Katrina Steiner

This article is about the Archon of the Lyran Commonwealth. For the later Archon of the Lyran Alliance who adopted her name, see Katherine Steiner-Davion.


Katrina Elizabeth Steiner
Katrina Elizabeth Steiner
Personal
Born20 October 2976[1]
Died4 January 3040[2][3]
AffiliationHouse Steiner
Career
RankArchon[1]
Title(s)Duchess of Tharkad[1]
Family
ParentsAlexandr Weldon (father)[1]
Lisa Steiner (mother)[1]
SiblingsNondi Steiner[1]
SpouseArthur Luvon[1]
ChildrenMelissa Steiner[1]

Katrina Steiner ruled the Lyran Commonwealth as the twenty-ninth Archon. Her reign is noted for the Peace Proposal that she circulated, which led to the Federated-Commonwealth Accords and the eventual creation of the Federated Commonwealth. Katrina was born on the world of Gallery. She was the first daughter of Lisa Steiner[4] and General Alexandr Weldon. She was older sister to Nondi Steiner.[1]

History[edit]

Early life[edit]

Born on Gallery, Katrina was a sickly child; she surprised her doctors by going on to pilot a BattleMech by the tender age of twelve.

Academy and military career[edit]

Graduating from the Nagelring in 2994 at just eighteen, she was posted to the Third Arcturan Lancers Regiment as an infantry officer. A year later Katrina would receive a posting with the Twenty-eighth Tharkad Armored Cavalry Regiment and then the Second Skye Artillery Regiment by 2996. Her stated reason for this was to become well acquainted with all of them. Despite her meandering career path, in 2996 she would finally be posted to the Tenth Lyran Guards (which is traditionally led by the Archon's heir, or at least a member of House Steiner) rising from lance commander to lead the entire regiment in just two years. [5]

The Tenth took up station on Hesperus II, where Katrina assumed overall command of the planet's defenses. Her unit was joined by the Sixth and Fifteenth Lyran Guards, putting some of the LCAF's best troops under her command. One of her first actions was to repel a Marik raid against the Kincaid Defiance depot, where she took direct command of the Fifteenth to make a low-altitude drop directly on top of the Marik forces. Archon Alessandro then commanded her to go on the offensive, taking her three regiments to attack Kalidasa. Katrina found the determined FWLM forces to be impossible to dislodge, which kept her forces tied up for years. In that time, both the League and Combine successfully raided Hesperus, thanks to its primary defensive forces being off-world. Katrina found herself questioning whether her uncle was truly qualified to be Archon.[6]

In 3001, she was transferred to command of the Second Royal Guards. Katrina and her unit led the defense of Loric against Marik attackers that year, bogging down three regiments of troops through Katrina's superior defensive tactics. Captain-General Janos Marik was so angered by her defense of the world that he had the FWLM commander executed. before finally being promoted to the Strategy and Tactics Division in 3004.[6]

Red Corsair[edit]

She disappeared on Poulsbo in 3004, after suffering an assassination attempt by Loki agents on that planet, under orders of Archon Alessandro Steiner. (Near the end of his life, Alessandro privately told Ryan Steiner that he had actually sent the Loki agents to kill Arthur Luvon, whom he had discovered to be a high-ranking Heimdall leader; it was an unforeseen coincidence that Katrina Steiner and Morgan Kell were present when the attempt took place and wholly unintended that Katrina would believe she had been the target. According to Alessandro, he saw a strong and competent leader in his niece and always considered her his heir and successor, but their relationship was forever poisoned after she returned from hiding.[7]) The three reemerged on Tharkad a year later, seemingly changed and more hostile to her uncle, the Archon. It is not generally known that she was forced to go into hiding alongside Arthur Luvon and Morgan Kell as Loki agents were apparently trying to abduct or kill them.

Katrina Steiner created the identity of the Red Corsair and the trio fled into the Periphery, where they would find lostech under undisclosed circumstances including several of the Black Box superluminal fax machines. They eventually returned to Lyran space via a detour through the Free Worlds League.

This, combined with Alessandro's foolish military strategies, led directly to Katrina's coup d'état against him in 3007 and her subsequent appointment as Archon of the Lyran Commonwealth.

Marriage[edit]

Katrina married her longtime friend and lover Arthur Luvon, the Duke of Donegal, in 3009. The following year saw the birth of their only child, Melissa. That was also the same year that Arthur died of cancer.[1]

Archon[edit]

In 3020, Archon Katrina hoped to bring about a diplomatic solution to the Succession Wars. This peace proposal was rejected by all the Successor States, but marked a beginning of a cordial relationship with First Prince Hanse Davion and the Federated Suns. By 3022, Katrina and Hanse had signed an alliance treaty between their respective nations and the Archon had willingly betrothed her daughter, Melissa, to the First Prince.

That alliance produced the Fourth Succession War, and while the conflict was a success for the alliance, it left Katrina with little interest in pursuing further conflict. While the First Prince was eager to follow up with an attack on the Combine, Katrina pushed back on his desire for military adventurism for the next several years.[2]

Death and legacy[edit]

In 3037 Katrina was diagnosed with cancer and began treatment, unfortunately discovering her condition was terminal in December 3038. Given less than a year to live, Katrina chose to spend the time she had left with her daughter and grandchildren. To this end, on the birth of her fifth grandchild Yvonne on 25 March 3039, Katrina abdicated in favor of Melissa, adopting the title of Archon-Emeritus. Katrina's abdication also ensured her reputation as a peacemaker remained intact, despite the fact the LCAF were in the final stages of preparing for the War of 3039.[2]

Katrina would serve as military and political adviser to her daughter during the War of 3039, but by the end of that year she was increasingly frail and in great discomfort. Archon-Emeritus Katrina Steiner would die in her sleep on 4 January 3040, mere days before the formal signing of the Exeter Accords that ended the 3039 conflict.[2]

BattleMechs[edit]

Katrina's mother Lisa Steiner gave her a blue Warhammer from the family collection. She named it Löwin, or Lioness, after her favorite holometal speedfunk band, and often raced her sister's Zeus over the surface of Gallery. The 'Mech's medium and smaller lasers, which were normally Martell and Magna models, respectively, were replaced by their equivalent model of Defiance Industries make.[8] Katrina later handed down the 'Mech to her daughter Melissa.[9]

Löwin had been in the Steiner family's collection for centuries, and had previously been piloted by at least two Archons.[8] It is likely that this is the same Warhammer which Viola Steiner-Dinesen took into the Reunification War and was later piloted by Jennifer Steiner during the First Succession War, although the nature of Jennifer's death would mean only the legs were truly the same machine.[10]

Quotes[edit]

“ Though the public may have forgotten them, any military man worth his salt remembers and studies the actions of the Tamar Tigers and the Stealths, perhaps the most successful Commonwealth regiments of all time. ”
  — From The Use of the BattleMech in Modern Combat, by General Katrina Steiner, Commonwealth Military Press, 3006[11]
“ Even among us Steiners, there comes a time when cold-blooded practicality must outweigh even family loyalty. My uncle has proven his inability to rule. As his niece, I grieve for his disappointment, but I will not let my emotions stand in the way of what I feel is right. I am Archon now; that is what I feel is right for me. More importantly, that is what I feel is right for Commonwealth. ”
  — Archon Katrina Steiner's announcement of Archon Alessandro's 'retirement', from Royal Court Transcripts: Year 3007, Commonwealth Historical Press, 3007[12]
“ The good thing about history is that it usually passes its judgments long after their subjects are dead. ”
  — Archon Katrina Steiner from Royal Court Transcripts: Year 3009, Commonwealth Historical Press, 3009[13]
“ Yes, there have been attempts on my life, but most leaders have to expect such things. For who can rule perfectly? With just a few words, I might instantly turn 20 million loyal subjects into enemies bent on seeing me dead. One rules as best he can, but learns to suspect every shadow, every blind corner. ”
  — Archon Katrina Steiner in a Holo-interview, Tamar Broadcasting Company, 3024[14]

Gallery[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 1.8 1.9 House Steiner (The Lyran Commonwealth), p. 149
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Historical: War of 3039, pp. 17–18: "Katrina Steiner Profile"
  3. ↑ 20 Year Update, p. 14
  4. ↑ House Steiner (The Lyran Commonwealth) - "Gallery planetary profile". End article mentions Katrina's sister Nondi Steiner's mother is Lisa Steiner
  5. ↑ Historical: War of 3039, p. 17
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 BattleTech: Legends II, p. 28
  7. ↑ Warrior: Coupé, ch. 9
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 BattleTech: Legends II, p. 29
  9. ↑ 20 Year Update, p. 82: Melissa Steiner learns to pilot her mother's Battlemech
  10. ↑ House Steiner (The Lyran Commonwealth), p. 49: Jennifer Steiner is killed in an explosion that obliterates the upper body of her 'Mech
  11. ↑ House Steiner (The Lyran Commonwealth), p. 45: "Tigers And Stealths"
  12. ↑ House Steiner (The Lyran Commonwealth), p. 78: "Ouster"
  13. ↑ House Steiner (The Lyran Commonwealth), p. 79: "Current Events"
  14. ↑ House Kurita (The Draconis Combine), p. 90: "Internal Squabbles"

Bibliography[edit]

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