Ju Tang
Sarna News
 | This article or section is in a state of significant expansion or restructuring. You are welcome to assist in its construction by editing it as well. If this article or section has not been edited in several days, please remove this template. If you are the editor who added this template and you are actively editing, please be sure to replace this template with {{in use}} during the active editing session. Click on the link for template parameters to use.
This article was last edited by Frabby (talk | contribs) 5 years ago. (Update timer) |
 | Apocryphal This article's subject is only mentioned in apocryphal sources, i.e. official BattleTech products which are not clearly Non-canon but do not meet the current Canon criteria either. For more information, check the Canonicity section. |
Ju Tang | |
|---|---|
| Personal | |
| Also known as | Ash Witch (Aschehexe) |
| Affiliation | Capellan Confederation Ash Witch Cult figurehead |
| Career | |
| Profession | Scientist |
Contents
Character History
Scientist
As of 3028, Dr. Ju Tang was a bright young scientist working at the planetary observatory of Bram-Ze, the capital cavern city on the planet Niomede-4. Her duties included touring and lecturing school children.[1]
At the time, she was in a relationship with Tiun Kuan who, unbeknownst to her, was (albeit unwillingly) working for SAFE. On 18 August 3028, he forced her at gunpoint to provide navigational data for pirate jump points into the Niomede system. When they were interrupted by another scientist, he fled the scene with the printouts and went to ground. She identified him in a bar five days later, leading to his arrest. However, during his interrogation inbound DropShips carrying a battalion from the 3rd Defenders of Andurien in an unauthorized attack against Niomede-4, implicitly delivered to the Niomede system using the jump data Ju Tang had been forced to provide, announced their presence and demanded the world's surrender. Kuan managed to escape and destroy the targeting computer for the planetary defense system in the control room under the observatory.[1]
War Hero
In this situation Dr. Ju Tang came up with a plan to jury-rig an aerospace defense system by linking asteroid spotting systems. When the attackers made planetfall the following day, this allowed the defenders to destroy four out of six escorting aerospace fighters and damage one of the DropShips plus the other two fighters. Though tactically worthless given that the actual fighting would take place mostly underground, this was touted as a major victory by the Capellan defenders to boost morale.[1]
When the ground assault against the entrance to Bram-Ze began, the understrength local militia lance and defending Warrior House Kamata company managed to fight off the initial attack. Militia MechWarrior Jen Xiao performed particularly well, while his commander Niu Doun panicked and left his station, leading to the death of the third militia MechWarrior, Kato Dschi. Following Kato Dschi's funeral, Ju Tang and Jen Xiao were guests at a talk show where they were hyped as war heroes. Afterwards, they spontaneously made love in the cloak room.[1]
Attacking BatteMechs entered the cavern city on the next day, pushing back the outnumbered defenders. By coincidence, Ju Tang and Niu Doun met at Kato Dschi's grave during the evacuations, apparently both unaware of the other's identity. Watching a bloodbath unfold as the defending infantry are mowed down by 'Mechs on the second day of fighting, the military-trained Doun explained the grim tactical situation to her. After they briefly discussed their respective roles–she craved to act but had no function besides hollow representation, while he failed to act when he had the chance, a bitter remark from Doun that all Capellans should fight inspires her to spring to action in her bright yellow dress to rally the militia, waving a Liao flag and leading them against the 'Mechs. Suddenly an earthquake hit the city, not an unusual occurrence yet a morale boost for the defenders under the circumstances as it briefly halted the attackers. In her frenzy Ju Tang declared this to be a sign of support by the Niomede Worms and leads the hopeless charge on in religious fervor. Lacking any military training, she tried to attack a BattleMech with what she believed to be a missile launcher but in truth was a fire extinguisher, and was shot by a 'Mech laser. Although gravely injured and comatose, Ju Tang mysteriously survived and received medical care.[1]
After the Capellan defenders had secured the key scientist from their secret laboratory on Niomede-4, they negotiated a cease-fire with the attackers who, upon realizing their prize was beyond reach, packed up and left within a few days.[1]
Ash Witch Cult
Canonicity
Ju Tang, the Ash Witch, only appears in German novels by Bernhard Craw that were not translated in englisch and thus do not meet the current criteria for canon.