Khalus Pryde

Khalus Pryde
Character Profile
Affiliation Clan Jade Falcon (Terra)
Position saKhan (Terra)
Profession MechWarrior

Khalus Pryde is a trueborn warrior of Clan Jade Falcon who served during the final years of the Dark Age era and the ilClan era. As of 3151, he was saKhan of Clan Jade Falcon (on Terra) under Khan Stephanie Chistu.

History

A trueborn warrior of Clan Jade Falcon, Khalus Pryde was one of the few warriors—alongside Galaxy Commander Stephanie Chistu, Galaxy Commander Noritomo Helmer, and Star Captain Archer Pryde—suspected of working against Chinggis Khan Malvina Hazen and her Mongol Doctrine.[1] As of 3151, Khalus was in command of the 1st Falcon Jaegers of Epsilon Galaxy[2]. He claimed to be of the blood of Aidan Pryde[3] and wore a Falcon Guards patch on his uniform in honor of his forebear.[4] He piloted a Jupiter BattleMech.[2]

On March 7, 3146, in response to his perceived defiance, Khan Malvina Hazen sent Star Colonel Pryde and his Star against the Ghosts of the Avengers, an Inner Sphere rebel unit on Lyons. Outnumbered three-to-one, Khalus was expected to either conform to the Mongol Doctrine by slaughtering the rebels, sacrifice his honor and prestige with a loss, or die [5]. The Star Colonel was tactically victorious, having successfully killed the rebels' leader, as well as most of their armor and BattleMechs, although at the cost of his entire Star being crippled or destroyed and the loss of one of his best warriors. However, he failed to fulfill the Khan's original orders of completely crushing the rebels, as a light BattleMech and tank managed to escape. As a result of his failure, Star Colonel Pryde was forced to abandon his Crusader ways and to publicly embrace the Mongol Doctrine[6].

While the Star Colonel publicly followed Malvina's orders, Khalus privately continued to cling to the old ideas and beliefs of his Clan. The Chinggis Khan knew Khalus's true inclinations and continued to assign him missions where he could either fail or die[2]. Time after time, the Star Colonel overcame insurmountable odds, at great cost to himself and to his unit[7].

On March 25, 3151 (T+74), Star Colonel Khalus Pryde and his 1st Falcon Jaegers touched down on Terra amongst the last of the Jade Falcon units[2]. While most field commanders received young, fresh warriors hoping to prove themselves, Star Colonel Pryde was assigned older warriors transferred in from other units who all shared a disdain for the Mongol Doctrine, including Star Captain Archer Pryde.[2] On April 1, 3151 (T+81), Star Colonel Pryde and a Trinary of warriors engaged the RAF's Old Guard in the wilds of Colorado, where the Guard attempted to reach the safety of Cheyenne Mountain.[2][8] Outnumbered three to one, the Chinggis Khan expected the Jaegers to be defeated or destroyed. Instead of going on the defensive, as the Falcon Guards had done in their earlier battle with the Old Guard, the Jaegers went on the offensive, charging at the Old Guard in the middle of their formation.[2] Despite being caught off-guard by the maneuver, the Old Guard fought well—impressing the Star Colonel.[2][8] As a result, in defiance of his Khan's orders, the Star Colonel made an offer of surrender—an offer that the Old Guard refused. With the tables turned, the RAF warriors fought to the last, leaving their downed 'Mechs and ineffectually shooting at the Jaegers with their sidearms before being cut to ribbons. Devlin Stone's best contingency plan for Terra was no more.[8]

Khalus next saw action during the ilClan Trial for Terra. At 1345 on the third day, as the Wolves withdrew across Staunton Creek, the 1st Falcon Jaegers and the other Clusters of Epsilon Galaxy rotated into the vanguard of the Jade Falcon assault. Realizing that charging headlong would inflict heavy losses with little gain, Star Colonel Pryde defied his Khan's orders and regrouped his Cluster in a position closer to the rear while the rest of Epsilon Galaxy piled forward into Alpha Galaxy's withdrawing wall. The Star Colonel's instincts proved correct, as the clash between Epsilon and Alpha Galaxies proved more costly for the Falcons.[9] Ultimately, however, the majority of the Jaegers would be destroyed as they futilely attempted to stop Clan Wolf-in-Exile's Omega Provisional Galaxy advance into the Jade Falcon rear lines. By the battle's end, only he and Star Captain Archer Pryde were all that remained of the 1st Falcon Jaegers.[10]

As one of a handful of Jade Falcon warriors still alive and physically fit on Terra, Khalus was in attendance in Unity City where the Clan was instructed by ilKhan Alaric Ward to choose their path and to elect new leadership. After voting aff to keep Clan Jade Falcon intact, Khalus Pryde delivered a rousing speech in which he nominated Stephanie Chistu for Khan. After a short but fierce Trial in which Stephanie Chistu defeated her sole contender, Star Colonel Pryde was nominated for saKhan by Star Captain Archer Pryde, with Star Colonel Marv Roshak of the Falcon Guards as his opponent. Khalus won the nomination by a narrow margin, while Marv Roshak was voted in as Loremaster without any opposition. Together, with now-Khan Stephanie Chistu and Loremaster Roshak, Khalus set about the difficult work of rebuilding his shattered Clan.[11][12]

On April 28, 3151, the surviving Falcons attended a ceremony at Unity City which saw the internment of General Aleksandr Kerensky. Following the internment, Khalus was among the many who was awarded an emerald green BloodRibbon. After the ceremony was concluded, saKhan Pryde stopped at the tomb where General Kerensky lay in state and paid his respects.[13] A second ceremony was held in Unity City on the evening of May 25, 3151, where the Khans of the Council of Six Clans met to formally recognize the ascent of Clan Wolf as the ilClan. Khan Chistu and saKhan Pryde were the first to pledge their support to Clan Wolf and to recognize them as the ilClan. Their affirmation was shortly followed by the Khans of Clan Ghost Bear, Clan Sea Fox, and Clan Snow Raven. Clan Smoke Jaguar, as a provisional Clan, did not vote, while Clan Hell's Horses refused to acknowledge the Wolves' claim.[14]

Notes

References

  1. Children of Kerensky, p. 86-87
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 2.7 Hour of the Wolf, p. 206
  3. Hour of the Wolf, p. 269
  4. Hour of the Wolf, p. 342
  5. Children of Kerensky, p. 87
  6. Children of Kerensky, p. 138-140
  7. Hour of the Wolf, p. 268
  8. 8.0 8.1 8.2 ilClan, p. 73
  9. ilClan, p. 94-96
  10. Hour of the Wolf, p. 316
  11. Hour of the Wolf, p. 342-343
  12. ilClan, p. 104
  13. ilClan, p. 105-106
  14. ilClan, p. 108-109
  15. Children of Kerensky, p. 5
  16. Hour of the Wolf, p. 6

Bibliography