Natasha Kerensky

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Natasha Kerensky
File:Natasha 3052.jpg
Personal
Also known as	The Black Widow The Queen of Spades
Born	2973
Died	7 December 3057
Affiliation	Clan Wolf Wolf's Dragoons (Black Widow Company)
Profile
Profession	kaKhan of Clan Wolf

Natasha Kerensky (born 2973 - died December 7th, 3057, aged 84 years), also known as The Black Widow, The Queen of Spades, and many other appellations, was a trueborn MechWarrior from Clan Wolf. She can trace some of her ancestry back to a former member of Clan Widowmaker (a survivor of that Clan's absorption). Immensely successful and famous, she was widely regarded as the best and deadliest MechWarrior of the 31st century, with the possible exception of Kai Allard-Liao.

She earned her reputation as leader of the Black Widow Company but returned to her Clan when the Clan Invasion began, where she quickly rose to the rank of Khan.

Clan Warrior

The information available about Natasha Kerensky reaches back to 3000 when she was a Star Captain commanding a Trinary in the elite 328th Assault Cluster of Clan Wolf. In this time the unit achieved notable victories over Clan Diamond Shark on Paxton and over Clan Jade Falcon on Eden. Both Jaime Wolf and Joshua Wolf served under her command, the latter upon her request to replace casualties her command had suffered against the Diamond Sharks. A bond of friendship developed between her and the freeborn brothers.

Kerensky's career stalled after her promotion to Star Colonel in 3003. Several high-profile assignments eluded her due to her impatience with politics, and her success on the battlefield curiously led to her unit being eliminated in biddings early on to stiffen the bidding process.

Wolf's Dragoons

In 3004 she joined Wolf's Dragoons during their long-term intelligence mission into the Inner Sphere, leaping at the opportunity to see combat duty even though it involved a de-facto demotion to Point Commander, serving under the command of the brothers Wolf. Natasha Kerensky quickly rose through the ranks of Wolf's Dragoons. During the unit's employment with the Federated Suns, she apparently came to the attention of a young Hanse Davion. At some point (circumstantial evidence suggests during the employment with the Capellan Confederation between 3010 and 3014) she and Joshua Wolf became lovers.

After 3014 the Dragoons were in the employ of Duke Anton Marik in the Marik Civil War. One of the first targets of Duke Marik was Nova Roma, where Lieutenant Kerensky and her heavy lance operated in June 3014 in conjunction with the Bounty Hunter and his team. After the Bounty Hunter had inspected a steep ravine and declared it safe to pass, Kerensky's lance entered and fell to a loyalist ambush. Only herself and Colin Maclaren survived and the Bounty Hunter salvaged their 'Mechs, including Kerensky's Marauder, which became the Bounty Hunter's iconic 'Mech in his remarkably successful career. (See also Notes below.)

Shortly afterwards, Natasha Kerensky accepted command over a special Dragoon company composed of criminals, misfits and troublemakers. Promoted to Captain, she forged them into an effective fighting unit that saw action on Emris IV, Matheran, Calloway VI, Semenyih, Tiber, McKenna and New Delos.

The Black Widow

In 3015, Wolf's Dragoons fell out with their current employer, Duke Anton Marik, who subsequently took Joshua Wolf and 27 other Dragoon personnel hostage and later killed them.

As the Dragoons attacked Duke Marik on New Delos in a retaliatory strike it fell to Natasha Kerensky's band of malcontents to break through the defensive line of burning forests. In a frenzied all-out attack they razed the stronghold and killed Anton Marik in their fire-blackened 'Mechs. After the final battle on New Delos, Captain Natasha Kerensky emerged as the self-styled "Black Widow" and had command over her own, semi-independent sub-unit of Wolf's Dragoons, the notorious Black Widow Company.

From then on, the Black Widows were the Dragoon's most active raiding force, often operating independently from their parent unit. They were also typically spearheading assaults in the thick of any major Dragoon operation. As commander of this unit, the "Black Widow" became a living legend akin to the Bounty Hunter. During this time she usually piloted a jet black Warhammer that became as infamous as its pilot, the mere sight of which persuaded many foes to flee rather than face her.

On 16 December 3031 it was announced that Natasha Kerensky had been promoted to Colonel, and her unit was expanded to Battalion size. The Black Widows were the first Dragoon unit to return to combat duty after the devastating losses Wolf's Dragoons had incurred on Misery and in the subsequent Fourth Succession War. They went to defend Tsinghai against Marik forces following a contract signed November 7, 3031.

In 3035 they were recalled to the Dragoon homeworld of Outreach to serve as a training cadre for a new generation of Dragoon MechWarriors for the next seven years.

Return to the Clans

When the Clan invasion into the Inner Sphere took place in 3049, she left the Dragoons to take her place amongst her fellow Bloodnamed Clan Warriors - notable as being the only member of the Clan in either the Dragoons or its offshoot Snord's Irregulars to answer the Grand Council's official recall order. Among Wolf's Dragoons, her unit, the Black Widow Battalion, was replaced by the Wolf Spider Battalion.

Upon Ulric Kerensky's elevation to ilKhan of the Clans, she was named Khan of Clan Wolf in his stead.

“

History has often taught us that the path to victories in the future is not to rush into battle like the Smoke Jaguars or the Jade Falcons. Where they rush into battle, charge where angels fear to tread, we know that victory is a matter of stalking one's prey. The hunt, the pursuit, the methodical wearing down of one's foe, that is often the key to victory. Let the Falcons say what they will about Ulric Kerensky. We shall show them how true Warriors achieve victory!

”

-Khan Natasha Kerensky addresses her 352nd Assault Cluster before the Battle of Colmar

Personal information

The death of Joshua Wolf, her lover, in 3014 apparently pushed Natasha Kerensky over the edge and turned the already formidable MechWarrior to a cocky, sometimes almost suicidal lifestyle on and off the battlefield for decades to come. Like her entire Black Widow command of criminals and discipline cases she displayed borderline psychotic behavior and could kill at a whim, inside or outside her Warhammer. Violent barfights that could even result in deaths occurred regularly. When Fadre Singh admitted during questioning following his capture on Misery that he had leaked critical information to the enemy, she simply shot him in the presence of the Dragoon command staff even while Jaime Wolf still raised his hand to hit Singh. She uttered a line, revealed later as a quote of Nicholas Kerensky, "Those who break faith with the Unity shall go down into darkness." Nicholas had uttered those same words when ordering the Annihilation of Clan Wolverine.

At one point during the Dragoons' employment with House Kurita just prior to 3028, Gideon Braver confronted Natasha Kerensky with false accusations about having attacked Ander's Moon. She denied the accusations and a barfight broke out; only the interventions of a MIIO operative saved Gideon Braver from a very severe beating. (Since this event is depicted in the storyline of a computer game, the canonicity of this information is disputed.)

Within Wolf's Dragoons she held the rank of a mere Captain (in command of the Black Widow Company) for a long time, but was highly respected and in fact commanded the authority of a Battalion commander or better; in tactical meetings she was respected as an equal by Regimental Colonels among the Dragoons. When all Regiment and Battalion commanders assembled for the seppuku ceremony of Minobu Tetsuhara at the conclusion of the Misery campaign she was present as well.

Natasha Kerensky's age was indeterminable. She underwent cosmetic surgery several times between approximately 3007 and 3026, but was generally cautious never to reveal too much personal information and avoided medical examinations.

Natasha Kerensky and her reputation were already mentioned in one of the two scenarios presented in the rulebook for the original BattleTech boardgame, making her the oldest celebrity of the franchise.

Death and Legacy

Khan Natasha Kerensky, leading the prestigious 13th Wolf Guards, died in December 3057 in single 'Mech combat against Star Commander Joanna of Clan Jade Falcon in the Great Gash on the planet Twycross while fighting a rearguard action to cover the retreat of her unit. The Jade Falcons left Kerensky's fallen BattleMech (a Dire Wolf called Widowmaker) in its place as a monument to an exceptional person who was widely respected, even by her former enemies.

Natasha Kerensky's unit, the 13th Wolf Guards would reside with the Exiled Wolve's Beta Galaxy. In the Dark Age Era, she has a descendant by the name of Anastasia Kerensky.

Quotes

“	Train your young boys well, because otherwise they won't get past this old woman.	”
	— Natasha Kerensky

Portrait Gallery

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  Natasha Kerensky

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  Natasha Kerensky in 3028

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  Natasha Kerensky

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  Natasha Portrait

• Natasha black widow.jpg

  Leader of the Black Widow Company

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Notes

While there is much fan speculation that Natasha piloted 'Mechs with advanced Star League technology in her early career with Wolf's Dragoons, there are no canon references to support this. Her Marauder, captured by the Bounty Hunter in 3014, was upgraded by him following a Periphery mission in 3015 with equipment from a Star League cache uncovered during that mission. Her iconic Warhammer is a stock WHM-6R, maintained in perfect condition.

Bibliography

• A Time of Ice and Fire
• BattleTech Dossiers: The Bounty Hunter
• Camo Specs
• Era Report: 3052
• Historical: Brush Wars
• Historical: War of 3039
• I Am Jade Falcon
• More Tales of the Black Widow
• The Memory of Pain
• Shrapnel
• Tales of the Black Widow Company
• The Clans: Warriors of Kerensky
• The Spider and the Wolf
• Wolf's Dragoons (sourcebook)
• Wolves on the Border