Christopher Ahmed

Christopher Ahmed
Christopher Ahmed
Character Profile
Born 3006[1]
Died 3058[2]
Affiliation Clan Steel Viper
Rank saKhan
Profession MechWarrior


Christopher Ahmed was a warrior of Clan Steel Viper who would rise to the post of saKhan after the Clans' loss to ComStar on Tukayyid.

History[edit]

Born during the height of the Political Century, Christopher Ahmed was said to be both charismatic and tactful. These traits often served him well as a leader, but were not considered particularly valuable to the Steel Vipers, who stressed martial prowess and skill above nearly everything else.[1]

REVIVAL politics[edit]

Clan Steel Viper Alpha Galaxy

Ahmed was also a noted Warden in a Clan that had traditionally stood amongst the other Warden Clans mostly due to the Steel Viper's deeply held belief in their own doctrine handed down since the time of Sanra Mercer. Their ranks were divided between the two great philosophies of the time, but the Warden point of view was most closely aligned with their own belief in assisting the Great Houses of the Inner Sphere in resurrecting the Star League as equal partners. This view subtly changed over time and exposure to the Inner Sphere. After Operation REVIVAL, Steel Viper politics would shift more towards the Crusader ideology, though internal political conflicts still reigned. By this point, Christopher Ahmed had made the rank of Galaxy Commander, commanding Alpha Galaxy, and was considered to be the leader of the Warden faction in Clan Steel Viper. Alpha Galaxy was involved with most of the Viper conflicts during Operation REVIVAL's fifth wave, remaining active afterward, giving Ahmed ample opportunity at battlefield glory in a fairly short period of time.[1][2][3]

While wading through the mixed politics of Clan Steel Viper, Ahmed had made many enemies. His mentor, Baltahn Ahmed, was killed in a duel with one of these enemies, a young warrior and Crusader named Perigard Zalman. Reportedly, former Khan Natalie Breen stepped in to settle differences between the two warriors during a particularly heated incident, in order to preserve Clan unity. In the wake of the disastrous Battle of Tukayyid, Ahmed was elected to the post of saKhan, serving under now-Khan Perigard Zalman. The two would lay aside their differences while seizing worlds from the Federated Commonwealth and the rival Clan Jade Falcon alike.[1][4]

Refusal War and death[edit]

Brett Andrews, Christopher Ahmed's slayer and successor

When the Refusal War broke out between the Jade Falcons and Clan Wolf in 3057, many within the Steel Vipers saw the conflict as a opportunity to take advantage of two severely weakened Clans. Others saw a chance to advance the Warden cause, Ahmed among them. As the Jade Falcons and Wolves clashed, Ahmed maneuvered to acquire Phelan Ward from the Wolves. In spite of his Clan's anti-freeborn stance, he felt that this would be in accordance with an older tradition dating back to Arcadia and Operation KLONDIKE, in addition to being in keeping with Sanra Mercer's vision. Ahmed also hoped to take advantage of both Clans once they had bled themselves dry on each other. To do this, saKhan Ahmed aided the Jade Falcons with information about Wolf troop movements and dispositions to help them prepare better for each attack. This angered many of his warrior peers in the Steel Vipers, and when both Ulric and Natasha Kerensky were suddenly killed on the worlds of Wotan and Twycross respectively, it signaled the failure of his plans. His schemes not only failed to bear fruit, they also did much to hurt the Warden faction in the Inner Sphere, while aiding a traditional enemy of the Steel Vipers.[1][2]

Accused by many of treasonous activity against the Clan for having acted without consent of his superior, Christopher Ahmed deferred judgment to the Steel Viper Clan Council, who in 3058 found him guilty as charged. Ahmed demanded a Trial of Refusal against the verdict, as was his right under Clan law. Khan Zalman chose as his champion the young Crusader Star Colonel Brett Andrews, a Steel Viper ristar and commander of the 4th Viper Guards, who went on to slay Ahmed during their 'Mech duel. Andrews soon afterward succeeded Ahmed as saKhan of the Steel Vipers.[1][2]

Legacy[edit]

Born to a Bloodname House known for producing MechWarriors,[5] Christopher Ahmed rose to high position but squandered his power in a gamble that was doomed to fail, while also doing much to help cement the outside view of Steel Viper leadership as erratic and conflicted. With Ahmed went a great deal of the Warden political clout within his Clan, allowing the Steel Vipers to shift toward a more Crusader-like path than ever before, while still espousing the vision of Sanra Mercer.[4]

References[edit]

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 Era Report: 3052, p. 92-93 - "Christopher Ahmed"
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Field Manual: Warden Clans, p. 137 - "Pulling the Falcon's Feathers" and "Shattered Dreams"
  3. Invading Clans, p. 92 - "Steel Viper Galaxy"
  4. 4.0 4.1 Era Report: 3062, p. 63 - "Clan Steel Viper"
  5. Field Manual: Warden Clans, p. 135 - "Exclusive Bloodnames"

Bibliography[edit]