Jeremiah Rose

Jeremiah Rose
Jeremiah Rose
Personal
Born3025[1]
Died3069
AffiliationHouse Rose
Career
RankCaptain
ProfessionMechWarrior,
Arena Gladiator
Family
ParentsCorneilus Rose (father)[2]
Marie Rose (mother)
SiblingsRianna Rose
Daniel Rose
SpouseRachel McCloud
Children2 children

Formerly an Adept in the Com Guards, Jeremiah Rose was a member of the Northwind Highlanders' House Rose, and the founder and commanding officer of the Black Thorns mercenary unit.

History[edit]

Early Life to Clan Invasion[edit]

Born to members of the Northwind Highlanders, the young Jeremiah Rose was the eldest son of a MechWarrior mother and technician father, trained from a young age to eventually pilot the family's Thunderbolt. Destined to join the famed Highlanders, Rose's life took a different path when his mother died fighting on behalf of the Federated Suns in the War of 3039.

The young Jeremiah was deeply affected by the loss of his mother, engendering in him an intense hatred of the Succession Wars and Hanse Davion in particular, views that brought him into increasing conflict with his father, a staunch supporter of House Davion for allowing the Highlanders to return to Northwind during the Fourth Succession War. The rift became a chasm when Jeremiah chose to leave home and join the one group he saw as being above the petty conflicts of the Great Houses, ComStar.

Earning a place in the publicly unveiled Com Guards as a MechWarrior Acolyte, Rose was eventually selected for officer training at Sandhurst Royal Military Academy, graduating as an Adept. Posted to Com Guard forces defending the Luthien HPG compound at the start of the Clan Invasion, the lowly ranked Rose was just as unaware as to the Clans' intentions or ComStar's involvement with them as the general population of the Inner Sphere.

Convinced his unit would finally see combat against Clans Smoke Jaguar and Nova Cat during the Battle of Luthien, Rose would instead be ordered to merely defend the HPG compound, sitting in his 'Mech listening as the DCMS, Kell Hounds and Wolf's Dragoons desperately fought off the invaders. Enraged, Rose attempted to resign his commission, but his superiors refused and eventually bundled him aboard a DropShip bound for a planet named Tukayyid.

Piloting a Shootist, Rose would command his 'Mech-comprised Level II in engagements against multiple Clans during the Battle of Tukayyid. With the troops under his command convinced that Rose alone would survive, they would sell themselves dearly to ensure Rose lived during desperate combat against Clan Wolf, with Rose ejecting after the destruction of his 'Mech.

Unwilling to wait for a replacement 'Mech and disgusted with the revelation in the wake of Operation SCORPION that the Order was not the neutral faction he had been led to believe, Rose chose to cashier his commission and seek his own vengeance against the Clans.

Formation of the Black Thorns[edit]

Returning home to Northwind for the first time since he joined ComStar, the driven Rose naturally assumed the Highlanders would readily accept the return of one of their own to the fold. Attending the Highlanders' Council of Elders to make his case to form an anti-Clan unit under his command, Rose's hopes would be dashed by the shock appearance of his father, making known to all Rose's choice to flee the Highlanders.[2]

Branded a coward disloyal to the Highlanders and his proposal voted down, Jeremiah would quickly find that he was denied permission to even buy a 'Mech on world. The trip almost a complete loss, Jeremiah would by chance visit the family home and meet his little sister Rianna, now a newly graduated MechWarrior with her own 'Mech. The pair's discussion would eventually convince Rose to form his own unit, including their young cousin, Angus.

Rianna and their cousin Angus traveled to Outreach to recruit members of the new unit, while Jeremiah traveled to the one world that boasted more 'Mechs than any other; Solaris VII. Rose's plan quickly unraveled after a drive seal blew en route to the Game World, his arrival delayed to the final weeks of the main game season when virtually all 'Mechs were embargoed to prevent ringers. Further hampered by his inability to offer his Com Guard service record, Rose quickly found himself written off as a wannabe or Great House secret agent stirring up trouble, receiving a single questionable offer to take part in a rare Lance-on-Lance battle, which he refused.

Desperate, Rose engineered his own opportunity, disabling Badicus O'Shea the night before he was due to take part in the Lance match. Offering himself as replacement for O'Shea, stable owner Carstairs ultimately agreed to allow Rose to buy the Shadow Hawk he would pilot in the match if he won, in return for Rose's retelling of the Battle of Tukayyid, correctly guessing he was either Com Guard or Clansman.

His story told, Carstairs attempted to barter with Rose for his SLDF Neurohelmet in exchange for the Charger, Jeremiah eventually bartering him down to a few million C-bills and his SLDF Cooling Suit instead, securing the money required by betting every cent he had on the longshot bet of him surviving the match. With two 'Mechs secured and impressed with the performance of the lance commander, Rose then proceeded to visit Esmeralda to offer her a contract in the Black Thorns.

The Borghese Contract[edit]

The Wolcott Contract[edit]

Galedon and Death[edit]

Jeremiah was with his unit on Galedon V when the planet suffered an epidemic caused by a biological weapon and then orbital bombardment to sterilize it. It appears that he died there with his unit.[citation needed]

BattleMechs[edit]

As a Com Guard, Jeremiah piloted a Shootist. His 'Mech on Solaris was a Shadow Hawk, which he purchased later. On Borghese, he piloted an upgraded Charger he had also purchased on Solaris. After the Jade Falcons' defeat on Borghese, he replaced the Charger with a Falcon Warhawk.

References[edit]

  1. BattleTech: Legends II, p. 82
  2. 2.0 2.1 Main Event, ch. 2

Bibliography[edit]