Thomas Brubaker

Thomas Brubaker
Personal
Born	3093
Died	6 June 3151
Affiliation	Wolf's Dragoons
Profile
Rank	General
Profession	MechWarrior

Thomas Brubaker assumed the role of commanding officer of the Wolf's Dragoons mercenary unit in 3137.

History

Early Years

Graduating the top of his ageframe, Thomas proved to have formidable skills as warrior but even bigger talent for politics and administration. In his first combat action as Dragoon, he saw combat at the frontier of the Tamarind-Abbey Duchy, being comendated for his bravery and skills. His charge on Heron Hill on Delacour saw him won the attention of General Siena Cameron, which transfered him to the Black Cats battalion after winning a Brubaker (Honorname). In 3125, he received the command of the Cats. By 3137 he took full command of the Dragoons, succeding the retiring General Cameron, and decided to make sure the Dragoons' independence ceasing to work for the Lyran Commonwealth.

Contract for the Combine

In 3139, when the Dragoons signed a new contract with the Draconis Combine, Brubaker was determined to recover the old prestige and independence of the unit and show it to all the Inner Sphere states. To avoid antagonizing their new masters, after arriving on Gandy's Luck Brubaker warned his men to respect the Kuritans and avoid carrying visible weapons.

Under Brubaker's command, the Dragoons, with assistance from a Ryuken regiment, easily conquered the Draconis Reach, a disputed ten-world region, in the Draconis Reach Campaign. By 3140, several of their regiments had even launched a daring incursion inside Federated Suns space, targeting the planet Glenmora, but found themselves trapped on planet. The Ryuken led a recovery mission, rescuing them. After returning to Combine space, Brubaker congratulated the mission leader, Colonel Henry Kincaid, on his survival.

On 3149, Brubaker took Alpha Regiment (Wolf's Dragoons), along with the 22nd New Samarkand Regulars, to conquer the planet Coloma. There, they faced the First Avalon Hussars. The First, weakened after several raids, was unable to hold, and the Dragoons, after two weeks of fight, surrounded the Hussars' command post. Generously, Brubaker accepted the First' surrender, but allowed them to retreat offplanet. That made the Kanrei Matsuhari Toranaga furious, but after he complained, Brubaker reminded him their clause about surrendering combatants, and ended his answer telling than the DCMS was free to renegotiate our contract at any time.

Parma Incident

Relations between the Dragoons and their employers became worse after the fall of New Avalon. In 3150, the Kuritans began putting the mercenaries on garrison duty, and erased records of participation in their victories. At the end of November, Brubaker traveled to Parma to address problems with Gamma Regiment of the Dragoons, as several of their officers had been arrested and jailed by the Kuritans. Despite the fact that their "crimes" were minor matters, when not fabricated, Brubaker blamed Gamma's leader, Colonel Nicholas Crews, and refused to put pressure on the Kuritan liaison, Tai-sa Reiko Akamine.

The same day, a Clan Wolf envoy arrived on planet. The envoy, Marotta Kerensky, was a cunning and patient officer who knew a lot about Dragoons history and admired them. He was there to invite the Dragoons to join Clan Wolf again, at least temporarily, to help their former Clan defend Terra against the imminent Clan Jade Falcon attack. Marotta's arguments were very convincing, but Brubaker didn't want to compromise his contract with the Combine. However, many officers disagreed. When Crews openly sided with Marotta, Brubaker furiously stripped him of his pposition. The General had made a big mistake; Crews took his regiment and, along with Marotta, rescued their people from the Kuritan prison, preparing to leave for Terra. Brubaker kept the internal conflict, the Battle of Parma (3150) hidden from the Kuritans, and with their command company, chased Crews' men, expecting to capture them and prevent a new Dragoon civil war. Unfortunately, he failed; Brubaker's unit fell to an ambush by Crews' and Marotta's Dragoons, and his 'Mech was almost destroyed by Crews' 'Mech. Reluctantly, Brubaker ordered his surviving men to cease fighting.

As a prisoner, the General could not prevent Gamma's departure, and warned Crews that his acts would initiate a new Dragoon Civil War, but Marotta convinced him to hide all what happened under the guise of a "training accident", and Brubaker agreed to do so, terminating the contract with the Combine and sending all the Dragoons units he had to Terra to fight alongside the Wolves.

ilClan Trial and Aftermath

The Dragoons, along with the exiled Wolves, was part of Task Force Athena, the Wolves' secret reserves. They sat on terra, hidden, until the 18 April, General Chance Vickers saw them and made sure they were prepared for intervene, debating the tactics they would use. Brubaker led the Dragoons, joining Clan Wolf in their final battle against Clan Jade Falcon. Brubaker led the three regiments in frontal assault against their foes. The Falcon Guards attacked the Dragoons, cutting down several Dragoons Colonels, before turning their attention on Brubaker's 'Mech, downing him. Major Aaron Krull, now leading Gamma, rushed to his aid, managing to save him. Brubaker put him in overall command before being evacuated.

When Alaric Ward spotted his rival, Malvina Hazen, he ordered Wolf's Dragoons to extract to their DropShip and allow Anastasia Kerensky to make the kill. Confused by the order, the remaining Dragoons complied as the Wolves pressed forward, causing their victory.

After the ilClan ceremony concluded, the 27 April, a General Brubaker and his officers, along with Marotta, were honored by being given gray BloodRibbons as rewards for their participation. After the ceremony, Brubaker asked the new ilKhan why he wanted him and his men to retreat after beating down the Falcons. Alaric stated that the final blow to Clan Jade Falcon was to be dealt by Clan Wolf trueborn warriors and revealed that he was using them as tools. As further blatant disrespect to them, Alaric gave them thirty pieces of silver for their efforts along with his gratitude, while reminding them, declaring a vendetta on Alaric and his Wolves for their manipulation of them, as was Alaric's plan from the start. Marotta tried to calm down the irate General, only to get knocked to the ground. Brubaker and his Dragoons discarded their BloodRibbons in disgust at the new ilKhan as they left his office. Given the Dragoons' weakened status (81% combat loss as stated by Chance) and reputation, it would be some time before Brubaker could make good on his word.

Trial and Death

Brubaker never got a chance to see his plans through. After meeting with the other Dragoons and their dependents on Savannah, Colonel Henry Kincaid ordered the arrest and trial of Brubaker, Crews and any other superior officers for treason for Parma's events.

The process was quick, but not punitive; as Crews had forced him to go to Terra, Brubaker was only stripped of his rank and sentenced to exile from the Dragoons. Kincaid had a last meeting with him, where he promised to make Dragoons revenge a reality. Kincaid offered him the chance to walk away from the Dragoons or choose an honorable death, giving him his service weapon. Brubaker chose the latter option and killed himself.

BattleMechs

Brubaker's 'Mech in 3150 was an Annihilator.

During the ilClan Trial in 3151 Brubaker operated a Tundra Wolf.

Bibliography

• Divided We Fall (novella)
• Era Report: 3145 (sourcebook)
• Field Manual: 3145 (sourcebook)
• Hour of the Wolf (novel)
• IlClan
• Redemption Rift (novel)
• Redemption Rites (novel)
• Shattered Fortress (sourcebook)