Roweena Kurita

Roweena Kurita.JPG
Roweena Kurita
Character Profile
Born 2794[1]
Died 2905[1]
Affiliation House Kurita
Position Coordinator of the PRE
Profession Noble
Parents Zabu Kurita (father)
Siblings Yoguchi Kurita
Miyogi Kurita

Roweena Kurita was the younger sister of Yoguchi Kurita and Coordinator of the People's Reconstruction Effort.

History[edit]

Roweena was appointed head of the PRE in 2841 by her brother, and she helped the ISF in many ways. This was beneficial for both organizations, giving the PRE a way to efficiently go about with their efforts, and the ISF gained another source of information on government actions. The ISF leaders agreed to help her because Roweena's schemes revolved more around accumulating wealth than seizing power. She loved luxury and seemed to have an obsession with collecting rare art objects.[2]

When his brother insulted the ISF by putting them under the command of the DCMS, she stepped in to help ISF with PRE resources.

That initiated a Shadow War within ISF. Though Miyogi Kurita and Roweena kept up a semblance of cordiality during this time, both were struggling behind the scenes to get the upper hand. In a major escalation of the conflict, Roweena attempted to expand the powers of the PRE by absorbing a vital section of the DCMS Procurement Department. This would have forced the entire military to funnel their supply requests through the PRE.[3]

Taragi Kurita, nephew to both Kurita family members, was serving as an aide to a general on the DCMS's High Command as both sides attempted to secure the favor of the Combine's military commanders to win the war.[4][5]

Sensing a chance to increase his power and prestige, in separate audiences with both Miyogi and Roweena, Taragi attempted to peddle his supposed influence with the neutral generals of the High Command to support their respective factions in the Shadow War. Despite his insistence, both knew he was not even allowed to speak at the High Command Meetings, with Roweena laughing in his face and Miyogi half-heartedly agreeing to promote him if he succeeded. Neither realized how wily Taragi was, however. When the High Command finally met to decide which Kurita to back, Taragi rose and strode to the front of the room, removing from beneath his clothing the Dragon Medallion signifying his status as a legitimate member of the Kurita line. Holding up the medallion as if it was a holy symbol and shocking the murmuring generals into silence, Taragi launched into an impassioned hour-long speech extolling the virtues of Miyogi and characterizing Roweena as a kind of witch, before returning to his seat. Swayed by Taragi's speech, the High Command voted unanimously in favor of Miyogi, with the Roweena-loyal ISF and the People's Reconstruction Effort eliminated in short order. By 2865 the war was over. As promised, Miyogi promoted Taragi to the rank of General, becoming one of his uncle's most trusted advisers. Among Taragi's first pieces of advice was to imprison instead execute Roweena for fear it would complicate rooting out those ISF agents still loyal to her, a decision that would ultimately benefit Taragi in the future.[5]

Miyogi had then PRE dismantled, and even the PRE University on Ashio was destroyed, and though many blamed the pro-Roweena ISF for setting fire to the Grand Library, the surrounding villagers whispered among themselves that it was agents loyal to Miyogi who had started the blaze.[5]

When Miyogi Kurita solved the crisis in the Davion by appointing his son Jon Kurita, this deeply humiliated Taragi's vague ambitions of advancing his standing were galvanized into eliminating his uncle and becoming Coordinator of the Draconis Combine himself. Taragi immediately knew where to turn to assist him, visiting the elderly Roweena Kurita, over a hundred years old and still under house arrest. Eagerly agreeing to help Taragi as a means of striking out against her brother, as Taragi had assumed, Roweena still commanded a small but totally loyal number of Metsuke who escaped the various purges since her arrest who would aid and supply him with secret information. She also advised him to discredit Jon Kurita first, forcing Miyogi to replace him with Taragi or retain him and anger the DCMS High Command through blatant nepotism.[6]

Death and Legacy[edit]

After aiding Taragi defeat both her brother and nephew, Roweena was released from house arrest before dying in comfortable retirement at age 111.[7]

Centuries later, Roweena Kurita's life was an inspiring story of deftness and resilience, a tribute to guile over brute force. This was also tempered by the knowledge she was an individual who created a power structure separate from the Coordinator and nearly seized the Chrysanthemum Throne in her own right. The former attributes made it seem that Roweena was the perfect name for Luthien Armor Works' 30-ton Dark Age era harassment BattleMech, but the later especially after the lead designer was interned for suspected Kokuryu-kai sympathies led LAW to hurriedly rename the 'Mech the more politically safe Cricket instead. Bureaucratic inertia ensured it retained its original model name, RWN-01, however.[7]

Quotes[edit]

In the bright sunshine
one should fear small spiders. Death's
agents may not be big.
  — Poem found among Roweena Kurita’s personal effects[8]

References[edit]

  1. 1.0 1.1 House Kurita (The Draconis Combine), foldout: "The Draconis Combine's Line of Succession and Partial Kurita Family Tree"
  2. House Kurita (The Draconis Combine), p. 66: "Roweena Kurita"
  3. House Kurita (The Draconis Combine), p. 72: "Shadow War"
  4. House Kurita (The Draconis Combine), pp. 75–76: "The Third Succession War - Military Hot Spots - Good Plan, Unexpected End"
  5. 5.0 5.1 5.2 House Kurita (The Draconis Combine), pp. 72–73: "The Third Succession War - Shadow War"
  6. House Kurita (The Draconis Combine), pp. 76–77: "The Third Succession War - The Rise of Taragi"
  7. 7.0 7.1 Recognition Guide: ilClan, vol. 6, p. 4: "RWN-01 Cricket"
  8. House Kurita (The Draconis Combine), p. 66: "Roweena Kurita"

Bibliography[edit]