Carlos Marik (25th c.)
Carlos Marik | |
---|---|
Personal | |
Born | 2448[1][2] |
Affiliation | House Marik |
Career | |
Rank | Captain-General |
Family | |
Parents | Geralk Marik (father)[1] |
Siblings | Simone Marik[1] Brion Marik[1] |
Children | Carol Marik[1] |
Carlos Marik was a Free Worlds League nobleman, military commander, and the fifteenth Captain-General of the Free Worlds League.
Carlos was known as a true patriot of the Free Worlds League. However, he developed an unhealthy paranoia towards the League's powerful neighbor, the Terran Hegemony that ultimately resulted in his downfall.[2][3]
Contents
History[edit]
Early Life[edit]
Carlos served in the Free Worlds League Military and was described as a "veteran military officer."[2]
Captain-General[edit]
After Parliament opted not to renew Simone's tenure as Captain-General in 2475, Carlos was appointed to take his sister's place. His short tenure would lead to disaster. He continued to concentrate on the League's navy and few BattleMech regiments building up in the Oriente system. Originally poised to invade the Capellan Confederation, he turned its sights to what he believed to be the true threat, the Terran Hegemony.[4][2][3]
Despite Carlos' tenure in the FWLM, or perhaps because of it, he distrusted the military buildup taking place in the Terran Hegemony. His fear became irrational and he convinced himself that only he could stop the Terran war machine. An aide leaked word of Carlos' plan to use WarShips and atomic weaponry to a Terran spy.[4][3]
Director-General Theodore Cameron was already concerned about the Marik military buildup. Armed with all of the information he needed, Cameron ordered a quick raid. The battle was the largest naval engagement to that date and resulted in the loss of twenty Marik WarShips to only two Terran craft.[4][3][5]
Coup and Disappearance[edit]
When word of the disaster reached the League's capital on Atreus, Carlos' brother Brion seized power in a bloodless coup, backed by House Marik and Parliament. Though Brion officially took power, Carlos controlled the remnants of the FWLM fleet and he intended to use it. In an effort to preempt civil war, Parliament offered him the position of Speaker of the House. Carlos was incensed at the insult that he would accept an inferior position to the one he held because he believed that he was the only one worthy of being Captain-General. Carlos ranted at the emissary from Parliament long enough for the naval officers to realize he was paranoid and out of touch with reality.[4][3]
The naval fleet did proceed to Atreus, but as returning citizens, not as a force of war. Carlos left with the last ship of his fleet still loyal to him and fled for the Periphery. He ended up among the worlds of the Periphery that would later become the Magistracy of Canopus. He swore that he would return and reclaim the Captain-General title that was taken from him, but was never heard from again.[4][3]
References[edit]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 House Marik (The Free Worlds League), foldout (p. 171 in PDF): "The Captains-General Line of Succession and Partial Marik Family Tree"
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Handbook: House Marik, p. 85: "Captains-General in History"
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 House Marik (The Free Worlds League), p. 17: "The Free Worlds and Terra"
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 Handbook: House Marik, p. 21
- ↑ The Star League, p. 32