Patrick Kell

Patrick Kell (2988 – 3027; aged 39 years) and his brother Morgan Kell were the co-founders of the famed Kell Hounds mercenary unit.

Biography

Early Life

Patrick graduated in the top 2% of his class from Nagelring, the premier military academy of the Lyran Commonwealth, and was assigned to the 10th Skye Rangers. By 3010 he had risen to the rank of Leftenant-Colonel.

The Kell Hounds Formation

The Kell Hounds were born even before Morgan and Patrick had thoughts of running their own mercenary command. Arthur Luvon, future husband of Archon Katrina Steiner and cousin to Morgan and Patrick, dubbed the two brothers the Kell Hounds after witnessing them as young boys running around and terrorizing a neighbor's flock of sheep. Arthur drew up the Kell Hounds' crest and predicted that the two would grow up to become great MechWarriors. When Arthur died, Morgan and Patrick used the money left to them to form the Kell Hounds mercenary unit in 3010. Though initially mocked as rich boys playing soldier, the two made quite the impression with their surprisingly advanced grasp of strategy and tactics, as well as a top-notch technical support staff. Patrick became executive officer of the unit.

Mallory's World

The Kell Hounds had grown to regiment size by 3013. Patrick became a Leftenant-Colonel when the unit expanded. While in service to the Federated Suns, the Hounds were called to Mallory's World for an emergency extraction of First Prince Ian Davion, whose forces where taking heavy casualties from the Draconis Combine's elite 2nd Sword of Light. Morgan led the relief force, while Patrick remained behind to safeguard the mercenary unit's dependents. The Hounds arrived too late, and Ian Davion died while covering his people's escape.

Main article: Phantom 'Mech

To prevent the 2nd Sword of Light from taking the First Prince's body as a war trophy, Morgan challenged its commander, the infamous Yorinaga Kurita, to a duel. During the epic battle, Morgan Kell used the Phantom 'Mech effect to force an honorable withdraw by Yorinaga, giving the Hounds an opportunity to escape the planet with Ian Davion's body.

After the duel, Morgan became reticent and withdrawn, reducing the Hounds to 1/3 of its strength and eventually retiring from the mercenary unit to join a monastery. Patrick became commander of the remaining Kell Hounds, leading them through the lowest period of their history, a time called the "Defection".

Commander of the Kell Hounds

Under Patrick's leadership, the unit overcame its depressive period. He managed to bring the unit back together with the suppport of Salome Ward, Dan Allard, Clarence Cat, and others.

By November of 3026 the Hounds are stationed on Pacifica. where they garrison the planet from incurisons or raids for the planet's plentiful water supply.

In April, 3027, a battalion of the Kurita's 2nd Sword of Light assaults Pacifica during Colonel Ardan Sortek and Leftenant Andrew Redburn visit/tour of the planet. Patrick and Hounds had already tapped into various intelligence networks on the planet and were forewarned of the attacks. Sortek, Redburn and visiting Lyran Hauptman-General Sarah Joss participated in repulsing and incoming raider company. The battle concluded with the assistance of Colonel Sortek's Victor Assault 'Mech against a Kurita Awesome. However, two other companies of 'Mechs (initially Panthers) are spread around the planet, forming resistence guerilla cells.

On May 26th, Kurita commandos and assassins led an assault the Kell Hound's compound. They manage to injure Patrick and collapsed his lung. After the assassins are dispatched, a demi-company of Panther BattleMechs arrived to finish up. However, they are repelleded by Hound Mechs lead by Cat's Marauder, taking down three enemy mechs in the process. Doctors manage to save Patrick, saying as long he rests he will recover from his injuries. The Hounds withdraw from the planet, taking most of the salvaged Panthers with them. The Hounds's JumpShip, Cucamulus, makes a jump to Kurita space to throw off inbound forces seeking to destroy them. After jumping into an uninhabited star system AC2341CA. Here they would quickly recharge their 300 year old JumpShip and jump to the Styk system where they can do a Payback mission against House Kurita. While in system charging, an Kurita Invader JumpShip arrives and forces the Hounds to change their plans. Patrick decides to jump the ship sooner. Through efforts of the Jumpship's captain Janos Vandermeer and his crew, they managed to hot-load the Ship's Engines and jump away.

Patrick's plan called for the company of Kell Hounds, lead by Captain Dan Allard, to secure a docking bay on the former mining planetiod, used sometimes by the resistance cell called Heimdall. They planned to use ten captured Panther Battlemechs and other Jump Jet capable mechs to secure the base, while the rest of the unit secures other parts of the planetoid.

Silver Eagle

After Patrick's people discover that among the people aboard the planetoid was Lyran Commonweath's Archon-Designate. They discovered that the early DropShip contained ISF commandos whom successfully repulsed their attempt to seize the Melissa Steiner.

However, elements of the Genyosha arrived on the planeoid and threatend the destruction of the Silver Eagle if the Kell Hounds do not turn over the Melissa Steiner. Patrick has Melissa sent off planet and orders assault on Kuritan Units to save the passengers & crew of the Silver Eagle. In this battle, Patrick's Victor BattleMech disappears from all electronic scanning devices.

However, the Genyosha is led by Yorinaga Kurita and he too has developed the ablity. Patrick began to systematicly destroy Kurita force threating to the destroy the civilian dropship. Yorinaga began to stalk him, firing his PPCs and managed to hit Patrick's mech. Dan Allard only momentarily detects Patrick's invisible mech on his sensors and to his horror sees Patrick's engine shielding had been damaged. The 'Mech's heat began to cook Patrick alive. Noticing, Yorinaga's weapon fire began to hit him despite Patrick's ability not to be seen on sensors. Patrick continued to maul Genyosha Panther's, until Yorinaga destroy's the engine shielding of his mech and forcing Patrick to eject. However, the Victor's engine explosion sends shrapnel into Patrick as he ejects. Dan Allard takes his damaged Valkyrie and attempts to stop Yori himself to save Patrick and everyone else. Sending the Valkryie on its JumpJets into Yori's Warhammer, tackling him while self-destructing. This destroyed Yorinaga's Warhammer and forced ejected him out of his 'Mech. This leaving Sho-saHis aide Niiro now in command, he paniced and ordered the all forces to retreat.

While on return trip, Patrick lies dying after the doctor failed to repair his wounds. Melissa Steiner tearly confides to him that she is to marry Hanse Davion. This brightens him up briefly, ignoring his death throws and he wishes her well. He tells Dan Allard that he shall pass a message to Morgan.

“

Dan, tell him...Morgan I understand. Tell him I finally understand.

”

He stiffins and says to Major Salone Ward that command is hers and dies.

Legacy

After the Kell Hound's actions in effort to rescue the passengers of the Silver Eagle, the Kell Hounds were rewarded by Hanse Davion with titles and lands. He asks the Hounds what he could do beyond those things. Captain Dan Allard suggested in memory of Patrick, that a scholarship be setup in his memory. The scholarship would be offered to potential MechWarrior candidates whom shares the spirit of bravely as Patrick did to them and give them a chance to become like him where they normally won't have an opportunity to. Hanse Davion agrees and Melissa Steiner says a similar program would be setup in Lyran Commonwealth as well.

Hanse Davion setups a memorial in Peace Park in New Avalon City in memory of the people who died in the Silver Eagle incident.

Family

Patrick only known immediately family is his brother Morgan Kell & uncle Arthur Luvon, whom was Duke of Donegal. He is cousins (by marriage to Arthur) to Katrina Steiner & her daughter Melissa Steiner

Unknown to him, Patrick had sired a son named Christian Kell with a mistress named Takara. He first appeared to Morgan Kell in 3042 on Arboris, presenting evidence provided by his late mother. Morgan brings him to Outreach where he has him trained by the Wolf's Dragoons. He later joins the Kell Hounds as an officer.

Character Notes

Patrick Kell was noted to pilot an Thunderbolt, but used Ardan Sortek's Victor Assault Mech in his final moments. He was qualified to pilot the Victor when in Nagelring Academy, and took part of rebuilding a captured Kurita Victor during his senior year.

Bibliography

• Warrior: En Garde (1988)
• The Kell Hounds scenario pack (1988)
• Not the Way the Smart Money Bets, a BattleCorps short story (2008)