Thomas Frederick Bradford
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Thomas Frederick Bradford | |
|---|---|
| Personal | |
| Born | 3008 |
| Affiliation | House Bradford |
| Profile | |
| Profession | Duke of Coventry[1] |
| Family | |
| Parents | Harrison Bradford (father) |
Duke Thomas Frederick Bradford (born 3008[2] - died 3???) was a Mid thirty-first century was the noble ruler of the Lyran Alliance planet of Coventry. Bradford was noted for his intense loyalty towards First Prince Victor Steiner-Davion and his hatred of Victor's sister, Archon Katherine Steiner-Davion.
Contents
Character History
Some time prior to January 3050 Thomas would succeed his father as Duke of Coventry.[3]
Fighting the Clans
Bradford showed his support for Prince Victor by personally asking him to rid his planet of the Clan Jade Falcon invaders in 3058, instead of asking Archon Katherine. Victor was happy to oblige, leading a multi-national task force to Coventry to confront the Jade Falcons, who had already wreaked havoc on the planetary infrastructure and economy. The Jade Falcon incursion into the Lyran Alliance ended when Victor offered hegira to Khan Marthe Pryde, who ordered her forces to leave Coventry without firing a shot. This incident led to the reformation of the Star League and the subsequent destruction of Clan Smoke Jaguar and the Great Refusal on Strana Mechty.
Bradford further displayed his loyalty to House Davion by providing the very first production run of Stiletto BattleMechs to the First Davion Guards when they participated in Operation Bird Dog and Operation Bulldog.
FedCom Civil War
When Archon Katherine took over the throne of the Federated Commonwealth from her sister Yvonne on December 22, 3060, Bradford, along with fellow noble ruler Duke Eric Dresari of Kentares IV, publicly condemned the takeover as an act of treason, labeling Katherine as a despot and usurper. However, Katherine could not have Bradford assassinated or otherwise removed from power, as he was regarded as a benevolent and popular ruler not only on Coventry, but by the citizens of the Lyran Alliance and Federated Commonwealth.
On Christmas Day of 3062, the FedCom Civil War came to Coventry when the newly formed 1st Coventry Jaegers, a unit completely loyal to Archon Katherine, were ordered to disarm the renegade Coventry CPM. The Jaegers, backed up by the Free Worlds League-based mercenary unit Kristen's Krushers, wiped out the CPM and the Coventry Military Academy. When Colonel Kristen Marik, commander of the Krushers, protested against the iron-handed policies of Jaegers CO Colonel Jason Walker, Walker attacked the Krushers and forced them off-world. Archon Katherine used her propaganda machine to blame Victor (and by extension, Duke Bradford) for the slaughter of the CPM and nearly instigating an international incident by "ordering" the Jaegers to attack the Krushers.
Victor himself and his Allied forces arrived on Coventry on October 17, 3063. By this time, Archon Katherine had "informed" Colonel Walker that Victor had come to destroy the Jaegers in retaliation for their destruction of the CPM; as a result, the Jaegers refused to surrender to Victor and were nearly destroyed to the last man by December 12.
During the Civil War, Bradford ordered Coventry Metal Works, makers of the Stiletto, not to ship any of those 'Mechs to any pro-Katherine Loyalist military unit. Despite Bradford's best efforts to keep Stilettoes out of Lyran hands, a few were captured by the LAAF and used against Davion forces.
Family & Legacy
Bradford was married and had two sons.[2]