Marcus Rathbone
From ExodusWar
| Marcus "Bloodhound" Rathbone | |
|---|---|
 A portrait of Marcus Rathbone | |
| Birth | September 21, 2268 Ah Kin, Alpha Centauri System |
| Death | |
| Allegiance(s) | Federated Districts of the Prefecture |
| Profession | Pilot |
| Recognitions | General of the Air Force (Onyx Empire) Sky Marshal (Prefecture) |
| Achievements | "Raven's Wings" Test Pilot |
Marcus "Bloodhound" Rathbone (born September 21, 2268) was born on Ah Kin, in the Alpha Centauri System. He led an exciting young life, dropping out of school to become a stunt pilot.
Contents |
[edit] The Wild Barnstormer
Rathbone's lack of education disqualified him from becoming a fighter pilot of the United Earth Alliance, so he sought his own thrills and got them. In 2289, Rathbone made history by performing an "inverted tandem dust-up" with his stunt partner, Rose Morgan. The two pilots flew their stunt planes upside down, less than two meters apart from each other, at an altitude of five meters, for a distance of ten kilometers, at speeds exceeding Mach 3. The feat was not so difficult for instruments, but both pilots manually operated their aircraft the entire time.
[edit] Trainer
After their famous stunt, Rathbone and Morgan went their separate ways, though they maintained a close friendship. Morgan left the wild life of stunt piloting, and went into business as an aircraft safety consultant. Rathbone became a private flight instructor, with some more exciting "specialty courses" available to the more discerning customer. This gave him a comfortable lifestyle, with some occasional excitement.
[edit] The Raven's Wings
When the Onyx Empire became the de-facto ruler of Ah Kin in 2300, the Royal Imperial Labs began several military technology projects. Among them was "Project Raven", which developed the famous F-4 Raven fighter. In their search for pilots who could push the envelope, they quickly learned of Marcus Rathbone's famous stunt from 2289, and sought him out.
Rathbone remained in the dark of the true nature of the Onyx Empire and its plans of conquest for many years, but jumped at the chance to test the latest military-grade fighters. He was soon one of the famous "Raven's Wings" test pilots.
[edit] The Bloodhound's Path
When the Onyx Empire's forces were revealed to the public at large, Rathbone balked at the idea of going to war against Earth. He was soon convinced when his friend and fellow test pilot, Emil Torsc, told him the story of the fate of Torimur, and the centuries-long exile of its people. Rathbone was recruited into the newly-formed Royal Imperial Air Force. His experience as a flight instructor, his skill as a stunt pilot, and his record in the "Raven's Wings" program earned him command...a position his friend Torsc greatly coveted.
As the Royal Imperial Air Force grew in numbers, Rathbone showed a great level of skill in training pilots. The "vat"-grown pilots were often unimaginative and dull, but Rathbone was an excellent mentor and never stopped teaching them new tricks. He was not a combat-minded person, but was an outstanding pilot and had a knack for mentoring.
Rathbone honed his skills to a fine edge, and became one of the best. Only Emil Torsc and Jack Ivonrud were on the same level of combat skill and flying ability.
[edit] The Imperial Civil War
When the Imperial Civil War started, Rathbone aided Anthony Hadrian, leading the new Prefecture Air Force to dozens of victories and eventual air superiority. Only the Emperor's top pilot, Emil Torsc, managed to consistently stop Rathbone's forces.
The choice to rebel was not an easy one for Rathbone to make. As an Air Force pilot, he was based on a heavily-guarded ground installation, full of loyal Imperial troops. To make matters worse, his long-time friend and second-in-command, General Rose Morgan, did not share his decision to defect.
In order to make his escape work, Marcus Rathbone had to smuggle a message to Anthony Hadrian's forces. They staged an attack on the Royal Imperial Air Force headquarters, and the pilots loyal to Rathbone launched first, and strafed the runways to keep the Imperial pilots grounded.
Immediately before the attack, Rathbone confronted Morgan with his plans to defect, and begged her to join him. When she refused and attempted to alert base security, Rathbone tried to stop her. The two fought, and Rathbone got the upper hand, subduing her in a sleeper hold. Unfortunately, he slipped, crushing her windpipe and killing her. In his own mind, at least, he was now both a rebel and a traitor.
Rathbone's career as a combat pilot ended on September 17th, 2322. His F-4 Raven was shot down by Emil Torsc. He survived, but lost an arm and both legs. For some time, he was completely confined to a wheel chair.
When meta-organ growth was invented in 2324, his mobility returned, but not the reflexes and uncanny skills he had before. He never flew again.
In the final summation of things, the war deeply affected Marcus Rathbone. His oldest friend was dead by his own hand. His protege was killed by his "friendly" rival. While Jan Brooks offered him a consulting position, Marcus turned it down, refusing to accept what he saw as a pity job. Marcus retired to Earth, where he spends his days as a relief worker for the new government.
