Family HistoryNote: History for
SGT Kenji Yamamori, and the
741st Royal Strikers, Echo Company available.
The 50th Royal Infantry Division was involved in the campaign against the Rim World Republic as part of Task Force DeChavilier. Early in the campaign they fought against a brutal enemy commander who made a point of executing any enemy soldiers on the field and deployed infantry specifically in “cleanup crews†against downed pilots and vehicle crews. On July 9th, 2766 in one particularly brutal battle in a mountain forest, Kenji’s infantry platoon was part of those deployed to seek out and recover pilots for the 50th. In the waning hours of a busy day, he spotted the pilot of one of the upgraded Royal Warhammer’s punch out and angle for a clearing. What Kenji had discovered earlier was that the Rim World troops kept at least a platoon close to the clearing as an easy killing field and rapidly moved in that direction. Finding a spot a bit further up the slope from the clearing, he arrived in time to see the pilot land near an outcropping of rocks and begin to take fire. A couple of well-placed grenades from his mauser prevented them from charging the pilot’s position. His own position came under fire and so he disappeared, beginning a game of cat and mouse with the enemy infantry. Though they kept up fire on the pilot’s position, they were never able to get a clear shot. Every time they moved into the clearing to close, Yamamori dropped them with a quick burst of fire and then disappeared. He called in a recovery team to assist with the evac and continued his work on the enemy troops. In all he killed more than a platoon worth of troops before the recovery team could land in the clearing and remove the pilot to safety. Mission accomplished he faded back into the woods to seek out the next pilot or crew to protect.
Once back and treated for injuries, the pilot – Sergeant Ayane Nishamura, wanted to know which unit to thank for saving her. She had been able to thank the helicopter crew, but not the ground support. The duty officer consulted her records and was able to provide the narrow it down to the platoon on duty. Ayane found the platoon lieutenant and thanked him. He didn’t recall the specific situation, but with her explanation he remembered and nodded. He told her that he’d let him know. She caught the reference to a single individual and asked him about it. The lieutenant explained that it was just one soldier who’d helped her, racking up at least 30 confirmed kills in the process. Impressed she got Kenji’s name and went to thank him herself. The thank you was the beginning of a two year long relationship between the two of them. Over the next two years he was twice more wounded in action, though recovered and returned to duty. Through it all he acquitted himself admirably, though as with the 191st trouble seemed to find him.
In 2769, the 50th was involved in the fighting in Milvano against the RWR. Shortly before the battle, Kenji was permanently reassigned to a ‘Mech regiment. With equipment faster to fix or replace than personnel, he had earlier earned the opportunity to train as a ‘Mech pilot and finally the assignment transfer within the division came through. It was a move supported and encouraged by his C.O. as not only had they heard whispers of the “curse,†they had seen the effects firsthand. In the end, it didn’t matter. His old regiment was tasked with leading the assault on Camp Sienna. The detonated reactor obliterated two regiments of infantry including the one Kenji was assigned to. The timing was unfortunate because the paperwork hadn’t caught up yet, so he appeared on initial and ongoing KIA reports. Given the last known location of Nishamura’s unit she was listed as Missing, Presumed Dead. It wasn’t until the following month when he didn’t get a paycheck that they caught the clerical error, though it took some months to sort out. By then the remnants of the 50th were mostly off-world. His assignment to a ‘Mech triggered the unsealing of Major Stastny’s recommendation. It happened at a time when the 741st was looking for additional pilots and so he was reassigned there.
Unknown to Yamamori, Nishamura’s ‘Mech was taken out early in the fighting on that fateful day and she’d punched out. That misfortune ended up saving her life when the insurgents detonated Camp Sienna’s reactor. The vehicle she was in sustained heavy damage at the edge of the blast, and all the people were wounded or killed. The survivors made it to a nearby small town, where they were treated, but taken hostage. It was there that she found out she was pregnant and heard the news of the loss of the two infantry regiments including Kenji’s. When she was eventually able to access the casualty reports some months later, Kenji was still listed as KIA.
Ayane and the others she were with were eventually able to secure their release and transport out, but well behind the rest of the force. By that point she was far enough along that she was given a desk assignment until after her child was born. After giving birth to Hiro on February 5th – named for Kenji’s father, Ayane returned to duty on May 24th and assigned to the Fourth Tau Ceti Rangers. The Rangers were an independent regiment, formed from the remnants of the 81st Mechanized Infantry Division which bore the name. When the final assault on Terra came, the Fourth was in a support position. It wasn’t until after the final had been fought and Ayane was reading reports of the Battle of Anchorage, that a familiar name resurfaced. It took just a bit of digging for her to confirm that the Kenji Yamamori from the 50th was the same as that in the 741st’s Echo Company. Her research also uncovered the fact that he was married which further complicated her decisions about Hiro and reaching out to him. She managed to get herself and Hiro who was 9 at the time to the ceremony where Kenji was honored along with other key personnel from the battle. So Hiro was able to see his father, though never met him.
Ayane continued to serve after the end of Amaris’ rule and decided to stay in the Inner Sphere along with the rest of the 4th Tau Ceti Rangers rather than answer General Kerensky’s call for an Exodus. She learned that Kenji and his wife were both going, though the rest of his family was staying on Earth. After their departure, she and Hiro went to meet his relatives. Through written correspondence and video messages, she was able to establish a relationship and bring Hiro back to Terra to meet with them. They had been saddened to lose Kenji, but were happy to have Hiro as a connection to their absent son or brother. As a token of their affection and a way to try and help Hiro with the loss of his father, they gave Hiro Kenji’s Order of the Sword sash and medallion. Both Hiro’s mother and his Yamamori relatives instilled a fierce loyalty to the ideals of the Star League and military service. The Yamamori line would continue a long and storied history with the 4th Tau Ceti Rangers along with the Nishamura line through Hiro’s half-siblings. It was a tradition that would last all the way through the 4th Succession War before things changed.
Character HistoryKato Yamanori Atayde was born on May 12, 3016 and grew up on Epsilon Eridani then home to the 4th Tau Ceti Rangers. His mother Miko Atayde Yamamori was the only daughter of Sheng Mandrinn Atayde on Capella who ruled Ceres City. As part of the marriage contract, their second son would be given Atayde as his family name and so continue the family line. By this time the Yamamori family was well established with title and lands earned from the Capellan Confederation by service in the 4th during the 1st and 2nd Succession Wars. While a portion of the family relocated with the 4th, Kato’s family remained first under the leadership of Colonel Pavel Ridzik, and then the Federated Commonwealth after Ridzik’s assassination. Kato grew up on stories of the Star League and the long history of service in the SLDF and the Terran Hegemony. The family histories always included both the Yamamori and Nishamura service in the SLDF ending with Kenji and Ayane. All members of the family also knew of their service in the 4th Tau Ceti Rangers after the fall of the Star League, but the stories of the SLDF and their emphasis on the traditions and ideals of the Star League were the most nostalgic and pined for. The fate of the 4th was known, shared and lived. The fate though of Echo Company and the rest of the 741st was a mystery, one which fascinated Kato to distraction especially as he discovered that not all left on the Exodus. At age 10 he got involved with the 4th Tau Ceti Rangers, doing what he could to help out when he had time and beginning his military education. He saw many facets of operations for both readiness and then wartime footing as the 4th Succession War hit without warning.
His family was severely split as part of the 4th Succession War. He had aunts, uncles and both older siblings along with one of his grandparents relocate with the 4th. His parents, younger brother and sister along with other relatives less tied to the 4th remained. His parents as Shonso and Shanna (Count and Countess) felt a duty to take care of their holdings and their people, remained. Their titles were confirmed through the changes in rulership both in 3029 and again in 3031 when it entered the Federated Commonwealth. During the transition period, Kato worked diligently to ensure the people his family were responsible for were well taken care of and protected, including in assisting with resettling people who wished to remain within the Capellan Confederation. His siblings and other relatives kept in touch, encouraging him to consider going to the Capella War College upon completion of his military training, a tempting offer as it would bring him to the world he would one day be Mandrinn on. They helped him complete his evaluation for commitment to the state, pointing to his pro-Capellan public statements, treatment and assistance to the people of Epsilon Eridani and strong family ties to both the Mandrinn of Ceres City and the 4th. With his family’s assistance he was granted official citizenship in the Capellan Confederation in 3030. It was done so quietly so as not to cause a stir, though it wasn’t a secret.
After the Federated Commonwealth took control of Epsilon Eridani in 3031, it reviewed his family’s status as nobles to determine if they should be retained within the Federated Commonwealth. As part of the interview process, MIIO was tasked to confirm both their loyalties and that of Kato. The assessment was a bit unusual compared to others. All of the Yamamori family professed their belief in the proper role of nobility in taking care of their charges and fealty to the state. However, they were unapologetic about their belief that there is good within the Capellan Confederation and that it’s not the monster that it’s often characterized as by Federated Suns propaganda. Likewise, they were clear that they believed there’s good within the Federated Commonwealth. They sought to espouse and embody the high minded beliefs and approach of the Star League and use that as their guidance. They were excited about the merging of the Federated Suns and Lyran Commonwealth, feeling it was the first step to a restored Star League. Given their sincere devotion to the prospect of a new Star League likely under the auspices of the current FC, the MIIO agents were mollified. Reports indicated confidence in the family’s loyalty and a note to work to bring Kato more firmly around to the cause as he was merely 15. Their assessment of him showed great potential and they recommended channeling it for the benefit of the Commonwealth. Steeping him in tradition and purpose was recommended as the best approach, given the family’s strong SLDF and Star League ties. They indicated that the Nagelring might be a good choice IF he could qualify and NAIS College of Military Sciences would be a close second.
As time approached for him to go to a military academy, there was increased pressure from various factions within his family. His relatives that did not reside within the Federated Commonwealth urged him to go to the Capellan War College. His parents recommended the NAIS and others recommended the Nagelring. All three had their advantages, all three their drawbacks. Kato reluctantly set aside the CWC. If he left it was unlikely he’d be allowed back and would quite probably undermine his parents position as Count and Countess. The Nagelring was tempting given its previous status as an SLDF Military Academy. NAIS which was equally prestigious offered something that the other two academies could not – a chance to potentially find out more about the 741st and what became of the members of Echo that did not leave on the Exodus. That decided, Kato entered NAIS in 3032.
He was bright with a ready mind for tactics and strategy though was beaten out for placement for OCS while attending. His friends joked that he would have graduated at the top of his class if he hadn’t met Erin Mei. Upon graduation he was assigned to the newly formed Fifth FedCom RCT. His performance produced a rapid rise to the rank of Sergeant Major. He was far less impressed with General Nial Slattery, a Lyran Noble and commander of the Fifth. Kato proved his worth in the taking of Halstead Station in the early part of the War of 3039, though it was in his actions during the Draconis Combine's counter attack that he shined. Trapped between two elite Sword of Light regiments, the RCT was breaking apart. General Slattery ordered a withdrawl and was informed that there was a company of 'Mech's pinned down that needed assistance getting to the evacuation zone. He refused to offer aid and when pressed by Atayde about not leaving any man behind, the General sarcastically told him if he wanted to go save them, go but he wouldn't wait.
Kato braved withering fire to extract not just the pilots but their 'Mechs as well getting them all to the dropships before take off. General Slattery first tried to ignore Kato's bravery, then claim credit for it, but Marshal Katherine Dunn his second in command was a solid Federated Suns officer who ensured Kato got the credit he was due. For Kato’s meritorious actions he was awarded the Silver Starburst, granted ownership of the Wolverine he piloted and then given a full scholarship to Albion where he went through OCS and graduated at the top of his class. Infuriated by Atayde's success, General Slattery arranged that should Kato return to service he'd return to the Fifth, a situation that would have been intolerable. Fortunately he found out about it in time to avoid reenlisting and has moved on to the Rangers to continue his career.
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