Editing Tomoe Sakade

{{InfoBoxCharacter
| image               = 
| caption             = 
| name                = Tomoe Sakade
| birthdate           = 
| died                = [[3063]]
| othernames          = 
| affiliation         = [[Draconis Combine]]
| rank                = ''[[Tai-shu]]''
| title               = [[Warlord of Pesht]]
| position            = 
| profession          = 
| parents             = 
| siblings            = 
| spouse              = [[Theodore Kurita (31st c.)|Theodore Kurita]]
| children            = [[Hohiro Kurita II|Hohiro Kurita]]<br>[[Omiko Kurita]]<br>[[Minoru Nova Cat|Minoru Kurita]]
}}
'''Tomoe Sakade''' was the wife of [[Coordinator of Worlds|Coordinator]] [[Theodore Kurita]] and an officer in the [[Draconis Combine Mustered Soldiery]]. She was also an agent for the [[Order of Five Pillars]].

==History==
===Early Life and Career===
Tomoe Sakade was adopted by O5P as a young child, to be educated and trained to serve the Order. At some point, she requested training as a [[MechWarrior (pilot)|Mechwarrior]], which the order saw fit to provide. On at least one occasion, she answered directly to the head of the Order, [[Florimel Kurita]], aunt of [[Takashi Kurita]].
  
In her most important assignment, she was chosen to attend the Wisdom of the Dragon school on [[Kagoshima]], where she was assigned to observe and protect the Heir to the [[Coordinator|throne]] of the [[Draconis Combine]], Theodore Kurita. During their training, Sakade and Kurita were considered rivals among the best of the academy. On the night before their graduation in [[3018]], the Order gave her the assignment of testing Kurita’s mettle. While Kurita was being tested for indoctrination into the [[ISF|Sons of the Dragon]] with a series of feigned assassination attempts, Sakade attacked the heir herself, disguised in a full-body sneaksuit. Theodore proved remarkably skilled in fighting back, and she was forced to injure him in order to escape. When she reported this, she regarded it as a failure, but Florimel Kurita insisted she had been successful, for she had proven the heir to be strong, and learned that Tomoe herself was not invincible. <ref>''Heir to the Dragon'', pp. 39–40</ref>

Sakade continued to follow Theodore Kurita, as the heir was not aware she was the woman he fought that night. She remained part of his command lance as he was transferred through several commands, and eventually they became lovers. 

In [[3019]], in the aftermath of an assassination attempt on Takashi Kurita on [[Rasalhague]] that resulted in the execution of, among others, the noble woman to whom Theodore was to have joined in an arranged marriage, Theodore proposed to Sakade. Even after she revealed that she was an agent with O5P, he still wished to marry her. Having fallen in love with him, she consented.<ref>''Heir to the Dragon'', p. 91</ref>

===Marriage and Family===
Sakade married Theodore Kurita in 3019, and four years later gave birth to a son, [[Hohiro Kurita II|Hohiro]], in [[3023]]. [[Omiko Kurita|Omi]] and [[Minoru Nova Cat|Minoru]] would soon follow. Her marriage and children with Theodore were kept secret for many years with the assistance of [[Internal Security Force]] and O5P.

===Fourth Succession War===
In [[3028]] at the outbreak of the [[Fourth Succession War]], Kurita and Sakade were with the [[11th Legion of Vega]] on [[Marfik]], with Theodore in command. The planet was attacked by the [[4th Skye Rangers]]. Though badly outclassed, the Legion gave an excellent accounting of itself in a guerrilla-style campaign that lasted several weeks. Sakade proved crucial in helping her husband escape the planet.<ref>''Heir to the Dragon'', pp. 162–163</ref> They headed to [[Vega]], successfully leading the defense of that world.<ref>''Heir to the Dragon'', pp. 192–193</ref>

Sakade would continue to serve at her husband's side for the remainder of the war, both on his command staff and in battle on [[Dromini VI]].

===Revelations and the War of 3039===
On 18 August [[3033]], Theodore and Tomoe finally revealed their family to Takashi at the Coordinator's birthday celebration. It was then revealed that Tomoe claimed Ingrid Magnusson, a descendant of the first Prince of Rasalhague, as an ancestor. It was further revealed that she was descended from Duncan Cameron and Johanna Kurita, who survived the purges of [[Stefan Amaris]] at the fall of the [[Star League]]. Forced to confront these revelations, Takashi Kurita reluctantly accepted Tomoe and her children.<ref>''Heir to the Dragon'', pp. 39–40</ref><ref>''Heir to the Dragon'', pp. 265–273: Theodore Kurita reveals his marriage and family to his father.</ref>

During the next few years, Tomoe continued to aid her husband as part of his ''shitenno'', building new units and implementing a new, more flexible military doctrine. They were well aware that the alliance between the Lyran Commonwealth and the [[Federated Suns]] would eventually turn their eyes to the Combine.

In [[3039]], [[Hanse Davion]] finally struck. [[AFFS]] and Lyran troops attacked all along the border. Theodore Kurita and his rebuilt DCMS were ready, however. In addition to his defensive plans, Theodore planned a bold counterattack designed to convince the [[Federated Commonwealth|allies]] that the Combine was much stronger than it actually was. With Sakade now holding the rank of [[Tai-sa]], Theodore entrusted his wife with one of the most critical thrusts of [[Operation Orochi]]. Commanding a [[Ghost Regiments|Ghost battalion]], Sakade executed an impressive attack on [[Le Blanc]] deep in the Draconis March. She was able to not only smuggle her battalion onto the planet, but was able to recruit three more battalions of mercenary troops. She and her troops were aided in these activities by ''yakuza'' elements.<ref>''Heir to the Dragon'', pp. 327–330</ref> In early July, they struck to great effect, sending the [[Robinson DMM]] into retreat.<ref>''Historical: War of 3039'', p. 117</ref> 

Taking two of her battalions, Sakade then struck at [[New Ivaarsen]]. Though outnumbered heavily by the [[New Ivaarsen Chasseurs]] and the local militia, Sakade was able to cause a panic in the local populace by striking at smaller, less defended cities. After several months of heavy fighting, her force was reduced to a third of what she had originally attacked with, and she was forced to order a retreat. Nevertheless, the point had been made. New Ivaarsen was too close to [[Robinson]] for Hanse Davion to ignore the threat, and he soon ordered a full recall.<ref>''Historical: War of 3039'', p. 118</ref> The [[War of 3039]], as it came to be known, was considered a great success for the Combine, and validated Theodore’s doctrine.

===Later Career===
As of [[3054]], she held the rank of ''[[Tai-sho (rank)|Tai-sho]]'' and commanded the [[Kagoshima]] Prefecture in the [[Pesht Military District]].<ref>''Objective Raids'', p. 28</ref> In effect, she was responsible for the defense of the heart of the Combine, which now stood on the [[Clan Occupation Zones|Clan border]]. She stood by Theodore as he finally ascended to the throne later that year. 

In [[3058]], the ''[[Kokuryu-kai]]'' organization plotted to assassinate Theodore Kurita on his 61st birthday. During a parade by the [[Otomo]], their commanding officer, a Black Dragon sympathizer, attempted to personally kill the Coordinator using his BattleMech. With the assistance of [[Camacho's Caballeros]] and the [[9th Ghost|Ninth Ghost Regiment]], Sakade was able to defeat the plot, personally killing the Otomo commander, [[Oda Hideyoshi]].<ref>''Black Dragon'', p. ??</ref> (The official story was later released that Hideyoshi died in his sleep.)

She prepared a report on the status and readiness of the DCMS for the Director of Intelligence of the [[Star League Defense Force]], [[Jerrard Cranston]].<ref>''Shattered Sphere'', pp. 61–62</ref>

===Combine-Ghost Bear War and Death===
Early in the [[Combine-Ghost Bear War]] in [[3062]], [[Tai-shu|Warlord]] [[Teyasu Ashora]] of the Pesht Military District was killed fighting the [[Clan Ghost Bear|Ghost Bears]] on [[Schuyler]]. Theodore promoted his wife to take Ashora's place, the first woman ever to become a District Warlord.<ref name=HBHK73>''Handbook: House Kurita'', p. 73</ref>

Although the troops under her command fought well and several counterattacks were executed in what should have been a repeat of the successful [[Operation Orochi]], this was not enough to completely halt the Bears' advance. Lingering prejudice against a woman in command had led to many commanders in the field to believe her strategy flawed. Taking liberties with their orders and the overall timing of the operation or finding other ways to stall or circumvent her orders resulted in only half of the operation going off as planned, leaving several regiments short on support or firepower.<ref name=HBHK73/>

Shamed by her subordinates' actions, Sakade committed ''[[seppuku]]'' on [[Luthien]] in early [[3063]] in accordance with the ''[[bushido]]'' code,<ref>''Field Manual: Updates'', p. 104</ref> opening the way for the Coordinator to salvage the situation with a new Warlord.<ref name=HBHK73/> Her honorable death also shamed her detractors and proved them wrong; they were awarded the [[Honor of Wakizashi|Honor of ''Wakizashi'']] after the conflict.<ref name=HBHK73/>

She subsequently became the first woman to be honored with the [[Glory of the Fallen Samurai]], her name having been put forward by [[Kiyomori Minamoto]] of the Pesht Military District.<ref name=HBHK73/><ref>''Handbook: House Kurita'', p. 153</ref>

==Personality and Traits==
A beautiful and dangerous woman, Tomoe Sakade was entirely devoted to her husband and his vision to reform the Combine. A master of ''ninjutsu'', she proved her skills in battle both in a BattleMech and personal combat on many occasions, and was considered an equal in the latter by [[Ninyu Kerai Indrahar]]. She was willing to accept any role necessary in the pursuit of her duties, from soldier to spy to assassin to noble lady-of-the-court to a commanding General.

At some point prior to 3058 she gifted her husband with [[Hokusai|Hokusai's]] 1814 work [[w:The Dream of the Fisherman's Wife|The Dream of the Fisherman's Wife]], at least the third original work by the artist he possessed.<ref>''Black Dragon'', ch. 21</ref>

==BattleMechs==
For much of her early career in the DCMS and into the Fourth Succession War, Sakade piloted a ''[[Panther]]''.<ref>''Heir to the Dragon''</ref> In the last few years of her career and up until her death, she piloted a ''[[Naginata]]''. Upon her death, she bequeathed this 'Mech to [[Lainie Shimazu]] of the [[Otomo]] (who had previously been part of the [[9th Ghost]] Regiment) for her assistance in saving Theodore from the Kokuryu-kai assassination attempt in [[3058]].<ref>''Technical Readout: 3055 Upgrade'', p. 78</ref>

==Speculation==
* It is entirely possible that the information indicating Tomoe's descent from both the Kurita and Cameron bloodlines was fabricated to ensure the continued stability of the Combine. The timing of the revelation was extraordinarily convenient given the circumstances. Nevertheless, there is no hard evidence to the contrary. 

==References==
<references/>

==Bibliography==
{{div col|colwidth=25em}}
* ''[[20 Year Update]]''
* ''[[Black Dragon (novel)|Black Dragon]]''
* ''[[Field Manual: Updates]]'' 
* ''[[Handbook: House Kurita]]''
* ''[[Heir to the Dragon]]'' (Novel)
* ''[[Historical: War of 3039]]''
* ''[[Objective Raids]]''
* ''[[Shattered Sphere]]''
* ''[[Technical Readout: 3055 Upgrade]]''
{{div col end}}

[[Category:Draconis Combine Characters|Sakade, Tomoe]]