Melissa Steiner (31st c.)

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This article is about the 31st century Archon. For the 32nd century Archon, see Melissa Steiner (32nd c.).


Melissa Steiner-Davion.jpg
Melissa Arthur Steiner
Character Profile
Born 3010
Died 3055
Affiliation House Steiner
Profession Archon of Lyran Commonwealth
Parents Arthur Luvon (father), Katrina Steiner (mother)
Spouse Hanse Davion
Children Victor, Katherine, Peter, Yvonne, Arthur

Melissa Arthur Steiner (born 3010[1] – died June 19th 3055, aged 45 years) was the daughter of Katrina Steiner and Arthur Luvon and the wife of Hanse Davion. She was the Landgräfin von Bremen of the Lyran Commonwealth and became Archon of the Lyran half of the Federated Commonwealth. She was nearly universally beloved by friends, allies, and even enemies.

Character History

Early Life

Melissa was born in 3010 at the Royal Palace of the Lyran Commonwealth on Tharkad. A voracious reader possessing a strong thirst for knowledge, Melissa became fluent in three languages (Standard, German, and French) and was learning at university level while still only fifteen. She loved to leave the confines of the Triad (the government complex) and wander in the wilds surrounding Tharkad City.

She showed little aptitude in piloting a BattleMech or Aerospace Fighter. Therefore, unlike most previous Archon-Designates, Melissa Steiner was not trained in the use of BattleMechs, but instead trained as an infantry commander.

Kidnapping

In 3027, Melissa surreptitiously boarded the passenger DropShip Silver Eagle under the alias Joana Barker. She was bound for New Avalon to meet her future husband with one of the heroes of the Federated Suns, Leftenant Andrew Redburn. The Maskirovka (the intelligence service of the Capellan Confederation) arranged to have her kidnapped while en route to New Avalon, thereby precipitating a crisis within both the Lyran Commonwealth and the Federated Suns. She was actually captured by operatives from Heimdall, a covert organization that often found itself at odds with Loki (Lyran black ops).

Raised on Tharkad and within the confines of the Lyran court, Melissa was concerned about her ability to lead. She did, however, ably coordinate a defense of the Styx mining base against a coordinated assault by both ISF forces of the Draconis Combine and the Genyosha, an elite 'Mech force commanded by Yorinaga Kurita. Thanks to efforts by the Kell Hounds mercenary unit and in particular the sacrifice of Patrick Kell, the Archon-Designate was rescued and arrived on New Avalon safely.

Marriage and Creation of Federated Commonwealth

On 20 August 3028, Hanse Davion married Melissa in the presence of all of the Successor Lords of the Inner Sphere at Hilton Head, Terra (the headquarters of ComStar). At the reception following the ceremony, Hanse gave Melissa, as a wedding present: the Capellan Confederation. Davion had arranged a massive invasion of the Confederation that was later called the Fourth Succession War.

Children

Melissa bore five children with Hanse.

  • Victor, as the eldest, inherited both thrones. His political ineptness kept him from keeping those thrones, however, and he later became the Precentor Martial of ComStar, then a Paladin of The Republic of the Sphere following the Jihad.
  • Katherine was the chief architect of Victor's downfall, eventually usurping both his thrones, which lead to the FedCom Civil War. Following the war's end, Katherine was allowed exile to Clan Wolf, where she became a member of the Warrior Caste.
  • Peter became the Archon of the Lyran Alliance after the end of the FedCom Civil War.
  • Yvonne became the ruler of the Federated Suns following the end of the FedCom Civil War.
  • Arthur was believed to have been assassinated, the spark that officially began the FedCom Civil War, though no body was ever recovered.

Reign as Archon


Assassination

The Lyran people in particular loved her dearly, which is partially why at 7:21PM, on the 19th of June, 3055, on Tharkad during a banquet she was attending, her assassination, broadcast live across the Inner Sphere, shocked all. The broadcast reached into Clan space, where Phelan Ward learned of Melissa's death, along with the death of his own mother and the maiming of his father via the same bombs.

The actual bombs used for the assassination were constructed from four flower pots housing flowering Mycosia pseudoflora plants (genetically-engineered versions of the Mycosia blossoms which Hanse Davion had shipped to Terra for his and Melissa's wedding, years before). After their surprise appearance at Melissa's wedding, she adopted them as her favorite, seldom appearing in public without some token reminder of the blossoms. The pots themselves were made of clay explosives, activated remotely and detonated by a water absorption timer: the timer was activated by the plants being watered and set to go off during her speech.

The assassination was carried out by the individual who also went under the alias Dancing Joker. He had been hired by Ryan Steiner and Katherine Steiner-Davion.

Titles and ranks

Preceded by Archon of the Lyran Commonwealth
30393055
Succeeded by
Preceded by Regent of the Federated Suns
30523055[2]
Succeeded by

Template:Archon Timeline

30523055Hanse DavionRegent

Portrait Gallery

See Also

References

  1. Era Report: 3052, p. Melissa Steiner-Davion Profile
  2. Handbook: House Davion, p. 114

Bibliography