September 15, 3054, Luthien Coordinator Takashi Kurita died last night in his sleep. Ninety days of official mourning have been ordered by new Coordinator Theodore Kurita. "The Dragon's dead, yet the Dragon is eternal." So said the proclamation, which went on to give the date of Theodore Kurita's accession ceremonies, chosen by the geomancers with an eye to travel times for various Kuritan dignitaries. The Coordinator's wife Jasmine was with him when he died, as was his son. In an interesting sidenote; ISF Director Subrash Indrahar died at ninety plus the same night as the master he had served so long. Present also on Luthien was Takashi Kurita's old enemy, Colonel Jaime Wolf of Wolf's Dragoons. Colonel Wolf was apparently present on Coordinator Takashi's invitation; much honor had been shown in his reception. A complete replica of Colonel Wolf's Archer had been at his disposal during his entire stay in Luthien. Colonel Wolf is unable to remain for the funeral. Our Associate Editor, Robert Carter IV says, "Takashi Kurita was a hard man." Well, yes he was. He was a product of hard times, spending the first fifty years of his life between the royal hardline version of the bushido code and the constant incoming attacks of the Third Succession War. Before his accession as Coordinator, Takashi Kurita seemed to be a product of the Kurita royal house MechWarrior mold. Born on Auaust 18, 2970, he enjoyed a privileged upbringing, with a strong emphasis on discipline and duty. His earliest friends were his younger brother Miyamoto and long-term head of the ISF Subrash Indrahar, who became the future Coordinator's friend in primary school. Bushido discipline increased as Takashi endured six years at the Sun Zhang Military Academy on New Samarkand, graduating at sixteen. He was selected on his own merits to attend the Wisdom of the Dragon elite officer training. After that, Chu- iTakashi Kurita led a lance in the border garrison of Marlow's Rift, serving with distinction from the beginning. Over the next seven years, he led MechWarriors on important border worlds like Marduk, Mallory's World, and Harrow's Sun. He was promoted to Tai-i in 2995, and to Sho-sa (and the command of a battalion) in 2997. Soon after that, Takashi was promoted to the Heir's traditional position of Commander of the Household Guard. He was married at twenty to Jasmine, the daughter of Duke Marco Isu of New Samarkand. His Consort was a famous beauty, accomplished in the arts of dance and drama. Under her gentle guidance, Unity Palace on Luthien became a center for the arts. Coordinator Hohiro Kurita wanted hissonatcourtto learnthe art of political maneuver and intrigue. Here Takashi met Subrash Indrahar once again. Indrahar's job with the ISF required him to coordinate covert guard operations by that service with the military duties of the Household Guard. The two quickly built a working relationship that was to endure fifty years. On July 1, 2997, Theodore Kurita, Takashi's heir and only child was born. As the new millennium broke in 3000, Takashi Kurita seemedto be comfortably set on a course which would lead in time to the Coordinatorship. He looked forward to a decade or two of apprenticeship to his father, enjoying the comforts of family life and the companionship of his brother. Within five years, his world was smashed. First in 3002, Miyamoto was killed in battle. Takashi's sense of discipline would not allow him to feel grief at so honorable a death, but the unspoken pain gave a new shadow to his countenance. A haunted quality shows in his eyes in portraits from then on. The next death caused dishonor as well as anguish. In 3004, his father, Coordinator Hohiro Kurita, was assassinated by a Rasalhaguian fanatic. As Takashi was head of the Household Guard, he felt that he had failed in his responsibility. Dissident elements whispered at his complicity in the killing, despite the confession and death of the assassin. The new Coordinator Takashi had to act firmly to take control of the Draconis Combine. For the first eighteen months of his reign, he allowed the ISF full rein in a purge of dissidents. His policy throughout his reign became to locate and suppress any opposition. The necessity for continual suspicion hardened his perceptions. He distanced himself from his wife and set standards for his son which were impossible for a child to meet, then treated the boy with contempt for failing to meet them. He was an able ruler, but a rigid one. This attitude caused one of the great mistakes of his career. Although Coordinator Takashi had revitalized the image of the MechWarrior, reorganizing and strengthening many frontline units, he continued the traditional Kuritan attitude toward mercenaries. Mercenaries were a necessary evil, to be used and thrown away. No honor was due in dealings with them; the good units were to be coerced into joining the regular Draconis Combine Mustered Soldiery forces; the poorer forces were used to garrison lost hopes, lead charges, and generally be used where honor would not allow the DCMS to go. Then in the 3020's Takashi hired Wolf's Dragoons. When the Dragoons clashed with regular forces, Takashi's protege Grieg Samsonov reported them to the Coordinator as out of control mercs who didn't know their proper place. It is to Takashi's discredit that he never questioned Samsonov's word. The situation eventually led to a bloody honor duel on Misery, the Dragoons' leaving the Combine for Davion employ at the start of the Fourth Succession War, and the grim bloodiness of the Galedon Front of that war. Takashi apparently suffered a small stroke at the announcement by Hanse Davion of the invasion of Liao territory. If this is true, his unbalanced conduct during the Fourth Succession War is explained. Ignoring his commitments and his allies, he poured money and troops into the Galedon district to eradicate the Dragoons. He came close to succeeding. But if he eventually killed more than two thirds of the Dragoon personnel, the Dragoons had their revenge when he lost the war through inattention. Yet from the war, he won something precious. His neglected son Theodore was revealed as a brilliant strategist. With uncharacteristic humility, Takashi accepted Theodore's low-born wife and children and named Theodore himself Gunji-no-Kanrei, Deputy for War. From then on, Takashi concentrated on internal affairs and politics, leaving the military to his son. Theodore's unconventional troops and doctrine brought new life to the DCMS. In 3039, Theodore repelled a new invasion from both fronts of the Federated Commonwealth in a mere six months. Takashi's health improved. On the family front, he drew pride from his grandchildren, particularly Theodore's heir Hohiro. He interested himself in BattleMech design, sponsoring the expensive steps of research that created the Grand Dragon. In 3052, Takashi took personal control of a BattleMech regiment in the defense of Luthien. His personal ability and bravery were unchanged. Citizens of the Draconis Combine received portraits of .the Old Dragon as prized awards for valor. Wolf's Dragoons returned to Luthien for the first time since the Fourth Succession War, to aid in its defense against the Smoke Jaguars. Yet this was the Dragon's last bellow. In a mysterious foreknowledge of his own end, he invited his old adversary Jaime Wolf to meet with him on Luthien earlier this year. What they said at their meeting is nowhere recorded. Later that week, the Old Dragon died, peaceably in his sleep. His lifelong friend Subrash Indrahar died the same day, as if he had decided to live no longer than his master. Takashi Kurita was justly proud of a lifetime of accomplishments. Perhaps the one he is best known for is his sponsorship of the Grand Dragon BattleMech's development. The Grand Dragon is the 'Mech Coordinator Kurita piloted in the Defense of Luthien. The Grand Dragon design has been published several places, notably in Technical Readout: 3050. During the interim stages of development, the last Dragons off the production lines were given CASE. An experiment in retrofitting begun in 3051 changed the Autocannon to an Ultra Autocannon. This version of the Dragon, the 'Puffing Dragon', has never been published before. In honor of Coordinator Takashi Kurita, BattleTechnology here offers one of the benefits his rule brought to the Draconis Combine. DRG-2N "Puffing Dragon" Mass: 60 tons Chassis: Alshain Type 56-60H Power Plant: Vlar 300 Cruising Speed, Ground: 54.0 kph Maximum Speed, Ground: 86.4 kph Jump Jets: None Jump Capacity: None Armor: Starshield with CASE Armament: 1 Telos DecaCluster LRM Missile System 1 Victory 23R Medium Laser 1 Imperator Ultra-5 Autocannon Manufacturer: Luthien Metal Works Primary Factory: Luthien Communications System: Sipher CommSys 3 Targeting and Tracking System:Eagle Eye SY10-10 Type: DRG-2N Dragon Tonnage: 60.0 Equipment Mass Internal Structure: 6.0 Engine: 300 19.0 Walking MP: 5 Running MP: 8 Jumping MP: 0 Heat Sinks: 10(20) 0.0 Gyro: 4.0 Cockpit: 3.0 Armor Factor: 144 9.0 Location Internal Structure Armor Value Head 3 9 Center Torso 17 25 Center Torso (rear) 10 Right/Left Torso 15 17 Right/Left Torso (rear) 6 Right/Left Arm 10 20 Right/Left Leg 14 26 Weapons and Ammo Loc. CS Mass Ultra AC/5 RA 5 9.0 Ammo, (AC/5)RT 1 1.0 CASE RT 1 0.5 LRM-10 CT 2 5.0 Ammo (LRM) LT 2 2.0 CASE LT 1 0.5 Medium Laser LT(R) 1 1.0 Back to BattleTechnology 21 Table of Contents Back to BattleTechnology List of Issues Back to MagWeb Magazine List © Copyright 1994 by Pacific Rim Publishing. This article appears in MagWeb.com (Magazine Web) on the Internet World Wide Web. Other military history articles and gaming articles are available at http://www.magweb.com