Robert Marshall
From ExodusWar
| Robert Alexander Marshall | |
|---|---|
 Portrait of Robert Marshall | |
| Birth | September 16, 2059 Torimur, Cildeng System |
| Death | |
| Allegiance(s) | The Federated Districts of the Prefecture |
| Profession | Military Leader |
| Recognitions | Rank of Admiral in the Onyx Empire Rank of Admiral in the Federated Districts of the Prefecture |
| Achievements | Creator of the "Lane of Fire" doctrine |
Robert Marshall (born September 16, 2059) was the commander of the Torimur defense force. Later, he served under Anthony Hadrian for the Empire, and later the Prefecture. Marshall is a brilliant strategist, and one of the few masters of space combat.
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[edit] Early Life
Robert Marshall was born on Torimur to Annissa Marshall. He never knew his father or any extended family, though his mother often told him stories of his father’s life as a spacer. Young Robert knew he was destined to follow his father’s footsteps and be a spacer. By the time he was 14 years old, he had secured a job in one of Torimur’s starship facilities.
Robert Marshall was a boastful young man, and frequently got in fights. His quick wits and quicker fists usually won the day, but his sharp tongue got him into a lot of trouble. It also attracted the attention of young Maya Valenci. Much to the chagrin of their parents, the young lovers soon found themselves plus one, and so they quickly married. Their son Jordan was born in 2078, when Robert was not quite 19 years old. In order to provide for his young wife and son, Robert secured a position in the Torimur defense force. He saw his first action in the Battle of Sirius Novgorod during the First Exodus War, where he first discovered his passion for war strategy and tactics.
Robert Marshall wrote a treatise on starship combat tactics, which had some unconventional and revolutionary strategies that caught the eye of Anthony Hadrian. Hadrian secured Marshall a commission directly from Lucius Black, though the brilliant young commander had no further opportunities to stretch his wings, as the war took a disastrous turn.
[edit] Bereaved Husband
When the bombs fell on Ailqot, Maya and Jordan were not in the city--they were vacationing in the countryside with Annissa Marshall. Maya insisted on returning to the city to help the survivors. While searching for her parents, she was exposed to a severe dosage of radiation, and eventually succumbed to radiation poisoning.
Robert Marshall returned to Torimur mere hours after Maya died. Robert’s son and mother were alive and safe, and accompanied him into exile on the world of Eciluge. Both survived both the First and Second Exodus. Robert watched his son grow into a fine young man, and the family soon added another “brother”, Geoffrey Nolan, one of the many orphans of the First Exodus War.
Sadly, in 2312, Annissa Marshall succumbed to old age and passed away. Robert Marshall saw little alternative but to allow his sons to join the growing Imperial military--his own duties kept him from home far too often to be a responsible parent.
[edit] The Master Strategist
During the pre-war build-up of the Onyx Empire's military from 2300 to 2315, Robert Marshall's strategies and proposals formed the basis for most of the Royal Imperial Navy's acquisition orders and starship designs. He was closely involved in developing the training programs used for the “vats”--genetically engineered and artificially gestated soldiers.
Marshall's tactics proved extremely effective, and he became so important to the Imperial strategies that he was promoted to Admiral and given command of the Black Armada, a full half of the Royal Imperial Navy's warships. The warships of his Armada won hundreds of victories over the United Earth Alliance's fleets in the Second Exodus War.
Despite his fearsome reputation for being an unstoppable commander, Marshall was deeply respected by the Alliance. Even in victory he spared his opponents, something that Anthony Hadrian often did not. Anthony Hadrian’s aggressive, often brutal methods began to concern Marshall. He hadn’t been a political man during the First Exodus War, but he remembered what it was about.
When Lucius Black began sending invasion forces into the formerly independent star systems, Robert Marshall confronted Hadrian with an awful fact: Jerome Black, Giorgio Hadrian, and Torimur had represented a defiant front against the aggressive imperialism of the United Earth Alliance. Now Lucius Black was an aggressive imperialist. The Onyx Empire was no longer about revenge: it was about control. When Hadrian realized the full horror of what he had become, Robert Marshall was there to lead him towards a new goal: freedom.
[edit] Civil War
Anthony Hadrian's resistance became a powerful movement, and eventually resulted in a formal declaration of independence, which sparked the Torimur Civil War.
During the war, all but two of the Black Armada's commanders followed Robert Marshall to the Prefecture, giving Anthony Hadrian and his followers superiority in the naval battles. Marshall's victories—plus the fact that many of the Navy commanders were loyal to him, not to Hadrian or Black--earned Robert Marshall supreme command of the Prefecture Galactic Navy.
[edit] Bereaved Twice Again
Towards the end of the Torimur Civil War, one of Marshall's best commanders--one who had remained loyal to the Empire--was still on the run. Jordan Marshall, Geoffrey Nolan, and their ships were ordered to track him down. Unfortunately, young Jordan was not prepared for the battle, and his ship was lost with all hands. While Nolan survived, his relationship with his surrogate father became strained. It wasn't until many years later, during the Tempest War, that Robert Marshall began to think about patching ties with his son. Unfortunately, before he had the opportunity, Nolan led a brash yet successful strike against the Mesarthrim, securing victory and space superiority for the Prefecture, but losing his own life in the process.
[edit] Retirement Postponed
After losing his entire family, Robert Marshall was a broken man. He attempted to retire from the Prefecture military, but the Consul refused to accept his resignation. For the last year of the Tempest War, Marshall was AWOL. He eventually re-emerged, and his resignation was accepted.
A few months later, Marshall was called to serve his nation again. Talaris Roi was impeached from her position as Consul following the scandal surrounding Anthony Hadrian's war crimes trial. Robert Marshall was nominated to replace her, and surprisingly the electoral college voted for him. In 2032, Robert Marshall was sworn in as the third Consul of the Federated Districts of the Prefecture. He threw himself into this new role in life, finding solace and comfort in tackling his new responsibilities.
Despite no longer being in command, Marshall maintains a close relationship with the EI, Prism.
