Antonius Zalman
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Antonius Zalman (2730-2812, aged 82 years) was the first saKhan of Clan Steel Viper.
Service with the SLDF
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The following is the story of the Zalman blood legacy, as told by Clan Steel Viper Loremasters:[1]
The Zalman Bloodname derives from Antonius Zalman, a reserve member of a small militia unit serving on Terra during the time of Stefan Amaris's coup. Zalman and two others from his unit managed to escape the slaughter of Amaris's initial strike and fled deep into the jungles of South America to lead a small band of resistance fighters. Supplies were hard to come by, and Zalman and his followers had to make daring and costly raids to obtain the barest of essentials. Undeterred by the obstacles facing them, Zalman's group fought on.
By 2773, Zalman was forced to admit that his group was fighting a losing battle. He found it nearly impossible to recruit new soldiers, and his sources of supplies dried up as the Usurper's troops caught on to Zalman's tactics and methods. Zalman recognized that his efforts on Terra had become futile and that his unit might not survive the wait for General Kerensky to arrive and decided to change his tactics. When he heard of Amris's nefarious plan to ship hundreds of hostages to a Hegemony world under siege and use them to shield his troops against the expected assault by the Star League Defense Forces, he knew this was his chance to fight the Usurper on a new front. Disbanding his resistance cell and sending all but three of his most skilled soldiers underground to await rescue, Zalman and his tiny unit traveled to Mexico City, integrated themselves with the hostages and boarded the ship bound for the planet York.
Immediately upon their arrival on the surface of York, the defending commander placed Zalman and the other civilians into position to await the imminent arrival of SLDF troops. Zalman positioned his cadre as far to the rear of the civilian line as possible, and under cover of darkness abandoned his assigned position and returned to the underdefended command post, killing everyone present. Breaking the command codes with a device he acuired on Terra before leaving that planet and refined on the journey to York, Zalman and his soldiers mounted the command 'Mechs stationed at the post and accessed the main computer, then proceeded to use the information they discovered to locate and destroy several Republican Guard supply depots, all the while dodging the pursuing Amaris troops. By drawing the guards' fire and taking a few judicious laser shots, Zalman's team also freed many political prisoners. Zalman's extensive experience with the rebel action on Terra made it easy for him and his team to conduct a damaging hit-and-run campaign while staying just out of reach of the Republican punitive forces.
Within two days of Zalman's bold escape, the SLDF arrived insystem and burned toward the planet. Its losses left the Repulican Guards stationed on York too short of supplies and materiel to fight the extended battle that Kerensky's troops seemed intent on pursuing. Within a week, the Amaris forces surrendered, and General Kerensky personally decorated Zalman for outstanding service to the Star League.
The Zalman name has become synonymous with determination in the face of superior foes and ingenuity in the face of hopelessness. We honor the Zalman Bloodname above all others.
Clan Steel Viper
Zalman accompanied Aleksandr Kerensky in his Exodus and later followed Aleksandr's son Nicholas in the Second Exodus. When Nicholas founded the Clans in 2810, he nominated Zalman to be the first Khan of Clan Steel Viper, but the 80 year old Zalman turned down the honor, citing his advanced age and failing health. Zalman then asked Nicholas to endorse Lieutenant Ellie Kinnison of the 131st Royal BattleMech Division for the position of Khan and was subsequently elected. Kinnison then stated that she would only serve as Khan if Zalman would accept the position of saKhan and continue to serve as her mentor.
saKhan Zalman was instrumental in the training of the Viper Touman, as he urged Kinnison to teach the Viper warriors the same values that had kept Zalman alive during his campaign against the Usurper's forces.
Death and Legacy
Antonius Zalman served as saKhan of Clan Steel Viper for only two years; he was killed in a training accident in 2812. Zalman was replaced by Star Colonel Steven Breen.
Due to his genetic legacy, all Steel Viper warriors with the Zalman bloodname are his descendants. His most famous descendant is Perigard Zalman.
References
- ↑ Invading Clans, p. 80