Ilsa Liao
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Chancellor of the Capellan Confederation at the conclusion of the First Succession War and start of the Second Succession War, Ilsa Liao (2783 – 2828) was the first Chancellor to die in combat.
Contents
Biography
Early Life and Regency
Daughter of one of Barbara Liao's sons, Ilsa would be orphaned at a young age after the death of her father during the disastrous strike against Calloway VI. After her grand-mother died from a rare blood disorder in 2795, Ilsa was the next surviving Liao in the line of succession, but too young to asceed to the Celestial Throne the Capellan Prefectorate chose Sandol Quinn, Prefect of the Tikonov Commonality, to act as regent until the 12 year old Ilsa reached her majority. [1]
Both intensely loyal to Ilsa's eventually ascension and highly ambitious, Quinn worked tirelessly to expand the borders of the Confederation through conquest. Spending most of his time near the battlefront, coincidentally located primarily in Quinn's own Commmonality, Ilsa had considerable control of local Sian politics from a young age. While trained as a MechWarrior from birth, Ilsa disliked first-hand exposure to the massive casualties of the First Succession War battlefield and accepted only one invitation from Quinn to join him on the battlefront, her military service prior to the Chancellorship being a brief two-month Lance command stint in the Red Lancers on Sian.[1]
Chancellor of the Confederation
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With little progress on the political front, Ilsa turned to espionage to enhance her realm's standing. Hoping to recoup the heavy losses suffered by the Confederation's technological base, in the spring of 2811 Ilsa ordered the Maskirovka to attempt to bribe away technicians from the Jerome Blake-led ComStar. When this was unsuccessful, Ilsa upped the ante and authorized the Maskirovka to try and seize control of the HPG stations in the Capellan realm. The first these attempts was a "terrorist" raid against the HPG on Nanking that was narrowly repulsed when the ComStar staff ambushed and defeated the attackers. [2]
This botched attack would have disastrous consequences, prompting Prime Administrator Blake to create ComStar's inteligence agency ROM, the newly formed organisation discovering the Maskirovka's preparations to assassinate the chief administrator of the Bryant HPG in 2812 with Blake authorising ROM to strike first. With all the Capellan assassins murdered by ROM agents only two days before the attempt against Precentor Bryant was scheduled, to ensure the Chancellor understood his contempt for her audacity, Blake sent a personal message to Ilsa subtly reinforcing that ComStar had the means to protect itself if threatened. Ilsa would shortly thereafter order the Maskirovka to pull back its efforts against ComStar. [2]
Death and Leagacy
Ilsa Liao led a Capellan Confederation assault force in an attack on the Federated Suns world of Orbisonia in 2828. This attack was one of a number that marked the beginning of the Second Succession War. The Capellan assault force consisted primarily of Warhammer and Marauder heavy 'Mechs and was initially successful, but the defending forces managed to outmaneuvre and outsmart the CCAF, primarily through the use of light reconnaisance and scout assets. By the fourth day of the campaign the Capellan forces were in retreat, with Ilsa leading the rearguard forces. Unbeknown to the Capellan forces, the Federated Suns troops had identified that Ilsa was leading the rearguard and launched an aimed strike at her forces. Ilsa Liao was killed in action, becoming the first Capellan Chancellor to die on the battlefield.[3]