Esau Olivares

Esau Olivares
Character Profile
Affiliation Draconis Combine
Rank Sho-sa
Profession MechWarrior

Esau Olivares was an officer in the service to the Draconis Combine, known primarily for his personal association with Theodore Kurita near the end of the Succession Wars era.

History[edit]

Early Life and Career[edit]

Although little is known of Olivares' early life and career, it is established that by the year 3025 he was assigned to the Legion of Vega, which at that time was a "dump unit" for malcontents, criminals and other DCMS warriors considered to be in disgrace. Although still an officer, this assignment suggests that Olivares must have been in considerable disfavor.

Marfik[edit]

As of 3025, Olivares, holding the rank of Sho-sa, had established himself as the de facto leader of the Eleventh Legion of Vega based on Marfik, likely through intimidation for the most part but also with a certain degree of skill and ability.

Tai-sa Theodore Kurita was assigned as the Legion's new commander in 3025. On 1 April, shortly after Kurita's arrival, Olivares confronted Kurita in the Legion's mess hall, in an attempt to establish dominance despite Kurita's superior rank. Dismissing Kurita as a noble with little military aptitude, Olivares "suggested" he leave the operational command to him. Kurita in turn pointed out the scharacki feather in Olivares' ear, intentionally provoking him. Before the Sho-sa could attack, however, Kurita drew his pistol and shot the feather away without wounding Olivares. Cowed and impressed, Olivares accepted Kurita's authority, and the rest of the Legion would soon follow.[1]

Olivares subsequently became a devoted follower and second-in-command to Kurita, and over the next few years, the Eleventh Legion's morale improved significantly. Among his duties was the greeting of new recruits, a duty which he performed with significant zest and effectiveness. One such group of recruits arrived on 11 December 3027, and they included Fuhito Tetsuhara among others.[2]

Fourth Succession War[edit]

In August 3028, the Fourth Succession War came to Marfik. The Battle of Marfik saw the Lyran Commonwealth's elite Fourth Skye Rangers under Kathleen Heany invade the planet, supported by an overwhelming advantage in conventional forces. One implied objective of the attack was to capture the Coordinator's heir apparent, Theodore Kurita. Engaging the Rangers on the 29th of August, Kurita ordered Olivares to determine why the Eleventh Armored Regiment was breaking position,[3] then later having him lead first battalion in covering the DCMS conventional regiments' withdrawal into DonnerBrau Forest.[4] The 34th Infantry Regiment refused Olivares' orders to abandon Massingham, and Kurita ordered him to abandon the unit.[5] The Eleventh Legion of Vega continued a guerrilla campaign against the Fourth Skye Rangers for several weeks, pitting Kurita's superior leadership against the Lyran's decisive advantage in numbers and equipment. Eventually, the inevitable end approached, and it was feared Tai-sa Kurita would be captured or killed.

On 26 September, Tai-i Tetsuhara reported to Olivares that he had located the Arctic Fox, a Union-class DropShip that might help Kurita escape.[6] The following day, Olivares and the other Legion officers met with Kurita to persuade him to depart from Marfik. When Kurita suggested they use the Arctic Fox to supplement the Legion's defenses, Olivares flatly refused, stating that he had already begun preparing the ship for departure. He also offered Kurita his Victor BattleMech, while taking Kurita's Orion for himself, to maintain the impression that Kurita was still leading the troops personally. This would keep the Lyrans distracted while Kurita made his escape.[7] Kurita and a core group of officers ultimately withdrew from the planet, leaving Olivares in command to conduct a rearguard defense. Shortly thereafter, Olivares led the Legion in their final stand. When his Orion was downed by Lyran artillery, he communicated with Hauptmann-Kommandant Heany, mocking her that Kurita had escaped her clutches.[8]

After the conflict, Olivares was presumably repatriated to the Combine.

War of 3039[edit]

Sometime prior to the War of 3039, Olivares was promoted to Tai-sa and placed in command of the rebuilt Eleventh Legion of Vega. They were stationed on Alrakis, a world bordering the Lyran half of the new Federated Commonwealth. Alrakis was a target in the first wave of the allied invasion, with the Twenty-third Arcturan Guards RCT dropping onto the planet on 16 April, 3039, along with the command company of the Fifth Donegal Guards. The decisive, aggressive drop by the Twenty-third caught the Eleventh Legion by surprise, quickly forcing them out of their barracks and onto the back foot. Even as the advance contingent of the 23rd was pushing the more numerous Legion back, a second contingent landed on the shores of Lake Carantha and seized Sigmundrac, the planetary capital.

Olivares counterattacked in an attempt to gain the initiative, forcing the Twenty-third into a bloody series of battles. Sensing that Olivares was striking from a weak position, the Guards pressed on hard, pushing and harrying the Legion back and attempting to pin them up against the Caradhradene Mountains. Based on his experiences with Theodore Kurita, Olivares knew that to be trapped against the mountains would result in the wasteful destruction of the Legion, and therefore he ordered a fighting withdrawal to save as many of his troops as possible. Olivares held the line while his conventional forces boarded their transports, using a ferocious 'Mech attack and artillery fire to delay the Lyran advance. Engaging the Steiner forces in the forests near Lake Carantha, he stalled the advance of the Guards' assault battalion, but lost a third of his available 'Mechs in the process. Then he set fire to the forests, further deterring the Arcturans and allowing his armor forces to pick off several retreating Lyran 'Mechs. Moving through the lake to avoid the fires, the Legion attacked the Lyrans from behind, inflicting losses and giving Olivares the room he needed to pull back. After a running firefight, the Eleventh made it to their DropShips.

Aboard his flaghip Astringent Beauty Olivares then contemplated seppuku during the trip to the Jump Point, because of standing orders not to retreat. However, he opted to hold off after receiving news of the extent of the allied invasion, feeling that the Combine needed him. The Legion traveled to Dieron to regroup.[9][10][11]

Three months later, on 12 July, Olivares and the Eleventh Legion returned to Alrakis, this time joined by the Eighth Alshain Regulars and using a Pirate Jump Point to gain the advantage of surprise. Combined with a surprise strike from the planetary militia, which had previously been cooperating with the Lyrans, the DCMS troops landed uncontested. The Regulars wanted to attack the allied troops at Sigmundrac immediately, but the more experienced Olivares held them back, grouping his forces and reorganizing the militia troops. Surrounding the city, Olivares decided against artillery or air strikes to dislodge the Arcturan Guards, instead using superior knowledge of the city and subterfuge to smuggle his troops into the city, where they planted explosives beneath the Steiner command center. Advancing on the city, Olivares directly contacted the Lyran commander, calling on her to surrender. When she refused, he detonated the explosives, killing many officers and knocking the Guards' command out of the fight. Olivares then attacked with his Legion, attempting to cut the enemy off from the spaceport. Leutnant-Colonel Nadine Killson took command of the Steiner troops, using her 'Mech battalion and conventional forces effectively. This resulted in a bloody battle as both sides took heavy losses in a fight for control of the spaceport. Ultimately, Olivares withdrew, knowing that he had the advantage in numbers and supplies to repair his damaged 'Mechs. Killson, for her part, pulled her troops back to the spaceport, knowing that holding it for potential reinforcements from offworld represented their best chance of holding the planet against the Combine. For the next several weeks, the two sides probed and harassed eachother, until the general recall was declared. The Guards lifted off Alrakis on 13 August, leaving Olivares and his troops triumphant.[12]

Later Life and Career[edit]

Nothing has thus far been chronicled thus far of Olivares' later life and career.

Physical Description[edit]

Olivares was described as a towering individual, over two meters in height and very muscular. Prior to the Fourth Succession War, his face was already scarred, and he cultivated an intimidating look.[13] After the Fourth War, when he was given command of the Eleventh Legion, Olivares adopted a more "civilized" appearance, abandoning his nose stud and his trademark blood-red scharacki feather. He continued to refuse to shave, however, maintaining a stubble.[14]

BattleMechs[edit]

Olivares piloted a Victor up through most of the Battle of Marfik.[7] He ultimately traded 'Mechs with Theodore Kurita, to maintain the illusion that the Kuritan heir was still on the planet.[8] The Orion he accepted from Theodore, Revenant, had an incredible pedigree, having once been piloted by Aleksandr Kerensky, but it was wrecked by Lyran artillery. In turn, Theodore Kurita continued to pilot Olivares' Victor until it was destroyed in battle on Vega on 13 December 3028.

During the fighting on Alrakis, Olivares piloted a Dragon.[15]

Gallery[edit]

References[edit]

  1. Heir to the Dragon, pp. 106-108, Olivares confronts Kurita
  2. Heir to the Dragon, pp. 118-119, Olivares' greets new "recruits" to the Legion
  3. Heir to the Dragon, p. 126, Kurita ordered Olivares to check on the Eleventh Armored
  4. Heir to the Dragon, pp. 131-132, Olivares covers the tank and infantry withdrawal into the forest
  5. Heir to the Dragon, p. 134, the 34th Infantry refuses Olivares' orders
  6. Heir to the Dragon, p. 153, Tetsuhara finds the Arctic Fox
  7. 7.0 7.1 Heir to the Dragon, pp. 154-157, Olivares trades 'Mechs with Kurita, advises him to abandon Marfik
  8. 8.0 8.1 Heir to the Dragon, p. 159, Olivares mocks Heany after he is captured
  9. Historical: War of 3039, pp. 28-29, "Alrakis", Olivares leads the Eleventh Legion in the defense of Alrakis
  10. Total Warfare, pp. 94-97, "Fighting Withdrawal", Olivares leads the withdrawal from Alrakis
  11. Scenario: Fall of the Hammer, "Situation", Olivares eventually orders the retreat from Alrakis
  12. Historical: War of 3039, pp. 70, 73-74, "Alrakis", Olivares leads the counterattack on Alrakis
  13. Heir to the Dragon, pp. 106-107, Olivares' appearance
  14. Total Warfare, p. 94, "Fighting Withdrawal", Olivares' alters his appearance over the years
  15. Total Warfare, p. 94, "Fighting Withdrawal", Olivares is using a Dragon

Bibliography[edit]