Editing Clara Parks

{{InfoBoxCharacter
| image               = 
| caption             = 
| name                = Clara Parks
| birthdate           = 10 January [[3104]]<ref name=MDADPC>''MechWarrior: Dark Age - Dossiers and Pilot Cards'', p. 149</ref>
| died                = 
| othernames          = 
| affiliation         = [[Capellan Confederation]]
| rank                = ''[[Sang-wei]]''
| title               = 
| position            = 
| profession          = [[MechWarrior (pilot)|MechWarrior]]
| parents             = 
| siblings            =
| spouse              = 
| children            = 
}}
''Sang-wei'' '''Clara Parks''' was a [[MechWarrior (pilot)|MechWarrior]], serving within [[McCarron's Armored Cavalry]], during the [[Dark Age Era]].<ref name=MDADPC></ref><ref name=BoM>''The Battle for Menkar'', Storyline #1: Liao Velvet</ref>

==Personal Appearance==
Parks had red hair and green eyes, with an oval face.<ref name=MDADPC></ref><ref name=PoD7>''Principles of Desolation'', ch. 7</ref> 

==History==
===Early Life===
Parks traced her family history back to ''[[Sang-shao]]'' [[Elaine Parks]], her grandmother, and commander of the [[1st McCarron's Armored Cavalry|First McCarron's Armored Cavalry]] after the recaptured of [[St. Ives]] in [[3062]]. Parks was very proud of this family history, and often used it in an attempt to gain respect from other members of the Big Mac.<ref name=PoD7></ref>

By [[3133]] Clara had not ascended to such heights, only having been on active duty for 5 years since [[3128]], but did command a Force Recon Lance within the Third [[Battalion]] of [[2nd McCarron's Armored Cavalry|Second McCarron's Armored Cavalry]] as a ''[[Sang-wei]]''. This Lance  including [[Dmitry Voskavich]], [[Jacyn Bell]] and [[Ed Hussan]]. Clara's tactics, like her more famous ancestor, focused on an aggressive targeting of enemy command units and exploiting the resulting chaos.<ref name=MDADPC></ref> 

===Menkar===
With the Big Mac, Clara fought against the [[Republic of the Sphere]]'s [[Hastati Sentinels]] on [[Menkar]], as part of a small force inserted on the Republic held world secretly to assist pro-Liao rebels. At Training Camp Shadow-Delta-One on Menkar's Al Tizini continent, Clara helped train local rebels in anti-Mech infantry tactics, though her superior ''Sang-wei'' Vaskovich chastised her for being too little concerned with their safety. 

Ultimately however, the Republic was victorious, and managed to push the Big Mac off Menkar.<ref name=BoM></ref>

===Danai Liao-Centrella===
In November [[3135]] while on [[Liao]], Parks was appointed as executive officer for [[Danai Liao-Centrella]]'s Command Lance, when she was appointed to lead the Second MAC's Third Battalion.<ref name=PoD7></ref> In this role, Parks accompanied Liao-Centrella to [[Aldebaran]], which they succeeded in [[Battle of Aldebaran (3135)|taking]] the world despite resistance from the [[VI Triarii Protectors|Sixth Triarii Protectors]] and local militia.<ref name=PoD8>''Principles of Desolation'', ch. 8</ref><ref name=PoD9>''Principles of Desolation'', ch. 9</ref> During this campaign, Liao-Centrella appreciated Parks' bravery, but thought she didn't sufficiently appreciate the importance of cosmetics in battle.<ref name=PoD10>''Principles of Desolation'', ch. 10</ref>

Still with Danai as of January [[3136]], Parks came with her to [[Sian]] on the [[DropShip]] [[Silver Serpent IV]], when she was recalled by her brother [[Chancellor of the Capellan Confederation|Chancellor]] [[Daoshen Liao]].<ref name=PoD15>''Principles of Desolation'', ch. 15</ref> She also joined Danai on a diplomatic mission to the [[Oriente Protectorate]], socializing with her on the weeks long trip, until they arrived in March 3136. While on [[Oriente]] through March and June, Parks assignment was to act as Liao-Centrella's bodyguard, protecting her from both physical and diplomatic missteps.<ref name=PoD17>''Principles of Desolation'', ch. 17</ref><ref name=PoD19>''Principles of Desolation'', ch. 19</ref>

Once the mission to Oriente had been successfully concluded, Parks returned with Liao-Centrella to Aldebaran, where she remained until at least October 3136.<ref name=PoD30>''Principles of Desolation'', ch. 30</ref>

===Border Skirmishes===
Between 3135 and 3145, Parks managed to rack up impressive kill scores, while fighting in border skirmishes with the Republic and the [[Oriente Protectorate]]. She however gained a reputation for risking the lives of those under her command, for the sake of personal glory, which attracted negative attention from the [[Maskirovka]].<ref name=TRODA>''Technical Readout: Dark Age'', p. 154</ref><ref name=TRO3145CC>''Technical Readout: 3145 Capellan Confederation'', p. 44</ref> 

===Arboris===
On [[Arboris]] shortly before [[3145]], ''Sang-wei'' Parks led a First MAC Shadow Lance and platoon of light [[combat vehicles|tanks]], which was deployed as an advance force to secure the world before reinforcements arrived. Discovering [[Hastati Sentinels]] were on world in greater force than expected, it turned out Parks was outnumbered, and had to use hit-and-run ambushes to delay the Sentinels [[Company]]. 

Emboldened by her victories, and driven by youthful impatience, she however made the mistake of challenging a [[RAF]] ''[[Peacekeeper]]'' assault ’Mech to a one-on-one duel. Despite being outmatched, she was able to exchange several volleys with the assistance of her Stealth armor and convenient weather, and eventual defeat the RAF MechWarrior with a lucky [[cockpit]] shot with her [[Gauss rifle]]. Claiming the ''Peacekeeper'' as salvage, Parks was able to keep fighting for several more weeks, until Capellan reinforcements came to even the odds against the RAF defenders.<ref name=TRODA></ref><ref name=TRO3145CC></ref><ref name=TRO3145>''Technical Readout: 3145'', p. 158</ref> 

==BattleMech==
Clara was known to have piloted a ''[[Tian-zong]]'' BattleMech, [[BattleMech Serial Numbers|serial number]] CC056-29B, nicknamed ''"Blaze"'' after Clara's grandmother Elaine Parks. This 'Mech came from one of the first production runs of ''Tian-zong'' built for the Capellan Confederation.<ref name=MDADPC></ref>

==References==
<references />

==Bibliography==
* ''[[MechWarrior: Dark Age - Dossiers and Pilot Cards]]''
* ''[[MechWarrior: Liao Incursion Booster Pack|MechWarrior: Dark Age - Liao Incursion Dossiers]]''
* ''[[Principles of Desolation]]''
* ''[[Technical Readout: 3145 Capellan Confederation]]''
* ''[[Technical Readout: 3145]]''
* ''[[Technical Readout: Dark Age]]''
* ''[[The Battle for Menkar]]''

[[Category:Capellan Confederation Characters|Parks, Clara]]