Michael Cameron

Michael Cameron
Born	2310
Died	2381
Affiliation	House Cameron
Title(s)	Lord Protector
Position	Director-General
Parents	David Cameron
Spouse	Margaret Stewart
Children	Margaret Cameron Mitchell Cameron

Michael Cameron (Born 2310 - Died 2381) was a politician, and the second Director-General of the Terran Hegemony.

Character Description

Michael was considered a highly schooled individual who was known for his passion in solving challenges that he was given. He was considered to be a genius and he had a love for knowledge.

History

Selection to run for the Directorship

After his third cousin, James McKenna, died in 2338 the Hegemony High Council began a search of McKenna's relatives to find someone to take the place as Director-General. In their search, they came to Michael and McKenna's nephew, Congressman Graham Nellas.

Michael was serving as a reserve officer in the Terran Hegemony Army when the Hegemony Councilors came to him. During his interview with the councilors, they found that he had a distaste for politics and religion. Despite that, they were impressed with how well schooled he was and that he was quite the intellectual. He was able discuss any topic that they brought up which made one of the councilors compliment him as being a "Renaissance Man". Michael was able to show that he had brought passion to whatever task he came up to doing. With these qualities, the councilors selected him and his political conservative cousin to run in a limited campaign for the Directorship.

During the restrictive political campaign, Michael and Graham had a series of debates designed by McKenna so they would only highlight the characteristics of candidates.

Surprisingly to some members Hegemony High Council, on January 17, 2340, the people of the Terran Hegemony voted for Michael to be the next Director-General. The people felt that the quiet competent Michael was the man for the job over the self-confident and politically well connected cousin.

As Director-General of the Terran Hegemony

Michael's ascension to the Director-Generalship of the Hegemony brought about some challenges. He had to readjust himself in order to handle being viewed constantly in the public's eye, which he did not like. Despite this, he brought his intense concentration in doing his job to play. After witnessing for the first few years of how the Hegemony ran, he first created the Hegemony Research Alliance Department (HRAD). This new centralized research organization would concentrate the Hegemony's non-military research into one think tank. Despite protests of centralization, HRAD led to the creation of a micro-sized fusion generator the size of a suitcase and cures for off-world diseases.

In his early years, he used his love of knowledge and his genius to set out to make changes to the government. Through these changes he was able to make the government an incredibly more efficient bureaucracy.

During these early years, Michael would find a wife in Lady Margaret Stewart; they would have two children together.

The Creation of the Nobility & Cameron's Edict of 2351

Michael's biggest change to the Hegemony's government was his Edict he issued on New Year's Day 2351. This cultural bomb, was an announcement to the Terran Congress that he would revise the old social class of nobility. The new nobility meant to show the Hegemony's gratitude to individuals who had achieved special accomplishments and were recognized for them. These Hegemony titles gave land and privileges to the individuals for their efforts. These titles would be only for the individuals, and not be transferable to their family. Six months after the announcement, Michael would pronounce the list of individuals. To the shock of the politicians, none of them were named. Instead, a mix of civilian and military individuals were selected.

Among these individuals were Gregory Atlas, who was a scientist working for HRAD (it would be later revealed he was one of the creators of myomers, which lead to the development of Industrial Mechs and later BattleMechs). Another was a novelist from Thorin, Yumiko Sakuma, who was named Countess of the Arts.

Later that year, seeing little resistance to Cameron's Edict of 2351, he then allowed his daughters to retain their surname after they had been married. This act set into motion dynamics of families retaining seats of power for generations to come.

Shortly after the colonization of New Dallas, Cameron ordered a large Hegemony Central Intelligence Directorate presence on the planet to monitor the colonists for disloyalty. Eventually this program was terminated because the HCID found nothing.

After twenty seven years as Director-General, Cameron resigned so he could enjoy a quiet retirement with his wife. He then handed over reigns of the Hegemony to his elder daughter, Margaret.

Family and Legacy

Michael had two children, Margaret and Mitchell. Mitchell would be lost at the age 36 while aboard an explorer ship named the Tao. Margaret would succeed Michael in Director-Generalship of the Hegemony.

His love for science and creation of HRAD, would aid the Hegemony in staying ahead of the neighboring states. His leadership helped to bring about Terra's restoration as the place of importance to humanity.

Later a descendant is named after him, Michael Cameron II.

Titles and Positions

Preceded by James McKenna

Director-General of the Terran Hegemony 2340-2367

Succeeded by Margaret Cameron

Bibliography

• Historical Turning Points: New Dallas
• The Star League (sourcebook)