Philip Capet

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Philip Capet
Character Profile
Died 26 May 3027
Affiliation House Davion
Profession MechWarrior
Arena fighter

A native of Uravan in the Federated Suns's Capellan March, Philip Capet was an early 31st century MechWarrior for House Davion, and later a Solaris VII gladiator.

Character History

Davion Service

While in service with House Davion, Capet rose through the ranks to become a Sergeant. He became a celebrated hero in the Capellan March of the Federated Suns in the 3020s following his actions during a Capellan Confederation raid on Uravan, and was awarded the Gold Starburst of the Federated Suns.

The actual truth of the matter was that Capet had disobeyed orders and gotten half a dozen fellow MechWarriors killed in a reckless and futile action, trying to save his home village and family during the raid. Hanse Davion had given Philip the medal due to his celebrity status in the Capellan March and hoped he would retire. However, Capet refused to retire; perceived as a troublemaker he was then given a position of command of a MechWarrior training company on Kittery.

The CO on Kittery, Major Justin Allard, was of half-Capellan descent, and Capet openly voiced his disrespect and prejudice. Allard eventually dismissed him from military service when he discovered that Capet was planning to hijack a JumpShip and go on a private mission of revenge against the Capellan Confederation,[1] though that only incensed the embittered Capet further.

Solaris VII

By 3027, Capet had journeyed to the gaming world of Solaris VII in the Lyran Commonwealth. There he became a House Davion-aligned MechWarrior and champion, fighting battles in the arenas. In January 3027, Capet faced off in his Rifleman against two Vindicators belonging to the brothers Fuh Teng and Sze Teng in the Steiner Stadium. He won the fight and killed Sze Teng in the process; he may or may not have been aware that it was a fixed fight he was supposed to win. He had collected a string of would-be champions to fight with him in what he began to call the "Capellan Mafia",[2] a group of Davion-affiliated arena fighters who were tolerated by House Davion, not least because of their successes in the arenas and the associated glory, but secretly summarily regarded as troublemakers and problem cases. (Other named members were Peter Armstrong and Billy Wolfson.)

Also in 3027, Justin Allard arrived on Solaris VII after being exiled, now calling himself Justin Xiang, and started a gladiator career of his own. Openly siding with the Capellan Confederation, Xiang began to take down every Davion warrior he faced. Capet still resented him for sending him away and felt his prejudices confirmed by the trial and subsequent exile of Justin Xiang Allard. Thus, Capet sent people to confront him, and even went so far to eventually tell them they wouldn't be a "man" if they did not disable the ejection system. Xiang killed at least six Davion gladiators including Billy Wolfson and Peter Armstrong in various fights. Hanse Davion sent a communication offering Capet a world and regiment to command if he killed Xiang.[3]

After word of the death Solaris VII icon Gray Noton reached Capet, who felt he was the up-and-coming champion, he went to claim Noton's alcove in Valhalla, the champions' high society club. Xiang stopped him and told him that he had no right, and also that his glory seeking here on Solaris and back on Uravan had led to the death of his men and that he had ultimately murdered his own family.[4] Provoked in this fashion, Capet challenged Xiang to a duel (which was exactly what Xiang wanted as he was not yet famous enough to challenge someone of Capet's standing himself).

On 26 May 3027, they agreed to fight in the Ishiyama Arena. On the pre-fight talk show Pregame Palaver, Capet declared that he was going to kill Xiang and had a surprise or two waiting for him.[5] He meant it. During the match, Capet led Xiang to a tunnel with steep three level crevasses where two of his Capellan Mafia colleagues were waiting in ambush, a Firestarter and an UrbanMech.[6] Xiang, piloting the late Gray Noton's heavy Rifleman (Legend-Killer) at the time, was able to dispatch the two light 'Mechs. Capet's plan was for them to inflict damage on Legend-Killer, giving him the opportunity for an easy killing blow. Both his people's 'Mechs were destroyed, but Justin moved deeper into the caverns. Capet hid his Rifleman during the ambush. Hidden in a location where Xiang would pass though a narrow tunnel, he would step out and shoot at Legend-Killer's thin rear armor. Xiang's 'Mech passed him, and he opened up with all his weapons at Legend-Killer, but only hit armor—Capet had been fooled by Xiang's tactic of walking his 'Mech backwards with his 'Mech's arms flipped over. Xiang returned fire and knocked Capet unconscious, then simply shot Capet's 'Mech in the head with autocannon shells, killing Capet.[7]

References

  1. Warrior: En Garde, p. 5: Major Allard talks to cadet Craon about his how real classified story of Philip Capet
  2. Warrior: En Garde, p. 240
  3. Warrior: En Garde, pp. 210-211: Hanse Davion is briefed on Justin's activities on Solaris and orders a high priority communication sent to Capet to have him kill Justin, offering a reward
  4. Warrior: En Garde, p. 240: Xiang pits the blame of Capet's failures on Capet's glory seeking including the death of his own family
  5. Warrior: En Garde, pp. 287-288: Interview with Justin Xiang and Philip Capet
  6. Warrior: En Garde, p. 290: Capet's ambush is sprung on Xiang
  7. Warrior: En Garde, p. 309: Philip Capet's last duel with Justin Xiang

Bibliography