for its intense separatist movements against the Tharkad government. It is known that she graduated from the NAIS College of Military Science in the Federated Suns, making her an exception to most Lyran officers.[3] By 3024, she held a command position, though it is unclear with what unit or at what rank.[4] Esteban took command of the Eleventh Arcturan Guards in 3037,[5] and the formation of the Armed Forces of the Federated Commonwealth in 3042 seemed to change little for Esteban and the Guards.

In 3048, the formation of the Rim Collection led the Federated Commonwealth government to expand Esteban's command into a full regimental combat team, with three aerospace fighter wings, three armor regiments and five regiments of infantry. Although primarily based on Timbuktu, the Eleventh deployed smaller formations to protect many worlds bordering the Periphery, for the most part seeing action against pirates.[6] As of 3050, Esteban held the rank of Hauptmann General and commanded the Eleventh Arcturan Guards RCT from their homeworld of Timbuktu in the Periphery March. The Eleventh was considered of regular quality and reliable loyalty.[7] The Eleventh maintained their post when the Clan Invasion came, though they went on full alert investigating countless sightings of Clan activity. By 3052, they had investigated over fifty sightings. They did not encounter the Clans, though they did discover the base of the infamous Blackstar Pirates.[8] In 3054, Esteban and her Arcturan Guards were still based on Timbuktu.[9] The Lyran Alliance secession changed little for Esteban and her guards, who easily switched their loyalty to Archon Katherine Steiner-Davion and the new LAAF. The Guards did not see action during Operation Guerrero or Operation Bulldog, though they did begin sending detachments to act as escorts for diplomatic missions to the Rim Collection and Hunter's Paradise. Esteban even recommended joint military exercises with the Rim Collection Militia.[10] Their experiences with escort duty, garrisoning multiple worlds and pirate hunting in detachments greatly developed the Eleventh's combined-arms ability and small-unit tactics.[11]

As of 30 December 3061, Esteban, now holding the rank of Leutnant-General, and the Eleventh Arcturan were still based on Timbuktu, now located in the newly reorganized Timbuktu Theater. The Guards by this time were considered very much in the "camp" of Archon Katherine.[12] This remained the case on 12 November 3062, by which time Esteban was considering retirement on Timbuktu, and was in the process of grooming Colonel Linda McDonald to succeed her.[13] Despite the unit's apparent loyalty to Archon Katherine, the Lyran Intelligence Corps apparently reported on Esteban's Free Skye leanings, which were apparently not a high priority by the Lyran High Command.[14]

FedCom Civil War[edit]

When the FedCom Civil War broke out in December 3062, Esteban and her Eleventh Arcturan Guards were still on Timbuktu.[15] Recognizing that her troops were universally supportive of Archon Katherine and chomping at the bit, Esteban formed a provisional force on Timbuktu to defend the Theater from pirate raids and a possible Rim Collection incursion, then put her infantry commander, Colonel Wesley Corn, in command. With her post secure, Esteban and her Eleventh Arcturan Guards prepared to enter the conflict. Despite their position on the periphery border, Esteban was able to secure transport for her command, and the Eleventh finally departed Timbuktu on 17 September 3063.[16][17]

Virtue[edit]

Although she originally intended to intercept Victor Steiner-Davion and his accompanying task force at Alarion, when she heard that the deposed Archon-Prince had struck at Coventry she moved to block his advance. Esteban and the Eleventh passed through the Ferihegy system without incident, but when their JumpShip fleet appeared at the Nadir point of the Virtue system, they discovered the Allied Sixth Crucis Lancers were already on-planet, and were on their way to join Victor's task force. Esteban recognized that the Sixth Crucis, a crack unit, would have the advantage over her forces, but knew it was her duty to prevent the "Tsamma Lancers" from reaching the rebel Prince. She gave the order to attack. The Lancers struck the Guards' landing zone as soon as the Arcturans had set down, using their superior skill and speed to smash the Loyalist tank formations. Even after regrouping, Esteban was unable to isolate the Lancers, with poor coordination playing a key role. By mid-October, repeated setbacks against the Lancers had made it clear Esteban's position was futile, and she gave the order to lift off. Despite the defeat, the Arcturan Guards escaped with only moderate overall losses, and had gained valuable combat experience.[18][19]

Loyalist Task Force[edit]

Victor Steiner-Davion, who Esteban hunted across the Lyran Alliance

The Eleventh Arcturan retreated to Triesting, where they recovered from their losses.[20] Esteban then turned the situation to her advantage with a series of feints, successfully planting information that she was still on Triesting and preparing to move on Loxley before striking at Coventry. Victor and his command staff were fooled by this deception, and were thus unprepared for her following actions.[21][22] The Guards moved to Alarion, but Esteban realized that even with her Guards, the Alarion Jaegers and the Alarion APM, they would still be outgunned by the coming Allied assault of the Sixth Crucis Lancers and the Thirty-ninth Avalon Hussars, two crack RCTs. Instead, she ordered all three units off-planet, leaving only one infantry regiment behind to act as saboteurs. She also had the presence of mind to order the LAS Robert Kelswa, which had been under construction at the Ioto Galactic Enterprises, to abandon the system, depriving the Allies of a nearly operational WarShip.[23][24][25] The Eleventh Arcturan then moved on to Carlisle where they were later joined by the Alarion Jaegers.[26][27] As she had traveled, Esteban pressed elements of various Loyalist militia units into her task force, effectively forming yet another RCT in addition to the regular Lyran militia units she had pulled from their posts.[28] Recognizing that Esteban had effectively formed an ad hoc task force, General of the Armies Nondi Steiner formalized the command, designating her battle group Task Force 11A (as it was being led by the Eleventh Arcturan Guards) and promoting Esteban to command.[29] She also assigned two Fox-class WarShips - the LAS Robert Marsden (which Esteban would make her flagship) and the LAS Robert Kelswa - to Esteban's command.[30][31][32]

Having formed her task force, Esteban promoted Colonel McDonald to command the Eleventh Arcturan Guards themselves.[33][34] Outside of all of this, in one of the shrewdest Loyalist moves of the early days of the conflict, Esteban contacted Duke Robert Kelswa-Steiner, and persuaded him to redirect the Seventeenth Skye Rangers, which had been en route to join Victor's task force, to the Isle of Skye.[35][36] In one move, she had not only deprived the Allies of an important unit, she had increased the readily available forces of the Skye separatists in the event they struck out on their own.

Now armed with the resources she believed she'd need to stop Prince Victor's advance, Esteban set her trap at York.

York[edit]

On 12 March 3064, Victor Steiner-Davion's task force landed on York, where he intended to set up a new base of operations. The Prince was accompanied by the Com Guard 244th Division, the Sixth Crucis Lancers and the newly formed Outland Legion, made up of independent warriors from throughout the Inner Sphere who had answered his call for rebellion. The Allies landed safely and set up camp. It was only then that Esteban launched her ambush. Initially attacking with the Alarion and Carlisle Alarion Province Militias, the Loyalists compelled the Sixth Crucis Lancers to pursue them across Salisbury Plains, away from the Allied base camps. Esteban sprung her trap when she had McDonald launch a combat drop with the Eleventh Arcturan Guards, cutting the Lancers off from Victor and his remaining forces. The Allies were forced into a fighting retreat that saw near constant fighting between the Allies and the Loyalists. At the climax of the battle, McDonald personally engaged Steiner-Davion in a personal 'Mech fight, coming close to killing the rebel prince. As the rebels converged on their evacuation area, Esteban revealed yet another surprise when she sent both of her WarShips in orbit to converge on the extraction site, threatening to close the back door on Victor's forces even as the Alarion Jaegers landed behind them. At the insistence of Precentor Raymond Irelon, Victor immediately evacuated, despite being forced to leave behind a battalion of infantry to be taken prisoner. It was the most devastating early setback for the Allies in war, as Esteban had damaged all three of Victor's accompanying commands and knocked much of the momentum out of his advance.[37][38][39][40]

Pursuing the Prince[edit]

Learning that Victor and his units had regrouped to Halfway where they had destroyed the Loyalist militia,[41] Esteban and most of Task Force 11A pursued, arriving in-system in mid-June 3064. To prevent another escape by the Allies, Esteban split her task force in two, with her in command of the LAS Robert Marsden, the Alarion Jaegers and a mixed RCT drawn from the Alarion and Carlisle APMs as well as militia elements from several other worlds. Esteban's group appeared at the zenith jump point, and finding themselves unopposed, approached the planet. McDonald, leading the Eleventh Arcturan Guards and the rest of the task force, emerged at the nadir point. The Loyalists faced little opposition on their approach until the aerospace brigade of the Sixth Crucis Lancers attacked the force approaching from the nadir point, avoiding direct confrontation with Esteban and her WarShip. Enjoying a decided advantage over the Loyalist fighters, the Lancers inflicted significant damage on the DropShips.[42] Just when Esteban had sent her own aerospace fighters to aid McDonald's ships in their approach, the Sixth's fighters unexpectedly broke off their attack, withdrawing to their DropShip transports.[43] Once her task force had landed, however, they quickly determined that none of the Allied troops were still on planet. Meeting with McDonald at the spaceport in Torrence on Halfway, Esteban quickly determined that Victor had used the same tactic Esteban herself had employed on Alshain and York, deceiving the task force into attacking on a world where they were no longer present. Determining that Victor's next likely target was Hesperus, Esteban determined that he would face great difficulty taking that prized, industrial world, given its proximity to Duke Robert's Isle of Skye, and that she and McDonald could trap and finish him off there. [44]

Here, Esteban's deduction failed her, as Victor instead enacted Operation SCATTER, splitting his forces in multiple directions from Clinton to prevent Katherine's troops from forcing a decisive battle. Esteban's own task force, with their accompanying WarShip, attempted to corner the Allies at Furillo, but the 244th Com Guard Division, which had raided the Defiance Industries facility on-planet, successfully departed before Esteban could engage them.[45][46] Esteban also sent McDonald and the Eleventh Arcturan to Thuban, where they successfully destroyed a battalion of the Twenty-third Arcturan Guards that had remained behind to repair itself.[47][48][49]

Although she had missed the chance to predict and corner Prince Victor, Esteban and Task Force 11A continued to plague the Allies by their sheer presence between his industrial base on Alarion and the Allies' new gathering site on Thorin.[50]

Tikonov[edit]

On 8 January 3065, all four primary commands of Task Force 11A descended on Tikonov in pursuit of Prince Victor and his accompanying forces. There were already Loyalist forces on-planet in the form of the First and Third Republican Guards, the Tikonov Martial Academy Training Group and the surviving elements of the Fifteenth Deneb Light Cavalry. These forces had managed to secure most of the important sites on planet, including the capital of New Moscow and the vital Earthwerks Incorporated factory in Tikograd. The Allies, in addition to Victor's escort in the 244th Com Guards, the Outland Legion, the Sixth Crucis Lancers, the Twenty-third Arcturan Guards and the Valexa Capellan March Militia, joined forces with the already on-planet Davion Assault Guards and First NAIS Cadet Cadre. All the Allied units were understrength by this time as a result of the heavy fighting, while the Loyalists, controlling the major industrial areas, were better supplied.[51] Victor Steiner-Davion, on the other hand, had been badly shaken by the death of his paramour, Omi Kurita, which had been revealed to him by Katherine herself at the Third Whitting Conference. Victor's grief distracted him from the campaign, which became a devastating meat grinder for both sides with the Allies getting the worse of it. The presence of the Free Tikonov Movement also caused problems for both sides with attacks from the local citizenry.[52][53] In addition, Victor was forced to send the Assault Guards to Addicks to meet the Draconis Combine reprisal attacks.[54] Sensing an opportunity, Esteban promoted McDonald to Brevet General, essentially leaving her in command of all Loyalist forces on Tikonov. She then took the LAS Robert Marsden and some elements of the Eleventh Arcturan Guards back into the Lyran Alliance, claiming to be intending to gather more Loyalist troops to finish the conflict.[55][56][57] In February, Esteban, still retaining her command authority, approved Colonel McDonald's order that the Tikonov system be interdicted in an attempt to trap Victor and his accompanying task force on-planet.[58]

Realizing they could not claim victory in the current situation, the Allied command, effectively led by Morgan Kell, decided to change affairs by retreating Victor and much of his forces back to the Alliance. Most of Task Force 11A soon followed.[59][60]

Joining the Skye Revolt[edit]

Despite what she had told McDonald and the Eleventh Arcturan Guards, Esteban had her own plans on how she would proceed.[56][61][62] Esteban and her carefully handpicked troops would join the Third Skye Rebellion, as Duke Robert Kelswa-Steiner, although imprisoned, made his bid to be free of the Lyran Alliance once and for all. The troops she took with her included special forces teams that most of the Free Skye units lacked. Esteban and her troops landed on Freedom on 9 October, where the Accrington and Alexandria Freedom Theater Militia were attempting to secure the planet for the Free Skye movement from the Loyalist Fifth Lyran Regulars and the planetary militia. Although Esteban's escort was relatively small, it was battle-hardened, and with Esteban now in command of the Skye forces on-planet, the rebels soon gained a decisive advantage.[63] Laying siege to the Loyalist holdout at Jefferson City, Esteban and her forces effectively cut the Regulars and the planetary militia off from supplies, and a food shortage resulted. The militia, lacking the resolve and strong leadership of their opponents, soon began fleeing the city, looking to return to their homes. Esteban wisely allowed them to do this, not eager to waste her ammunition or soldiers hunting down people who had lost the will to fight. On 7 February 3066, Margrave James Ellis, commanding the Loyalist forces, attempted to open ceasefire talks with Esteban. Realizing that the Fifth Regulars were on the ropes, Esteban rebuffed the offer, and launched a full-scale attack in concert with a special forces strike against the Loyalist command center. Capturing the Margrave, Esteban and her troops destroyed the Fifth Lyran Regulars and seized control of Freedom by the 9 February. Esteban ordered her two Freedom Theater Militia units to hold the planet while she reorganized her own forces, who were by now calling themselves the Skye Guards, and who had taken moderate losses on Freedom. She soon lifted off to head for the critical fighting on Hesperus.[64][65][66][67][68]

Hesperus II[edit]

Hesperus II

Esteban and her Skye Guards arrived in the Hesperus system in early April, and quickly descended on the planet. Their timing could not have been worse, for Hauptmann General William Harrison von Frisch, commander of the elite 4th Skye Rangers, had finally decided to pull his RCT out of the battle, having waged a wasteful campaign for the better part of a year. Likewise, the freshest Free Skye unit left on-planet, the Fourteenth Lyran Guards, who had arrived only a few weeks before, had unwisely launched a preemptive attack on Defiance Industries' Maldon mining complex and the defending Thirty-sixth Lyran Guards. Although they had won the site - of little value to the overall campaign - the Fourteenth had taken serious losses. The other Free Skye units on-planet were in even worse shape. The Seventeenth Skye Rangers had been mauled, the Thirty-second Lyran Guards had lost their commanding officer and much of their strength earlier in the conflict and the Twenty-second Skye Rangers had effectively been destroyed, their remnants folded into other units. Through it all, the Loyalist Fifteenth Lyran Guards - and the remnants of the corporate Defiance Self-Protection Force - continued to hold out at the famed Defiance Industries' Myoo Mountains factory, the primary target of the entire campaign and the key to Free Skye's survival.[69]

Recognizing the odds were heavily against her, Esteban nevertheless knew she was obligated to make an attempt to seize victory. Esteban began her attack by sending her last remaining battle armor platoon to penetrate Defiance's defenses. The unit not only sabotaged many of the remaining automated defenses, they successfully seized the DSPF command center, leaving the rest of the corporate mercenaries uncoordinated. She launched a direct attack on the main gates, penetrating into the mountain complex. Though on the verge of victory, the DSPF troopers and surviving Gray Death Legion battle armor managed to rally and regain control of the command center, reactivating the factory's defenses. Esteban was forced to pull back her troops. Before she could try again, the 'Mechs of the Thirty-sixth Lyran Guards performed a combat drop on the Free Skye forces, completely shattering the Seventeenth Rangers and forcing the Fourteenth Guards into retreat. Just when it seemed it could get no worse, General Caesar Steiner arrived with the Second Donegal Guards, capturing the Free Skye DropShips and crushing the remnants of the Thirty-second Guards, as well as the command of the Fourteenth. Although her own Skye Guards had taken only moderate damage, Esteban knew they could not hold out. Esteban surrendered to General Steiner on 23 January, 3067, effectively ending the Free Skye Revolt.[70][71][72][73]

At some point in the aftermath of the fighting on Hesperus, Esteban and the other rebel forces were repatriated to Skye, along with their remaining equipment.

Jihad[edit]

Esteban remained in command of the Skye Guards after the FedCom Civil War, and, in fact, was promoted by Duke Robert as effective commander of the entire Skye Rangers brigade as a full General. Archon Peter Steiner-Davion, lacking the political strength to rebuke the Duke for these provocative acts, made it clear that although Robert Kelswa-Steiner had been cleared of wrongdoing for the Skye Revolt, his commanding officers, including Maria Esteban, had not, and would be arrested and put on trial if they departed from the Skye Province.[74] Esteban set about rebuilding the Skye Guards, as well as the other Skye Ranger commands. By 1 August 3067, the Guards were based on Skye itself with Esteban in command, rating at elite quality with more than half their equipment considered upgraded. Their accompanying aerospace wing lagged behind somewhat, at 30 percent strength and of veteran quality.[75] During this period, she also began educating Gregory Kelswa-Steiner, Duke Robert's son and heir presumptive as the Duke of Skye, in military strategy. The younger Kelswa-Steiner had joined the Skye Guards at the young age of 17, and though not particularly talented as a strategist, he developed a competency under Esteban's tutelage.[76]

On 4 February 3068, the Second Sirian Lancers, acting on behalf of the Word of Blake and supported by the Eagle-class frigate FWLS Percival, launched an attack on Skye itself. The Fourth Skye Rangers, Skye's primary defensive force at the time, were devastated by an orbital bombardment. When the "Marik" forces landed north of New Glasgow looking to finish the Rangers off, Esteban and her Skye Guards, though still understrength, trapped them with the help of the Skye Jaegers. After a day's fighting and the impending arrival of Skye reinforcements, the Sirian Lancers were forced to retreat.[77]

Duke Robert Kelswa-Steiner responded by launching Operation ÜBERSCHATTEN, a full-scale invasion of the Free Worlds League, alongside forces from the Bolan Province. On 10 March, the Skye Guards joined other Lyran troops in an attack on Megrez. The vengeful Skye troops completely destroyed the Sixth Marik Militia and claimed the world for the Alliance.[78][79] In June, Esteban and the Skye Guards took Gallatin, facing little opposition.[80][81] By late July, however, the Eagle had turned on the invaders, as Marshal Jeremy Brett launched Operation Broken Fist, a major counteroffensive. In the second phase of Broken Fist, the Skye Guards and the remains of the Skye Jaegers were pushed off Gallatin by 24 July after scorched earth tactics inflicted severe damage on the planet.[82]

In November, the Skye Guards, supported by a Lyran Guards unit, attacked Zebebelgenubi, a Lyran world that had fallen into Marik hands during the counterattack in October. There they faced the First Atrean Dragoons in what proved to be one of the most brutal clashes of the Skye/Marik conflict. At one point, Esteban's forces attempted to use a critical water reservoir as an ambush site, only to contaminate the water supply with toxic materials. Gray Valley City, the capital city of the planet, was left almost entirely without power. On 27 November, in the final skirmish of the battle, the Dragoons attempted one final charge in an effort to break the Skye forces. General Esteban and her command lance succeeded in turning back this effort and forcing the Marik troops to retreat, though Esteban herself was killed during the fighting, having reportedly taken fire from two lances of Atrean 'Mechs.[83][84][85]

Personality and Traits[edit]

Even before the FedCom Civil War, Esteban was recognized by all as a highly capable leader and an excellent strategist.[86] The brilliant performance of her Eleventh Arcturan Guards, and later that of the Skye Guards which she formed herself, only reinforced this assessment. Esteban always kept her eyes on the greater strategic picture, rather than becoming overly focused on the immediate tactical situation. This usually allowed her to quickly turn things around after short-term setbacks. Even her few defeats, such as on Virtue, were due more towards considerations of the greater strategic position than any tactical blunders on Esteban's part. As a commander, she was described as hard driving, allowing no dissent among her officers and troops.[87] Despite this, Esteban was an effective mentor, and always taught her officers to put the mission first, ahead of any other personal considerations.[88] She had been actively considering retirement in 3062,[13][89] but she abandoned these plans at the urging of her officers and troops, who were unified in their loyalty to Katherine. She took a leading role in the conflict against Prince Victor's rebellion, but never lost sight of the greater strategic picture,[17] including the rare opportunity the conflict presented to the Skye separatists. By the conclusion of the Civil War conflict, Esteban was being described as "legendary" by neutral texts.[90] Politically, Esteban successfully concealed her Free Skye sympathies for many years, and ironically was once described as "Lyran to the core" by Galen Cox, one of Victor Steiner-Davion's top intelligence advisors.[29][91] In private, Esteban was controlled and insightful, giving away little of her own emotions.[44] By the time of the FedCom Civil War, though she was around 70 years of age, some streaks of silver in her otherwise dark hair were all that revealed her age in her physical appearance.[92]

Notes[edit]

  • Shattered Sphere and Field Manual: Lyran Alliance lists Esteban's rank as Leutnant-General after the reorganization of the LAAF.[12] Technically, this was not a demotion, although the LAAF continued to employ the rank of Hauptmann General for officers senior to Esteban at the time.
  • According to Storms of Fate, Esteban attended the NAIS.[3] According to the information in Field Manual: Lyran Alliance, however, this would have taken place around 3012, assuming she attended at the same age as most of the students.[1] That would be well before the alliance between Houses Davion and Steiner allowed Lyran graduates at Davion institutions. The logical conclusion would that Esteban attended the NAIS as a postgraduate, well after her career as a Lyran officer began.

References[edit]

  1. 1.0 1.1 Field Manual: Lyran Alliance, p. 55: "Officers", Esteban was nearing the age of 70 as of 12 November 3062
  2. Jihad: Final Reckoning, p. 46: "The Jihad in Review – 27 November", Esteban's death based on the date Zebebelgenubi was liberated
  3. 3.0 3.1 Storms of Fate, p. 43: Esteban is a graduate of the NAIS
  4. Storms of Fate, p. 79: Esteban has over 40 years of command experience as of 3064
  5. Field Manual: Lyran Alliance, p. 55: "Officers", Esteban has been in command of the Eleventh Guards since 3037
  6. Field Manual: Lyran Alliance, p. 55: "Eleventh Arcturan Guards RCT – The Golden Lion", the Eleventh Arcturan expands into a full RCT in 3048
  7. 20 Year Update, p. 28: "Periphery March - Timbuktu Theater - Alekseyevka Command", Esteban commands the Eleventh Arcturan Guard, based on Timbuktu
  8. Field Manual: Lyran Alliance, p. 55: "Eleventh Arcturan Guards RCT – The Golden Lion", the Eleventh Arcturan Guards stay active during the Clan Invasion
  9. Objective Raids, p. 20: "Periphery March - Timbuktu Theater - Alekseyevka Command", Esteban commands the Eleventh Arcturan Guard, based on Timbuktu
  10. Field Manual: Lyran Alliance, p. 55: "Eleventh Arcturan Guards RCT – The Golden Lion", the Eleventh begins operations as diplomatic escorts
  11. Field Manual: Lyran Alliance, p. 55: "Tactics", the Eleventh becomes adept at small unit and combined arms tactics
  12. 12.0 12.1 Shattered Sphere, p. 50: "Lyran Alliance Armed Forces – Timbuktu Theater", Esteban still commands the Eleventh Arcturan Guard on Timbuktu as part of the LAAF
  13. 13.0 13.1 Field Manual: Lyran Alliance, p. 55: "Officers", Esteban considering retirement as of 12 November 3062, grooming McDonald
  14. FedCom Civil War, p. 100: Lyran Intelligence posted flags on Esteban's political leanings
  15. FedCom Civil War, p. 182: "Civil War Deployment Tables", the Eleventh Arcturan begins the war on Timbuktu
  16. FedCom Civil War, p. 88: "Virtue", Esteban forms a scratch force to protect the Timbuktu headquarters
  17. 17.0 17.1 Storms of Fate, pp. 79–80: Esteban yields to the desires of her troops to join in on the FedCom Civil War
  18. FedCom Civil War, p. 88: "Virtue", the Eleventh Arcturan engages the Sixth Crucis Lancers on Virtue
  19. FedCom Civil War, p. 182: "Civil War Deployment Tables", elements of the Eleventh Arcturan retreat from Virtue with moderate damage
  20. FedCom Civil War, p. 182: "Civil War Deployment Tables", the Eleventh Arcturan travels to Triestling
  21. FedCom Civil War, p. 88: "Virtue", Esteban's feints throw the Allies off
  22. Storms of Fate, p. 43: Esteban convinces the Allies she intends to strike at Coventry
  23. Storms of Fate, p. 42: the Robert Kelswa is pulled from the shipyards
  24. FedCom Civil War, p. 88: "Virtue", Esteban orders Alarion abandoned
  25. FedCom Civil War, p. 100: "Alarion", Esteban's infantry regiment on Alarion plagues the Allies for several months
  26. FedCom Civil War, p. 89: "Other Actions – Strategic Movements", the Eleventh Arcturan and Alarion Jaegers move on to Carlisle
  27. FedCom Civil War, p. 182: "Civil War Deployment Tables", elements of the Eleventh Arcturan journey to Carlisle
  28. Storms of Fate, pp. 74–75: Esteban assembles a mixed RCT drawn from militia from various worlds
  29. 29.0 29.1 FedCom Civil War, p. 100: "Lyran Alliance", General Nondi Steiner promotes Esteban to formal command of the task force
  30. FedCom Civil War, p. 100: "Lyran Alliance", General Nondi Steiner assigns two WarShips to Esteban's task force
  31. FedCom Civil War, p. 103: "York", the LAS Robert Marsden and the LAS Robert Kelswa are named as Esteban's WarShips
  32. Storms of Fate, p. 73: Esteban makes the Robert Marsden her flagship
  33. FedCom Civil War, p. 100: "Lyran Alliance", Esteban places Linda McDonald in direct command of the Eleventh Arcturan Guards
  34. Storms of Fate, p. 80: Esteban promotes McDonald as acting commander of the Eleventh Arcturan Guards as she commands the task force
  35. Storms of Fate, p. 82: Esteban uses Duke Robert to deprive Victor of the Seventeenth Skye Rangers
  36. FedCom Civil War, p. 69: "Strategic Movements", Duke Robert Kelswa-Steiner orders the Seventeenth Skye Rangers to return to Skye
  37. Storms of Fate, pp. 13–21: Victor is forced to evacuate at York
  38. FedCom Civil War, pp. 102–103: "York", Esteban springs her trap on York
  39. Storms of Fate, p. 43: credited by Victor Steiner-Davion with the ambush at York
  40. FedCom Civil War, p. 182: "Civil War Deployment Tables", the Eleventh Arcturan takes moderate damage against Victor's task force on York
  41. FedCom Civil War, p. 103: "Other Actions – Halfway", Victor's task force
  42. Storms of Fate, pp. 74–75: the Sixth Lancers fighters harry Esteban's ships at Halfway
  43. Storms of Fate, p. 78: Esteban sent help to McDonald
  44. 44.0 44.1 Storms of Fate, pp. 78–82: Esteban and McDonald find that Victor is no longer on Halfway
  45. FedCom Civil War, p. 104: "Operation Scatter", The LAS Robert Marsden and Esteban drive the Prince's Men from Furillo but are unable to engage them
  46. Storms of Fate, p. 115: Esteban arrives at Furillo too late to combat the 244th Com Guards
  47. FedCom Civil War, p. 104: "Operation Scatter", the Eleventh Arcturan destroys elements of the Twenty-third on Thuban
  48. Storms of Fate, p. 115: the Eleventh Arcturan destroys a battalion of the Twenty-third on Thuban
  49. Storms of Fate, pp. 119–122: Linda McDonald reflects on Esteban ordering her to Thuban
  50. Storms of Fate, p. 123: Esteban has cut Victor off from Alarion
  51. FedCom Civil War, p. 126: "Tikonov", Esteban and her task force join the campaign on Tikonov
  52. FedCom Civil War, p. 126: "Tikonov", Victor's grief damages his command performance
  53. Storms of Fate, pp. 210–215: Victor Steiner-Davion is too distracted to properly command his troops
  54. FedCom Civil War, p. 126: "Tikonov", the Davion Assault Guards pull off Tikonov
  55. FedCom Civil War, p. 126: "Tikonov", Esteban returns to the Lyran Alliance to gather more troops
  56. 56.0 56.1 Field Manual: Updates, p. 173: "Skye Rangers – Skye Guard", Esteban takes a core of loyal warriors from the Eleventh Arcturan Guards to form the Skye Guards
  57. Storms of Fate, pp. 215–216: Esteban promotes McDonald then returns to the Lyran Alliance
  58. Storms of Fate, p. 237: Esteban approves McDonald's order to quarantine Tikonov
  59. FedCom Civil War, p. 126: "Tikonov", Victor and his task force leave Tikonov and are followed by the Loyalist task force
  60. FedCom Civil War, p. 182: "Civil War Deployment Tables", the Eleventh Arcturan takes moderate damage on Tikonov
  61. Field Manual: Updates, p. 168: "Arcturan Guards – Eleventh Arcturan Guard RCT", Esteban betrays the Eleventh Arcturan by joining the Skye Revolt
  62. Endgame, p. 80: Maria Esteban joins the Free Skye Revolt, prolonging the conflict
  63. FedCom Civil War, p. 146: "Freedom", Esteban arrives on Freedom with Free Skye reinforcements
  64. FedCom Civil War, p. 163: "Freedom", Esteban and her forces destroy the Fifth Lyran Regulars and claim the world of Freedom
  65. Field Manual: Updates, p. 173: "Skye Rangers – Skye Guard", the Skye Guard is victorious on Freedom
  66. Field Manual: Updates, p. 171: "Lyran Regulars", Maria Esteban and her Skye Guard destroy the Fifth Lyran Regulars on Freedom
  67. Field Manual: Updates, p. 173: "Skye Rangers – Skye Guard", Esteban forms the Skye Guard from Eleventh Arcturan veterans and recruits from Skye
  68. FedCom Civil War, p. 182: "Civil War Deployment Tables", the Skye Guards take moderate damage in their victory on Freedom
  69. FedCom Civil War, pp. 163–164: "Hesperus", Esteban inherits a dire situation on Hesperus
  70. FedCom Civil War, pp. 177–178: "Hesperus", Maria Esteban's efforts to lead Free Skye to victory on Hesperus come up short
  71. FedCom Civil War, p. 182: "Civil War Deployment Tables", the Skye Guards take moderate damage in their defeat on Hesperus
  72. Field Manual: Updates, p. 173: "Skye Rangers – Skye Guard", the Skye Guard fights on Hesperus
  73. Field Manual: Updates, p. 170: "Lyran Guards – Thirty-sixth Lyran Guard RCT", the Thirty-sixth Lyran Guards nearly eliminates Maria Esteban on Hesperus
  74. Field Manual: Updates, p. 173: "Skye Rangers", Esteban is promoted after the Civil War
  75. Field Manual: Updates, p. 177: "Lyran Alliance Armed Forces (Deployment as of 1 August 3067)", the disposition of the Skye Guard
  76. Jihad Hot Spots: Terra, p. 19: "Who is Gregory Kelswa-Steiner?", Esteban teaches strategy to Gregory Kelswa-Steiner
  77. Dawn of the Jihad, pp. 45–46: "Skye Assaulted!", the Skye Guards take part in Skye's defense in the 3068 attack
  78. Field Report: LAAF, p. 15: "Skye Rangers – Condition", the Skye Guards attacked Megrez
  79. Jihad Secrets: The Blake Documents, p. 21: "Überschatten", the Sixth Marik Malitia is destroyed on Megrez
  80. Field Report: LAAF, p. 15: "Skye Rangers – Condition", the Skye Guards attacked Gallatin
  81. Jihad Secrets: The Blake Documents, p. 21: "Überschatten", Skye forces conquer Gallatin in June
  82. Jihad Secrets: The Blake Documents, p. 21: "Überschatten", Skye forces push the Guards and Jaegers off Gallatin
  83. Jihad Hot Spots: 3070, p. 30: "Skye Forces Claim Narrow Victory on Zebebelgenubi", Esteban is killed on Zebebelgenubi
  84. Field Report: LAAF, p. 15: "Skye Rangers – Condition", General Esteban and the Skye Guards tried and failed to halt the Marik counteroffensive
  85. Jihad: Final Reckoning, p. 46: "The Jihad in Review – 27 November", the battle of Zebebelgenubi comes to an end
  86. Field Manual: Lyran Alliance, p. 55: "Officers", Esteban is described as an inspired strategist and competent leader
  87. Storms of Fate, p. 43: Esteban described as something of a dictator
  88. Storms of Fate, p. 221: McDonald recalls Esteban's lessons in putting the mission first
  89. Storms of Fate, pp. 79–80: Esteban was planning retirement when the FC Civil War broke out
  90. Field Manual: Updates, p. 170: "Lyran Guards – Thirty-sixth Lyran Guard RCT", Esteban is described as "legendary"
  91. Storms of Fate, p. 43: Jerry Cranston describes Esteban as "Lyran to the core"
  92. Storms of Fate, p. 79: by age 70 Esteban has streaks of silver in her hair

Bibliography[edit]