Wilburn Kirkland
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Wilburn Kirkland | |
|---|---|
| Personal | |
| Also known as | Wil |
| Affiliation | Free Worlds League |
| Profile | |
| Rank | General |
| Profession | MechWarrior |
General Wilburn Reginald Kirkland was the commander of the Oriente Ducal Guard, with the Free Worlds League, from at least 3145 to 3148.[1][2][3]
Contents
Personal Appearance[edit]
In his late middle age as of 3146, Kirkland had a bearing that spoke of propriety and etiquette. He also had bright grayish-blue eyes, short, well-kempt brown hair and a clean-shaven face.[4]
History[edit]
Early Life[edit]
Kirkland graduated at the top of his Academy class as a young man.[5]
Death of Philip Hughes[edit]
Kirkland, with the Oriente Ducal Guard, was based on Oriente as of 3145.[1] In this role Kirkland had responsibility for the personal security of Oriente's ruling family, and prior to the assassination of Philip Hughes in August 3146, he had suspicions regarding unusual activity surrounding Hughes. Kirkland was not however able to prevent or determine the cause of Hughes' death in August.[4][6]
Assassination of Jessica Marik[edit]
Kirkland was responsible for security at the House Halas palace on Oriente, when it was successfully bombed on 2 March 3148 by an assassin, resulting in the death of Captain-General Jessica Marik.[7]
Taking charge of the interrogation of the suspected assassin, Kirkland was only able to extract from his prisoner the claim that "House Selaj sends its regards", before the assassin was later found dead in his cell. Once Warden-General Nikol Marik arrived on the scene Kirkland offered his resignation due to his failure to protect the Captain-General, but Nikol instead requested he instead continue his investigation of the crime.[8]
This investigation resulted in Kirkland having Nikol arrested for a time, due to a document planted by a Capellan Confederation agent which attempted to frame her for her mother's murder. Kirkland however did not believe Nikol was guilty, and merely planned to use the arrest to help discover the actual assassin, who he eventually identified during Nikol's trial. This allowed Kirkland to provide enough evidence to the court to exonerated Nikol, and to eventually run to ground Jessica Marik's killer, the Capellan agent Sylas Mitchell. Kirkland was not however able to capture Mitchell before he was able to commit suicide.[9]
Following these events, Nikol and Kirkland used the information they had available to publicly blame the Regulan Fiefs and Major General Fred Marshdale for Jessica's killing, even though they privately believed it was more likely the responsibility of the Capellan Confederation. This was as they preferred to fight a war with Regulus, rather than the Capellans, with whom they were not ready to start a conflict.[2]
As part of the Regulan conflict Kirkland and the Ducal Guard joined Nikol's reprisal attack on Regulus in April 3148.[10]
BattleMech[edit]
Kirkland was known to have piloted a JLN-5A Juliano BattleMech. His security passphrase for the 'Mech was a biblical quote, from Ecclesiastes 3, "To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven".[7]