Paul Moon

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Paul Moon
Personal
Born	3019
Affiliation	Clan Smoke Jaguar Fidelis
Profile
Rank	Star Colonel Custos
Family
Spouse	Inanna

Paul Moon was a trueborn Clan Elemental warrior and officer of Clan Smoke Jaguar. He later became leader of the mysterious group of warrior-people known as the Fidelis.

History

Operation: REVIVAL

Paul Moon participated in Operation REVIVAL, where he fought in numerous raids, including those on Marshdale and Jeronimo. He later received a promotion and took command of the Third Jaguar Cavaliers' Assault Trinary, which he led in the conquest of Idlewind.

On that planet, Paul Moon allowed one of his subordinates, Elemental Star Commander Joal, to bid only two points of Elementals against the defenders, the Idlewind Stormtroopers. The Stormtroopers consisted of a battalion of armor and a full regiment of mechanized infantry, but were quickly slaughtered after attempting to ambush the Smoke Jaguar Elementals with a fire trap at their landing zone. Joal killed their leader, Tai-sa Marc Lutz, when he refused to order his troops to surrender, and began mop-up operations. The last Stormtroopers proved quite resilient, as they had entrenched themselves in the capital city of Breezemont, and would take time to root out. Fearing that the Jaguar advance would be delayed, Moon assumed command. Reasoning that Lutz's actions in setting fire to the forest were in violation of the Clan's code of honor and had therefore removed any protections the Stormtroopers might have had, he mobilized his full Trinary, including its 'Mechs, and razed the city, killing all of the defenders.

Later, Moon took part in Operation DRAGONSLAYER, where he fought alongside his fellow Clansmen during the Battle of Luthien in 3052. Despite displaying notable personal bravery, the battle was a loss.

Post-Tukayyid Years

By late 3052, Paul Moon had worked his way up the ranks to command Delta Galaxy's Third Jaguar Cavaliers, who were assigned as the garrison force of Hyner. It was there that he met the disgraced Star Commander Trent who had been assigned to the Cavaliers after he and his sibmate Jez Howell survived the carnage of Tukayyid. Paul Moon took an immediate dislike to Trent, feeling that he and warriors like him were the reason for the misfortunes of their Clan. Moon additionally believed Jez Howell's lies that she had saved Trent's life on Tukayyid and asserted that Trent's contradictions of her version of events were disgusting perversions of the truth woven by a weak coward. Jez Howell was subsequently promoted by Paul Moon to be Trent's superior after her sabotage stripped Trent of his chance at earning a Bloodname.

In 3054, guerrillas on Hyner began harassing the Cavaliers. In retaliation, Moon ordered the destruction of the settlement of Beaver Falls when he learned that the population of the village was aiding the rebels by hiding six guerrilla BattleMechs. Trent attempted to reason with Paul that the destruction was too heavy-handed but Paul dismissed him as being soft. By 3055, guerrilla activity had only increased in intensity and Paul ordered the eradication of another village in hopes of teaching the population a lesson. Yet again, the destruction only served to raise the ire of the planet's natives, who increased their resistance efforts. After Jez Howell, on Trent's guidance, managed to eradicate a sizable portion of the remaining guerillas, Paul Moon gave her the credit and ordered her unit to raze another settlement. Trent, pushed to his limit, refused to obey this order and challenged Paul Moon to a fight in the Circle of Equals, which Paul subsequently won. Paul chose to leave Trent alive, believing that the shame of defeat was worse than death.

Mercenaries hired by the Draconis Combine arrive shortly afterwards to resupply the resistance, unaware that the guerillas had been wiped out. Trent attempted to tell Paul that the mercenaries would not be aware that Smoke Jaguar forces had prevailed, but Moon again dismissed Trent out of hand. Jez Howell, seeing the opportunity to gain more favor from Paul, took Trent's advice but bid far too low, losing most of her command in the battle with the mercenaries. After the battle, Jez goaded Trent too far and subsequently refused his challenge to a Circle of Equals. Trent killed her, covering up her death to make it seem as though she fell against the mercenaries in battle and reporting back to Paul Moon. Paul Moon declared her a hero for single-handedly repulsing the mercenaries and decided to send Trent to Huntress as an honor guard for her giftake. Paul Moon additionally requested that Trent be transferred to a solahma unit, hoping to finally be rid of the aging warrior.

Unfortunately for Paul Moon, in March of 3058 Trent returned to Hyner with a Trinary full of green troops. Reluctantly, Paul gave command of the Trinary to Trent after the warrior won several Trials of Position for the posting. Months later, Paul Moon's units were ordered to attack the Draconis Combine world of Maldonado by Galaxy Commander Hang Mehta. Paul complied, dispatching a Cluster of troops to attack the planet. While in theory, it was to be a simple incursion into Combine space, in reality, Moon had given Trent's Trinary a single objective: get rid of him. He altered his overall plan to send Trent's unit into a trap and even ordered another Star Captain who was to participate in the operation to kill Trent if he somehow survived both his unit's treachery and the enemy trap.

After the departure of the raiding force, Paul received word from Hang Mehta that Trent was to be arrested for assisting a criminal on Huntress, Benjamin Howell. Paul quickly organized a unit to pursue Trent's forces to Maldonado. He arrived just as Trent's Trinary began fighting the Kuritan ground forces. Paul, leading a Star of Elementals, attacked Trent in the midst of the fight, but lost his leg while attacking his rival's Cauldron Born, which suddenly exploded.

Operation BULLDOG and the Battle for Huntress

Paul's leg was regrown in time to fight against Operation BULLDOG's spearhead into Clan Territory, but he was forced to withdraw from Hyner in short order. He and his unit regrouped with Galaxy Commander Mehta as they fell back to Huntress. In March 3060, Paul was given the honor of leading his troops in assaulting the Eridani Light Horse. Paul contacted the Light Horse's commander, General Ariana Winston and challenged her to a fight in the plains west of the capital city of Lootera, which she accepted.

On the plains, Paul led his unit against the Light Horse defensive positions, but his troops were ravaged by artillery fire. Although they were able to use their raw anger and aggression to breach their Light Horse lines, they were eventually forced to fall back. Paul was again injured during the fight, losing his right arm and upper shoulder and was left for dead by his troops. Later, Com Guard medics found him in his wrecked elemental armor and sedated him in order to save his life. He was later made a bondsman of Eridani Light Horse Major Kris Blau.

After Operation BULLDOG, additional Second Star League forces arrived and rescued Task Force Serpent's outnumbered units. Trent, who had accompanied them, visited the ComStar field hospital where Paul was resting and blamed him for their Clan's destruction, stating that his actions pushed him to become a traitor. Paul Moon requested that Trent release him from his shame by way of bondsref but Trent denied him that request and left him in his bed to wallow in his grief at what had happened.

Custos of the Fidelis

After the fall of the Smoke Jaguars, Paul Moon struggled with the consequences of his actions and sought to preserve what was left of his Clan's legacy. Soon afterwards, he would work with Baldur and Inanna of the Nova Cats to evacuate restless Smoke Jaguar civilians and former warriors to Wayside V to form a hidden colony. Later, during the Jihad, Paul manages to organize survivors of Smoke Jaguar into a warrior-people simply known as the Fidelis. During this time, he works a deal with Devlin Stone where his people would act as special forces. Elements fighting the conflict would come to know these mysterious soldiers as "Stone's Shadows". As part of the deal with Stone, they must pledge themselves to service of Stone and the Republic until they pay the debt owed.

After the conclusion of the war, Paul arranged for his people to resettle Mopelia Island on New Earth. There, he leads his people as "Custos", where for a generation they end up training. Paul is sustained over the years with medical technology they have acquired over the decades. His people are kept in total isolation during this period with only brief visits by high-end Republican officials, namely Stone and his successor Damien Redburn.

In July of 3135, Redburn meets with Paul again, this time as Shadow Paladin, for Exarch Jonah Levin. He tells Paul he needs to call Fidelis into service, giving them the opportunity to pay the debt to Stone and the Republic. Paul releases a Century worth of troops for the Republic's operation Fortress Republic. This duty requires his people to operate outside of the Fortress walls, which included the use of the Fidelis' WarShip.

By 3150, the crisis that called for the Fidelis troops' service has been resolved. This leads Paul to contact Exarch Levin, asking him if the Fidelis debt is paid. Levin tells him that debt has been paid and that his people are free. Paul calls a special meeting, which he has to use very dangerous medications to allow him to walk freely to attend. At the meeting, he announces that the Fidelis are free and that Adamans will succeed him as Custos.

In a private meeting shortly after, he tells Adamans that he is dying and he has chosen him as his replacement to lead their people into the future. He hands to him the "Unopened Work" a book of the Fidelis' forbidden history and tells Adamans his true name, Paul Moon, just before passing away.

By 3150, When Wolf Empire's forces attacked New Earth, the Fidelis home, they surrendered the planet without firing a single shot, for unknown reasons. The Fidelis leader was an aging warrior, which it is implied to be Paul.

Dealing with Alaric

When Alaric landed on the planet where Paul Moon and his Fidelis had resided, Paul would reveal secrets to Alaric about him and his people. The first bit of knowledge that he revealed to Alaric was that the reason his people were out of their pledge to Stone, was due to the sudden betrayal of the Republic. The second revelation that Paul told him was that he and his people were actually the survivors of Clan Smoke Jaguar, who fought for Stone during the Jihad and the Dark Ages. Paul Moon, seeking an opportunity to resurrect his Clan would propose a deal to Alaric. It involved his people to help Alaric become ilClan by defeating the Jade Falcons and the Republic on Terra in order to become the new ilKhan. Paul Moon stated the reason for doing so was due to the past actions of his Clan and wanting to redeem themselves. He even acknowledged that the destruction of Turtle Bay and the harsh rule of the Smoke Jaguars as prime examples of why they were chosen to be eliminated by the Second Star League. Seeing a chance at redemption and resurrecting his Clan, Paul would make a deal with Alaric that would see his Clan reconstituted. Alaric would agree to his terms stating that it would be done as long as he serves his people during the battle against the Jade Falcons for control of Terra. In agreement, Alaric would announce that every warrior of the Fidelis, including Paul were now declared as bondsman of Clan Wolf until they become ilClan.

After the ilClan Trial with the Jade Falcons concluded, Paul Moon's faith was rewarded when he was invited by ilKhan Alaric Ward himself to witness the resurrection of his Clan.

Philosophical and political views

Originally he was a Clan member of Smoke Jaguar, during which he was known to be a diehard Crusader. He condemned the warriors who lost on Tukayyid. He was a harsh and arrogant trueborn in his early years.

After the destruction of the Smoke Jaguars, he reflected on the consequences of his actions and became more introspective on his limits and potential for improvement. While originally reluctant to take on civilian work, he came to enjoy his time working with technicians and used that experience when molding the Fidelis as a new society.

In his later years as Custos of the Fidelis, he developed a sense of humor and nostalgia while maintaining the sharpness of his warrior mind.

Character notes

Though not publicly known, Paul Moon becomes the longest lived known Clan trueborn.

He was highest rank officer of the Smoke Jaguars to survive captivity on Huntress.

Contents of the MWDA Novel Surrender Your Dreams is subject to change due to alterations of the timeline by Catalyst Game Labs and possible change outcome of Paul Moon and his Fidelis situation by 3150. This was mentioned by the then Line Developer Herb Beas during the April 2013 BattleChat.

Bibliography

• Children of Kerensky
• Divided We Fall
• Exodus Road (novel)
• The Flames of Idlewind
• Forever Faithful (novel)
• Shadows of Faith (serial story)
• Surrender Your Dreams (novel)
• Twilight of the Clans (scenario pack)