Mason Dunne

Mason Dunne
Character Profile
Also known as Sam Donelly
Born 6 June 3101[1]
Affiliation The Republic of the Sphere
Title(s) Knight
Profession MechWarrior
Spouse Janella Lakewood (lover)


Mason Dunne was a thirty-second-century Ghost Knight of The Republic of Sphere.[2]

History[edit]

Origins[edit]

Mason grew up in a planet of the Federated Suns, on one of the many estates owned by Victor Steiner-Davion. His family worked the land, so Mason piloted every type of IndustrialMech, from AgroMech to ForestryMech. When he had sixteen years, drove a ForestryMech into the heart of a forest fire to rescue some smokejumpers who had become trapped. Due to his piloting expertise and apparent lack of fear, he came to the personal attention of Victor, who brought him to the Republic. There, he was given the opportunity to prove his worth in the Republic military and quickly was inducted into the Knights of the Sphere. Since then, he was given numerous assignments, all of which he has fulfilled in an exemplary fashion. Sometime, he began a romantic relationship with (then) Knight Lady Janella Lakewood.[3]

His true identity was known by very few knights and paladins in the Republic. Knight Countess Consuela Dagmar was his immediate supervisor as a Ghost Knight and Victor Davion acted as his mentor. As a Ghost Knight, Mason changed identities to suit his mission. He was publicly known as a researcher in an obscure forestry office in the Interior Secretariat.[4]

Helen[edit]

In August of 3132, Mason was on an undercover mission, arriving on the Republic world of Helen as a drifter by the name of Sam Donelly. He became an IndustrialMech pilot for ARU logging company. He discovered and penetrated a terrorist group known as the GGF (Gaia Guerrilla Front) in November of that year. In the course of his actions, he encountered a gentleman named Mr. Handy who was the creator and leader of the GGF. He had Mason's cell attack the local authorities' armory in order to acquire more munitions. Before the attack could take place, someone betrayed the cell and notified the local authorities of the impending attack. Mason was captured after a Centurion BattleMech destroyed his ConstructionMech.

Lady Lakewood "arrested" him and brought him to Terra for debriefing about what was going on in the Republic. There he learned about the extent of the unrest in the Republic of the Sphere. This was due to an unknown group that sabotaged and knocked out the majority of the HPG communication grid. This resulted in the creation of splinter groups such as Katana Tormark's Dragon's Fury and a power grab by CEO Jacob Bannson.

During his time on Terra, Dunne was notified that Mr. Handy, now known as "Gypsy", was attempting to recruit him as a MechWarrior pilot on the Republic world of Basalt. He was asked to travel there and resume his identity in order to stop whatever Mr. Handy had planned, with as little death and destruction as possible.

Basalt Mission[edit]

In January 3133, he arrived on Basalt and met with Gypsy. He was recruited into Gypsy's mercenary unit, which had been hired to overthrow the government. Gypsy had gathered a large battalion-sized military force with a mixed group of cashiered military personnel and mercenaries. Dunne, as Sam, convinced his employer not to go with conventional tactics but to use LIT – low-intensity terrorism – instead. Mason stated that the population would be more easily swayed by showing the incompetence of the current government than by military conquest.

When the current leader's son made a power play to become planetary governor, Dunne realized that it was time to end the insurrection once and for all.

In March, Mason, with the assistance of Lady Lakewood and Public Safety Officer Niemeyer, baited Germayne to bring his mercenary force to an obscure old prison known as Obsidian Island. The bait was Germayne's rival and enemy, who was also trying to become governor of the planet.

Mason and Lady Lakewood arrived in their BattleMechs to tip the battle in favor of the Basalt Militia. In the process of the battle, Mason Dunne and Janella Lakewood convinced one group of mercenaries that it would be in their best interest to join the Knights of the Sphere. The Basalt Militia, the mercenaries, and the Knights, concentrated fire on Germayne and the rest of his force, ultimately resulting in his defeat.

In the aftermath of the battle, Mason allowed his "Sam Donelly" persona to die, only to resume it for his pursuit and capture of Cassandra Raines in January 3135.[5]

During this mission he piloted a Mad Cat III.[6]

IlClan Era[edit]

Mason somehow survived the Battle of Terra, joining Seychelles' Stonehearts, a mercenary command that served as a front for Republic loyalists - RAF and Ghost Knights. He was a moderating influence there, but after the fall of the Republic he became more and more disinterested in the work, largely due to losing contact with his partner, Janella Lakewood, who was captured by Clan Wolf warriors.[7]

BattleMechs[edit]

Mason Dunne piloted a Mad Cat III that he named Ghost, after Victor Steiner-Davion's old Tenth Lyran Guards RCT, nicknamed The Revenants; a revenant is a type of ghost. He used Ghost, a brand-new 'Mech which he was the first to pilot, in a combat mission to stop an uprising on Basalt in March 3133.[1]

Notes[edit]

Mason Dunne's name is mentioned in reporting a successful contact with Cassandra Raines.[5]

References[edit]

  1. 1.0 1.1 MechWarrior: Dark Age - Dossiers and Pilot Cards, p. 39: "Mason Dunne profile"
  2. Ghost War, p. 94
  3. MWDA Uniques, p. 32
  4. Ghost War, p. 80
  5. 5.0 5.1 3135 PDA Journals, pp. 25–26: "31 March 3135"
  6. Ghost War, pp. 279-292
  7. Shrapnel, Issue #4, p. 99: Unit Digest: Seychelles' Stonehearts

Bibliography[edit]