Editing Cassiopeia Suthorn

{{Cleanup|reason=review needed|date=September 2023}}
{{InfoBoxCharacter
| image               = 
| caption             = 
| name                = Cassiopeia Suthorn
| birthdate           = [[3031]]<ref>''Close Quarters'', p. 14: Cassie Suthorn was age 3 in 3034</ref>
| died                = 
| othernames          = Cassie; ''Abtakha''
| affiliation         = [[17th Recon Regiment|Camacho's Caballeros]]
| rank                = 
| title               = 
| position            = 
| profession          = Infantry
| parents             = [[Manoc Suthorn]] (father)<br>[[Alexandra Yamaguchi]] (mother)<ref name="QCp7">''Close Quarters'', pp. 7–8 (prerelease electronic edition)</ref>
| siblings            = 
| spouse              = 
| children            = [[Anjelah Camacho]]<ref name=FM3145p180>''Field Manual: 3145'', p. 182</ref>
}}
'''Cassiopeia "Cassie" Suthorn''' was a [[thirty-first century]] [[infantry]] soldier, scout, and [[mercenary]] with the [[17th Reconnaissance Regiment]], more widely known as Camacho's Caballeros.

==Character Description==
In her prime, Cassie Suthorn was a tough and fearless scout and anti-'Mech infantry trooper. She used her fear of BattleMechs from her childhood to overcome most of her other fears. Ethnically, she had a mix of Thai, Filipino, Japanese, French, and Irish ancestry, with her Asian heritage being the most pronounced.<ref>''BattleTech: 25 Years of Art & Fiction'', p. 36: Cassie reflects on her genealogy</ref>  In her youth, she was described as a small brown-skinned Asian woman with black hair and gray-blue eyes.<ref>''Close Quarters'', p. 67: Lainie Shimaze sizing up Cassie as she passes her in a parade on Hachiman in 3065</ref>  Cassie's time on the streets in her youth gave her strong control over her emotions, allowing her to choose what emotional state she wanted to project to the world.<ref>''Close Quarters'', pp. 144–145: Cassie can chooses her emotions she wishes to project</ref>

==History==
===Early life===
Born as Cassiopeia Suthorn, she was the child of [[Draconis Combine]] nationals [[Alexandra Yamaguchi]] and [[Manoc Suthorn]].  After her birth in the Combine, her parents immigrated to the Capellan Confederation world of [[Larsha]] as refugees.  The move gave her family higher social standing than in the Combine, and her mother and other fellow female refugees would wear clothing to display that status.  In those years, Cassie was a happy child living on the outskirts of the planetary capital city of Kalimantan. This changed in May of [[3034]], when a [[BattleMech]] force arrived to raid the planet's capital. At the time, her father was the commander of the armed forces protecting the city. He met with his family one last time before being called to fight.

In an attempt to prevent widespread panic, the Larsha authorities only issued an alert and forbade any evacuation.  The fighting reached Cassie's home. During the course of the battle, an ''[[Atlas (BattleMech)|Atlas]]'' BattleMech trashed her home before her eyes. Later, she learned her father was killed in the fight she had witnessed and this event traumatized her with nightmares of BattleMechs.<ref>''Close Quarters'', pp. 14–17: Cassie's early childhood & Kalimantan raid that killed her father</ref>

After the battle and the death of Cassie's father, her mother became detached and took many lovers. By Cassie's early teenage years, she had been raped by one of them. Due to her mother having multiple lovers, she developed feelings of guilt.

Later on, she came under the guidance of Guru Johann, who trained her in the martial arts of [[w:Pentjak Silat|Pentjak Silat]]. She was drawn to him and he became her mentor and teacher since she felt he could sense her emotional hunger to destroy the demons in her dreams.<ref>''Close Quarters'', p. 124: Cassie reflects when she was young on why her beloved teacher befriended her and taught her his martial arts</ref>  On her 12th birthday, he gave her a 1,200-year-old ''[[w:Kris|Kris]]'' knife, which she named Blood-drinker. She loved Guru, and learned much from him as a mentor. He taught her how to master the panic and fear she experienced.  On giving ''Blood-drinker'' to her, he told her the wavy shaped blade was ''alive'', that it remembered all the battles it had been used in since its forging on [[Terra|Terra's]] [[w:Malay Peninsula|Malay Archipelago]].<ref>''Close Quarters'', p. 20: Information about Cassie teenage years, under guidance of late Guru Johann</ref>

Shortly after receiving her ''Kris'', a Guardsman lover of her mother attempted, again, to have his way with her. She used her ''Kris'' to stop him and threatened to kill him.  He left, vowing he would return with his squadmates to take care of her permanently.  When she went to her mother, she slapped Cassie, saying she should have not done anything.  With that, Cassie left her home with only her ''Kris'' and the clothes on her back.<ref>''Close Quarters'', pp. 24–25: Leaves home after being threatened by her Mother's lover and being hit by her for defending herself</ref>

===Service with Larsha Home Guard===
While living on the streets of Kalimantan, Cassie learned that stealth was the key to survival.
She ran with a range of shady folks, from con artists and street punks, to other street-smart individuals. Remembering her mother's behavior with relationships kept her from becoming a prostitute, and she developed a strong dislike of flirtatious and beautiful women.<ref>''Close Quarters'', p. 124: Cassie's mother's multiple lovers, put off Cassie's interest in intimate relationships and keep her from becoming a street whore in her youth</ref> By the time she was 16 years old, Cassie had become a street thug, and was forced by the authorities to join the planetary militia's penal unit.<ref>''Close Quarters'', p. 103: Cassie talks about how she was street kid and got recruited into the Home Guard</ref> Her unit was designated as the Glorious Redemption Detachment 325.

In [[3047]], Kalimantan was raided by BattleMechs.  During the raid, Cassie's GRD troop busied themselves by looting businesses.  However, as the attacking BattleMechs neared their location, something deep down inside her changed, and she turned her fears into fearlessness. Despite not holding any rank, Cassie took charge of the criminal youth and led them out of the building.  As the raiders closed in on their position, she devised a means to take down the 'Mechs she so hated.  As a ''[[Wolverine]]'' closed on her position she had her fellow troopers gather a mop handle and a fire ax.  She then scooped up the live electrical wire she had previously cut with the ax, and charged the ''Wolverine'', striking the 'Mech in its knee joint.  The powerful charge fused the [[Actuator|actuator]], and caused the 'Mech to come crashing down.  Dumbstruck by her accomplishment, she could not believe that she had managed to cripple a BattleMech, barely realizing she was still surrounded by other 'Mechs of the raiding force.  The downed [[MechWarrior (pilot)|MechWarrior]], Bobby Wolf, angry at the destruction of his beloved machine, threatened to take her down himself.  However, he was stopped by a woman piloting a ''[[Phoenix Hawk]]'' BattleMech,<ref>''Close Quarters'', p. 104: Pasty Camacho's BattleMech at the time of Cassie's recruitment, is confirmed as a Phoenix Hawk</ref> who identified herself as Lt. Senior Grade Patricia Camacho of the 17th Reconnaissance Regiment.  Patsy, after seeing the potential talent in Cassie, asked for her to surrender, which would mean being taken off planet, likely forever.  Having expected to die taking down the BattleMech, Cassie realized she had nothing to lose and agreed.  She passed out in front of Lt. Camacho's 'Mech as it moved to pick her up.<ref>''Close Quarters'', pp. 18–36: Cassie's battle against the 17th Recon, and her recruitment into her ranks</ref>

===Early years with the 17th Recon===
Two years after her recruitment, Cassie was placed in the ranks of the infantry in the Regiment.  However, she found it difficult to fit in.  Many of the Regiment's clannish culture had prevented her from feeling part of the regiment and as part of the family.  By [[3049]], the regiment was hired to work on the [[Magistracy of Canopus]] world of [[Borgan's Rift]] on a contract to eliminate the pirate band led by the Red Lion. A detachment of light and medium 'Mechs were sent by the Regiment to deal with pirates, led by the hot-headed Lt. Gavilán Camacho, the son of the Regiment's commander. The mission was to serve as a make-or-break test for the young Lt. Camacho's command.  After two weeks on the ground, it was decided that then-Private Cassie Suthorn would be the detachment's new scout, since she had failed at all her previous roles.  Her assignment was to penetrate the pirates' inner sanctum in the old industrial city of Howe.

She took up the role as a double agent. While slipping into the pirates' stronghold, she met an ex–House Liao Colonel.  Playing up her background, she fooled him into believing she was a captive of the mercenaries.  While in the camp, she discovered that the pirates had only six light and medium 'Mechs and a small DropShip.  She was able to convince the Red Lion to have his infantry troops enter the woods outside of the city limits and to place their 'Mechs in the deadlands near the city to fool her mercenary "captors" into fighting in the open, telling him it was their weakness.

During the resulting night battle, Cassie snuck into an ancient hulk of a BattleMech, known as a ''[[Gladiator (BattleMech)|Gladiator]]''.  In the stripped-out wreck, she watched the desperate fight between Lt. Camacho's detachment and the Red Lion's reinforced lance.  Using her stealth skills, she had placed a 'Mech grade SRM launcher into the hulk prior to the battle. As the Red Lion's heavy BattleMech appeared on the battlefield, she ambushed him.  Using the launcher, she fired the missile into the thinly armored back of his ''[[Rifleman]]'', destroying the largest threat on the field.  In doing so, she secured victory for her unit and saved her team.  She had proved herself to her fellow mercenaries, and at that point she considered them as part of her family.<ref>''Ozymandias'' in ''BattleTech: 25 Years of Art & Fiction‎'', pp. 33–41: Cassie first mission as a Scout for the Caballeros</ref>

===Clan Invasion and aftermath===
After proving herself in battle, she was transferred to the Scout Platoon of the Regiment.  In these intermediate years, she honed the art of hunting BattleMechs to a fine edge.

During the [[Clan Invasion]], the unit was caught on the world of [[Jeronimo]]. There, the unit faced [[Clan Smoke Jaguar]], quickly finding themselves in a losing battle.  During their retreat, Lt. Patricia Camacho died fighting a Star of Clan 'Mechs. Cassie had lost her only friend in the unit.<ref>''Close Quarters'', p. 104: Cassie tells Archie the FedCom Reporter, that Patsy was her only friend</ref> After the death of Patricia and half of the regiment, she and the rest of the Caballeros would swear blood vengeance against the Clans for their losses, especially the Jaguars.<ref>''Close Quarters'', pp. 86–87: Cassie explains to FedCom News Report of Unit's blood vengeance against the Clans should they meet again</ref><ref>''Close Quarters'', p. 130: Conversation between Kali MacDougall and ''Tai-sa'' Shimazu about their losses of on Jeronimo</ref>

She was given the nickname "Abtakha", a Clan term for an adopted outsider as her call sign.  She was convinced by Colonel Don Camacho to take the rank of Lt. Junior Grade for her actions on the planet.<ref>''Close Quarters'', p. 96: Cassie remembers after being threatened by the Colonel's daughter, she is convinced to become an officer</ref>

In the aftermath of the [[Jeronimo]] disaster, the unit was reeling from the destruction the Clan had wrought.  The Caballeros conducted contracts in the Periphery in order to recover. One such mission was to the world of [[New Horizons]] in [[3056]].  In their mission to hunt pirates, Cassie waded through swamps and muck of the humid world's outback for two weeks, tracking down the pirates' base while hunting a ''[[Marauder]]'' BattleMech.  While in the muck, she mapped the great swamp for her unit, identifying areas traversable by BattleMechs. She then slipped into the base and left a homing beacon for the Regiment's artillery to coordinate strikes.  After fooling the pirate troops into an ambush, she resumed her hunt for the 'Mech. Despite the 'Mech she was originally hunting being destroyed during the battle, she trapped a pirate's ''[[Locust]]'' 'Mech in the swamp and spared the pilot as he escaped into the swamps, then waited for a recovery team to salvage the 'Mech. This helped to replenish the regiment's BattleMechs they had lost to the Smoke Jaguars.<ref>''Close Quarters'', pp. 39–53: Some events of Clan Invasion actions that affected the unit and her own doings on Periphery world of New Horizon</ref>

After leaving New Horizons, the 1st Battalion's Bronco Company's new commanding officer, Captain [[Kali MacDougall]] tried to befriend Cassie. However, Cassie ignored her attempts, partially due to her bias against MechWarriors, especially one who piloted an ''Atlas'', which was the same design that killed her father and ruined her life.<ref>''Close Quarters'', pp. 90–94: Cassie reflects on MechWarrior MacDougall's professionalism towards her despite her not liking her profession</ref>

===Uncle Chandy and the garrison of Hachiman===
In August 3056, the Caballeros arrived under contract to [[Uncle Chandy]] to garrison his [[Hachiman Taro Electronics]] company on the Combine world of [[Hachiman (planet)|Hachiman]].  Cassie was given the honor of leading the entire 90-plus BattleMech regiment into the factory's compound on her mountain bicycle.<ref>''Close Quarters'', pp. 60–65: Cassie leads the Regiment into Hachiman Taro Electronics' river-island compound</ref>

Cassie "befriended" a [[Federated Commonwealth News Service]] reporter [[Archie Westin]], doing so to keep the young reporter from being roughed up and possibly even killed by her fellow Caballeros.  Though not a personal relationship, she explained to him how to handle her fellow Caballeros, for the sake of the Colonel's honor.  After a brief encounter with Captain MacDougall while in a local bar called ''Permissible Repose'', which the unit had adopted as their own, Cassie began to scout the complex and surrounding city.  She and members of the unit's unusual Scout platoon investigated the buildings on opposite side of the complex's river shore.  Feeling them to be a security risk, she insisted in seeing Chief of Security of HTE, ''Mirza'' Peter Abdulattah.  She explained to him that she wished to utilize the buildings that were owned by [[Chandrasekhar Kurita]], and rig them as booby traps and other surprises for potential invaders.  She was confronted by the unit's command staff for her actions. She convinced them that there was an undefined threat to the unit, and that she was seeking it out.  At the end of the discussion, Colonel Camacho gave permission for Cassie to scout as she chose.<ref>''Close Quarters'', pp. 86–97, 112–117: Cassie's early actions on Hachiman as the unit settles in to their garrisoning Hachiman Taro Electronics complex</ref>

Over time, she was able to overcome some of her prejudice about MechWarriors, and became friends with Captain Kali, who told her she had admired her skills, unique beauty, and her previous actions which had saved the unit.  As they became more acquainted in the unit's bar, personnel with the [[9th Ghost]] [[Regiment]] entered.  After an opening brawl between the Caballeros and the ''yakuza'' of the Ninth Ghost, they introduced themselves, meeting their counterparts and their commander, ''Tai-sa'' [[Eleanor Shimazu|Eleanor "Lainie" Shimazu]].<ref>''Close Quarters'', pp. 122–131: Cassie and Kali start their friendship in unit's bar when ''Tai-sa'' Eleanor Shimazu and the 9th Ghost walk into the bar and introduce themselves</ref>

====Undercover in Masamori City====
In September, Cassie went undercover, slipping into the underworld of the city of Masamori.  There, posing as a Davion worker from an interstellar merchant vessel, she instinctively rescued prostitutes from violence and made them part of an intelligence gathering network she had been setting up across the city.<ref>''Close Quarters'', pp. 141–152: Cassie goes undercover and makes contacts throughout the city to find out what her suspected threat is</ref>  As another means of collecting information, she posed as a dancer at the Kit-Kat Club.  As she became more connected, she found that Kazuo Sumiyama had some interests against Uncle Chandy's HTE Company and was now courting [[DEST]] to resolve the issue he believed he had "discovered".  Cassie immediately noticed a potential threat when she found a red headed DEST envoy and his escorts meeting with Sumiyama in a warehouse at the spaceport.  She was able to record the meeting and barely escaped detection by a DEST operative, killing him and making it look like an accident.<ref>''Close Quarters'', pp. 170–174: Cassie, while under disguise, monitors a meeting with Yakuza leader of Sumiyama with DEST and she escapes capture</ref> Immediately after the meeting she reported to HTE's head of security, Peter Abdulattah, and was brought before his master, Chandrasekhar Kurita.  Uncle Chandy revealed that the man Cassie had surveilled was heir-designate of the Draconis Combine's [[ISF]], [[Ninyu Kerai Indrahar|Ninyu Indrahar]].  Chandy confided in Cassie that he was under threat by the ISF, who thought he had ambitions of power, and he was trusting her because needed to prove his innocence. He informed Cassie that she would work directly for him. She helped Chandrasekhar Kurita discover the means to undo the threat to him and her regimental family. Through her meeting, she earned the trust of the Kurita lord.<ref>''Close Quarters'', pp. 181–191: Meeting with Chandrasekhar Kurita and her employment as a spy for him</ref>

In late September, Chandy's enemies generated a story of HTE developing faster-than-light communication. This led to the HTE Compound being attacked by [[Word of Blake]] raiders in a two-pronged attack.  Cassie and the rest of the regiment responded to the attack with minimal losses. However, it was soon discovered that the raiders were a cover for [[DEST]] troopers trying to penetrate the compound.<ref>''Close Quarters'', pp. 223–244: Cassie & 17th Recon fight off the Blakist attack against HTE Compound, only to discover its ISF forces in disguise among the Blakist</ref>

As part of the investigation, she stumbled on Chandy's dealings with the [[Clans]], in which the merchant caste had been quietly shipped to Hachiman as part of an exchange program.<ref>''Close Quarters'', pp. 194–198: Cassie stumbles into a merchant captain about shipping in Clansman onto Hachiman</ref>  After the invasion, Uncle Chandy called for Cassie, and discussed their chances of repelling the next attack by the ''Breath of the Dragon'', the ISF.  He felt that they needed to prove their innocence and that his rival at Tanadi Computers was the true instigator of the situation.  He suggested Cassie go undercover and get close to the high-ranking Kuritans on the planet.<ref>''Close Quarters'', pp. 259–261: Cassie is asked to go undercover, and get close to their enemy's highly placed people</ref>

At a party set up by Uncle Chandy, Cassie managed to trick Planetary Chairman Percival Fillington into thinking she was one of her employer's lovers attempting to escape his clutches.  Flown away as planned, Cassie played the role of a scared woman on the run.  During her stay at the governor's mansion, she came to be known to "Percy".  She noticed that the Chairman had an innocent mentality about him which she came to like, despite her inner voice telling her to resist getting involved.  She began to see that Chandy's rivals had influenced the young governor into believing her employer was a threat. Unfortunately she was unable to secure evidence proving that Tanadi Computers and DEST had dealings with the planetary governor before she was pulled out of the mansion.  However, she was able to plant a listening device before being retrieved.<ref>''Close Quarters'', pp. 267–273, 277–297: Cassie's undercover work as Planetary Chairman Fillington's "guest"</ref>

After returning to the compound and reporting her findings, forces against Uncle Chandy staged an event making it appear that Cassie and her mercenary family had staged a coup and taken their charge hostage.  This forced their friends in the Ninth Ghost to storm the compound on 1 November.<ref>''Close Quarters'', pp. 301, 303–304: false charges force the 9th Ghost to fight them</ref>

On the eve of the impending attack against the compound, Cassie was sent on a mission to deliver information proving that Tanadi Computers and ''yakuza'' boss Kazuo were involved with Clan activities and were framing Uncle Chandy.  She had to penetrate the city during the assault of the Ninth Ghost and reach ISF headquarters to deliver the evidence of her regiment's innocence.<ref>''Close Quarters'', pp. 304–307: Peter Abdulattah gives instructions to Cassie to smuggle HTE evidence to assistant director Ninyu Kerai-Indrahar in his HQ in the city during the battle</ref>  Prior to the mission, Kali confronted Cassie one last time, and told her she should no longer feel soiled from crimes done to her in childhood, to let it go before it destroyed her.<ref>''Close Quarters'', pp. 307–311: Cassie appeals to Cassie's deep fears that she is soiled, and tells her she too was raped.  Telling her she can still be human and still have skills she learned through her painful childhood</ref>  Cassie was at last able to rid of herself of her haunted grief during the night prior to the mission.<ref>''Close Quarters'', p. 313: Cassie's emotional trauma throughout the years finally begins to seep away</ref>

====Race to prove their innocence====
On the [[w:Day of the Dead|Day of the Dead]], 2 November, she met with Colonel Don Camacho prior to the mission. He wished her safe passage and told her she was like a daughter to him.  However, Cassie sensed Don wasn't expecting to survive the battle because of the grief he held for his long-lost daughter. She confronted him like no else had before, and told him he was the glue that held their regiment and their family together and he had to survive for the sake of everyone. She also bluntly told him he was not the true reason his daughter died; she had done it on her own.  She convinced Colonel Camacho to stay alive, despite how he felt.<ref>''Close Quarters'', pp. 319–321: Cassie meets with Don Camacho and makes him see he is still important and Patsy's death was not his fault</ref>

She led her platoon of scout infantry through the sewers of the compound and past the battle between the Ninth Ghost and her regiment.<ref>''Close Quarters'', p. 322: Cassie moves her people through the sewers of Masamori to begin their mission</ref> After bypassing the horrors of the battle, Cassie brought her platoon within distance of Ninyu Kerai-Indrahar's headquarters at the uncompleted building known as the Coordinator's Rest Hotel. Though abandoned, Cassie and her people began their stealth approach into the building, taking down guards with armor-piercing ammunition.  Once in the hotel, she and her scouts stormed the lobby through a hail of bullets.  Despite half of her force being cut down, the survivors managed to breach the lobby and ride up in an elevator, leaving explosive decoys to lure away the DEST troopers' attention.  After arriving on the top floor, Cassie and her remaining troops moved to meet their target.  She engaged in one-on-one combat with a female DEST commando, and managed to turn the tables on her.  After ordering her remaining people to hold position, she knocked the trooper out. Using the trooper as a shield, she was able to overcome Ninyu's last bodyguards.  She presented him a holoprojector showing him evidence that proved that Chandrasekhar Kurita was innocent of the charge of treason. She further motivated him by twisting his arm with her ''Kris'' to encourage him to end the hostilities.<ref>''Close Quarters'', pp. 337–341, 354–356, 358–361, 364–370, 372–374: Cassie Suthorn's exploits during the siege of HTE Compound</ref>  Shortly after, Ninyu announces hostiles had ended.

====Aftermath====
After the battle, the ISF produced a cover story that the Ninth Ghost's battle was against an unknown foe, not against her fellow Caballeros.<ref>''Close Quarters'', p. 383: Lainie reflects on the battle that was a fabrication that the Combine's media invented to explain what happened</ref>
She and the rest of her regiment were cited as heroes along with their friends from the Ninth.<ref>''Close Quarters'', p. 383: Lainie reflects on the battle that was a fabrication that the Combine's media invented to explain what happened</ref>

Cassie met with the Earl once more to apologize for hurting him and leading him on, but not for what she did for the regiment.
In their brief moment together on a beach, he revealed to her he was still interested in her, despite everything she had done to him.  Despite her instincts, she left open the opportunity for him to get to know her better.<ref>''Close Quarters'', pp. 380–382: Cassie meets with Earl of Hachiman and patches up their differences</ref>

Cassie convinced Uncle Chandy to reveal the truth, that it was he who had been smuggling Clansmen to the planet. He revealed that he had been bringing [[Merchant Caste|Merchant Castes]] from various Clans as a service to House Kurita. Through them, he told her, he could soften the Clan's people enough so when the Treaty of Tukayyid expires, they would be weakened.  He apologized for using her and her mercenaries, but did not want to hurt them personally.

Afterwards, Cassie met with Kali and told her that Chandy had asked her to stay by his side. She told Kali that she had thought about it.  With a laugh, their conversation led to them finally becoming true friends.<ref>''Close Quarters'', pp. 384–390: Meeting with Uncle Chandy and resolution of the novel</ref>

In December, as part of Kali's attempts to humanize Cassie, she convinced her to attend the Chairman's Day ball as the Earl's personal guest.  The holiday, a thinly disguised Christmas Day celebration, became a day of opportunity for the regiment's enemies.  During the dance with Percival Fillington, [[Word of Blake]] commandos broke into Fillington's Palace.  The commandos killed Fillington when he challenged them.  Cassie, wearing only a tight dancing dress and only armed with a vibroblade and the late Percival's pistol, began to take out the party-crashing commandos.  After killing some of the troopers alongside [[Ninyu Kerai-Indrahar]], Blakist BattleMechs begin to arrive.  Cassie convinced the ISF Assistant Director to help her disable the 'Mech attacking the palace.  As Ninyu distracted what turned out to be a ''[[BattleMaster]]'' with machine-gun fire, Cassie, after cutting her dress, jumped onto the shoulder of the 'Mech from a fifth floor roof.  She used her extensive study of BattleMechs to release a hidden rescue lever and open the cockpit.  She then killed the MechWarrior with her vibroblade and took over the BattleMech. She had limited knowledge of how to actually pilot the 'Mech but was still able to ambush two more of the Blakist 'Mechs, until she was forced to jump from the 'Mech into an icy pond.  She was rescued by [[Eleanor Shimazu]], who took out the ''[[King Crab]]'' that had disabled her commandeered 'Mech.<ref>''Heart of Chaos'', pp. 24–58: Chairman's Day Eve/Christmas Eve holiday bash is ambushed by Blakists looking for revenge</ref>

===Events on Towne===
====Arrival====
After fighting the Blakist raiders, Cassie became determined to learn how to pilot a BattleMech.  The 17th Recon was instructed by Uncle Chandy to help reinforce militia forces on the FedCom world of [[Towne]].  There, on the planet, Uncle Chandy had assets and also helped save face with the Combine.  Elements of the Black Dragon society dispatched the 15th Dieron Regulars to attack the planet as an effort to restart the war with their ancient enemies, the Davions.

Cassie and the rest of the Regiment arrived on [[Towne]], a Federated Commonwealth world, now on the edge of chaos in the former Sarna March. Their arrival on planet was greeted with protesters, believing they were the spearhead of a House Kurita invasion.<ref>''Heart of Chaos'', pp. 74–86, 90–99: Events leading to Cassie and the 17th Recon being dispatched to Towne</ref>

Immediately on the ground, her mercenary family was seen as House Kurita forces. With the appearance of organized militias confronting their arrival, Cassie went undercover to find out the truth behind the Popular Militia.<ref>''Heart of Chaos'', pp. 118–134: Cassie's initial actions on her arrival on Towne</ref>

In the course of waiting for the Black Dragons' forces to attack, they made contacts with Towne's legal militias that had been driven underground by political parties in charge of the planet.

As the hostile militias set up to attack her regiment, she found herself facing a woman whose fighting skills equaled her own. Known only as Wolf Girl, she led some of the Popular Militia in the Port Howard area.<ref>''Heart of Chaos'', pp. 156–157: Cassie's encounters with Wolf Girl</ref> After a bombing attack on their compound, Colonel Camacho scattered his battalions to various Kurita-owned properties.

Eventually, Cassie was able to contact a friendly militia group known as the Towne Air Rangers, where she met a pilot named Lt. Tim "Bad" Moon, who was one of the Air militia group's flight commanders.  The volunteer Rangers invited Cassie and many of 17th Recon's leading officers to their headquarters in Morrison Plateau Gunderland region.  They reaffirmed ties and Cassie began to develop a relationship with Moon<ref>''Heart of Chaos'', pp. 163–178: Cassie and 17th Recon have a meet and greet at Militia's base and Cassie's relationship with Tim Moon develops</ref>

====Invasion and occupation====
On January 23rd, [[3058]], the [[15th Dieron Regulars]] along with the Black Dragon ''yakuza''-manned regiments invaded Towne.<ref>''Hearts of Chaos'', pp. 183–199: 17th Recon arrived with ''yakuza'' troops to take possession of Towne</ref>  During the chaos of the invasion, Cowboy Payson and Buck Evans were caught off the Regiment's base when the attack began.  Alongside Cassie, they fought the ''yakuza'' infantry to make their way to Town Air Rangers' headquarters at Python Base. There, they witnessed on local holovid planetary official Howard Blaylock welcoming the Draconis Combine officials to Towne.<ref>''Heart of Chaos'', p. 194: Howard Blaylock shows his true allegiance</ref>

With some of the regiment able to make it to the Base, the 17th Recon and Rangers arranged a meeting with other militia forces.  They, in turn, were ambushed by traitors among the Militia, who backed the Kuritans.  Among these individuals was Wolf Girl, who got into a one-on-one fight with Cassie. Cassie and Wolf Girl exhausted each other trying to kill one another, but Cassie lost the fight in the end.  She was saved by Wolf Girl's admiration for Cassie's skills and by the incoming reinforcements in the form of the 17th.<ref>''Heart of Chaos'', pp. 237–248: Details of Black Dragon invasion and Cassie's escape to Rangers' base. Wolf Girl ambushes her and militia forces</ref>

Shortly after, Cassie led a small commando team and extracted the captured and raped Kali MacDougall from being executed by Blaylock and his thugs.<ref>''Heart of Chaos'', pp. 229–231, 259–262: Cassie and the others rescue Kali as she was about to be murdered by Blaylock and his thugs</ref>

Cassie was put in charge of training Towne volunteers to become resistance fighters with Father Doctor "Bob" Garcia.  She befriended a young girl, Marly Joles, and trained her and other volunteers in anti-BattleMech warfare. Among the first lessons Cassie taught her students, was in the form of an ambush in February.<ref>''Heart of Chaos'', pp. 220–223, 275, 278–285: Marly Jolie meets with Cassie, Cassie agrees help train her.  Cassie training entire class of resistance fighters in live class room</ref> Cassie traveled to the Eiglophian mountain region, where, in March, she met a Clan ''[[Broadsword]]'' DropShip smuggling supplies to the unit by care of [[Chandrasekhar Kurita]].  Among the supplies delivered was a man named Enrico Katsuyama, a pleasant individual who turned out to be Assistant Director of the [[ISF]]'s [[Voice of the Dragon]] division. Ernie, as he preferred to be called, worked with the unit to counter propaganda being produced by the pro–Black Dragon controlled government and media.  As time passed, she continued her training of the resistance forces and her stormy relationship with Tim Moon.<ref>''Heart of Chaos'', pp. 292–309: Clan DropShip meeting, arrival of ISF propaganda director and Cassie forgives Tim Moon for his cheating with her friend, Kali</ref>

On April 18th, the 17th Recon's Camp Mariposa in Gunderland Province was attacked. The Towne Air Rangers attempted to hold off the full scale raid, but during the course of the battle, the Regiment's dependents were captured, including Colonel Camacho's lover, Diana Vásquez.  The Regiment's Intelligence Officer, Gordon Baird, had betrayed the regiment's base to spare their lives. However, Planetary Chairman Blaylock arranged for a firing squad and Diana was shot as a warning to Cassie and the Regiment to surrender or he would have the other hostages killed.<ref>''Heart of Chaos'', pp. 310–319: Unit's betrayed and Diana, the unit's executive officer is murdered by planetary governor, threatening to kill the children</ref>

====Battle for Port Howard====
Days after Diana's execution, Colonel Camacho mobilized the Regiment, despite not completing his preparations for the assault. Cassie slipped into Port Howard aboard an airship with Dispossessed MechWarriors of the Regiment's First Battalion during the night. Geared in a [[Sneaksuit|sneaksuit]], they arrived at Hachiman Taro Electronics, where they assembled their infiltration force.  While the Regiment's two 'Mech Battalions conducted their diversionary assault, Cassie and the other commandos were to rescue their dependents and get revenge.  She led the expanded Scout Platoon and Planetary Militia's infantry into the sewers of Port Howard to penetrate the Admin Center of the city.

The teams attempted to reacquire the Regiment's captured BattleMechs, but were spotted, bringing the Black Dragon troops to full alert. As the 17th Recon's Battalions made their attack on the city, Cassie and her people continued to penetrate further towards the Black Dragon headquarters.  However, her team encountered the relentless and deadly Wolf Girl.  Cassie engaged Wolf Girl in one-on-one combat. In the course of their duel, she was captured by Blaylock's guards.<ref>''Heart of Chaos'', pp. 326–335, 337–343, 345, 350–352, 355–358: Cassie's actions in the Battle for Port Howard lead to her capture by the traitor Blaylock</ref>

She was brought before Blaylock, who threatened to rape Cassie and kill the children being held hostage.  However, Blaylock angered Wolf Girl after offhandedly revealing he had arranged her sister's death.  She then freed Cassie and helped to fight her now former boss.  Blaylock managed to escape, but Wolf Girl was killed in the fighting.  After Cassie killed Blaylock with a laser, she found Kali injured. Cassie was told by Kali that she needed to take down ''Tai-sa'' Kusunoki, commander of the 15th Dieron Regulars, to end the fighting.<ref>''Heart of Chaos'', pp. 364–370, 373-374: Cassie's capture, death of Wolf Girl, and her new plan to win the battle</ref>

Cassie took Kali's ''Atlas'' and piloted it in pursuit of Kusunoki.  She managed to ambush him, despite the ''Atlas''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s damaged state, and charged forwards into the ''[[Naginata]]'' Command 'Mech.  She was able to knock him to the ground with aid of Tim Moon, who sacrificed himself by crashing his plane into the ''Naginata''. Cassie's borrowed ''Atlas'' died holding onto the knocked-out Kusunoki. She captured him and forced him to commit ''seppuku'' on live holovid broadcast.<ref>''Heart of Chaos'', pp. 379–386, 390–393: Cassie pilots Kali's ''Atlas'' to capture Kusunoki and forces him to commit ''seppuku'' in order to stop the fighting</ref>

===Luthien and the Coordinator's Birthday===
====Cinema City and reunion with the 9th Ghost====
Cassie was left reeling from the aftermath of the Towne affair.  A number of her friends were dead including Timothy Moon, whom she fell in love with and who ultimately saved her life.

In late June [[3058]] she and the rest of the regiment were summoned to [[Luthien]] to be among honored units celebrating the birthday of House Kurita's Coordinator [[Theodore Kurita]]. During the voyage into the system, she watched the holovid film, ''Exit the Dragon'' starring [[Johnny Tchang]]. After the film Cassie talked to her old friend Kali MacDougall to try and sort out the state of their friendship in the wake of the events on Towne.  She was then summoned by Uncle Chandy and he indirectly discussed the true nature of their journey to Luthien.  He explained that the unit was being brought to the planet to help defend against any possible attack by [[Black Dragons]].<ref>''Black Dragon'', pp. 33–38, 53–59: Opening events of the novel, where Cassie's voyage on the ''Overlord''-class DropShip ''[[Uyeshiba]]'' reveals the true nature of their trip to Luthien and some of the state of affairs of the unit after the Towne Affair</ref>

On their arrival on Takashi Kurita Memorial Spaceport, the unit was greeted as celebrities by the citizenry of the Imperial City.  Cassie watched her regiment disembark from their DropShips, where the unit's newly formed 4th 'Mech Battalion joined the regiment's parade to their lodging at Eiga-tosi (also known as Cinema City). Cassie was ill at ease with the Fourth since it was formed from the salvage of Draconis Combine forces on Towne and was led by newly promoted Force Commander Robert "Navajo Wolf" Begay, who hated her. The Scout Platoon's new commanding officer, Lieutenant Senior Daniel "Rooster" Morgan, ordered her to begin scouting the area and to meet him and the rest of the regiment in Cinema City. During the flight to Cinema City, Cassie met with House Kurita's propaganda director [[Mishcha Kurosawa]], who was acting as a guide to the Regiment during their stay on Luthien.<ref>''Black Dragon'', pp. 36, 65–84: Cassie's arrival on world and events leading to their arrival from spaceport to Cinema City</ref>  At Cinema City, she and the regiment would be reunited with their old comrades from the Ninth Ghost who had also been invited to Luthien as part of the Coordinator's birthday celebration.<ref>''Black Dragon'', pp. 85–89: Reunion with the 9th Ghost in Cinema City</ref>

====Johnny Tchang====
After attending the party and failing to gain intelligence on the local ''yakuza'', the next day she would meet Johnny Tchang who was performing in Cinema City. Many of the regiment were huge fans of the ex–House Liao martial artist, including the children which drew her to him. After his performance, Cassie angrily engaged in a "friendly" bout with Johnny, who proved that he was more than just an actor when it came to martial arts.  Their bout proved them to be equals, with the exception that Cassie was far more aggressive, leaving him with with a cut.  After the fight, she would encounter the grandchildren of their barracks' ''yakuza'' caretaker Jinjiro Coleman, who pleaded for her help in finding him after his sudden disappearance. The next day the Imperial Police reported finding his body in a canal and declared him dead of natural causes.  Cassie would investigate further, questioning the official investigator. She surmised that the murder of the building's superintendent could be a sign of threats to the regiment, and cut a deal with an investigating police officer to find the murderer. She also concluded that Jinjiro's ''oyabun'' ("boss") had nothing to do with the murder due to his status of being honorably retired to his plush job at Cinema City.<ref>''Black Dragon'', pp. 100–117: Cassie encounters Johnny Tchang and the murder of her barrack's caretaker leads her to possible threat to the regiment and their benefactor</ref>

Cassie used her contacts in the Ninth Ghost to help her tap into the ''yakuza''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s underworld and find out what was going on. She discovered that Jinjiro's gang, led by the Hiroo Yamaguchi also known as the "Cat", was being attacked by a rival ''oyabun'' attempting to eliminate him and his gang. The attackers were led by ''yakuza'' boss Benjamin Inagawa of the [[Benjamin Military District]], who was affiliated with the father of the late Fifteenth Dieron Regulars' commander Kusunoki, whom Cassie had beheaded on planetwide Holovid broadcast. Cassie began to suspect that the gang war could be related to possibly Black Dragon–tainted ''oyabun'' Hiraoke Toyama. The conflict was particularly audacious as fighting during the Coordinator's birthday celebrations was normally taboo among the Federation of ''Yakuza'' Gangs (the seimeeiyoshi-rengo), suggesting to Cassie that there was a major plot underway.  However she had little evidence proving both gangs' leaders were a threat to her regiment and their client.<ref>''Black Dragon'', pp. 128–136: Cassie's friends in the 9th Ghost inform her of the quiet Gang War occurring in the capital</ref>

She was later approached by Johnny Tchang; he apologized for their earlier encounter and asked her on a date. With some convincing by Kali, Cassie went out with Johnny.  They connected on a personal level with each another after dining at a local Italian restaurant, and on the walk back, they manage to slip their "watchers" to have alone time.  They were passing through a not-so safe neighborhood when they were jumped by thugs lying in wait.<ref>''Black Dragon'', pp. 146–161: Cassie is approached by Johnny Tchang to go on a date, Kali convinces her to go. On the date they start connect as individuals.  At end, they are attacked by Mask agents, Cassie suspects they were after Johnny</ref>  Ambushed, Cassie and Johnny were able to overcome their attackers, discovering telltale evidence revealing them to be [[Maskirovka]] operatives who appeared to be trying to recapture Johnny.

After the incident, Cassie went undercover into the slums of the Imperial City known as Tumbledown District. There she found a firefight was raging between two groups, one she as identified [[DEST]] troopers in civilian clothes and masks using distinctive laser weaponry.  She would soon discover a dying ISF operative who urged her to pass a message of traitors before dying at the hand of a DEST trooper, who attempted to kill Cassie as well. Her investigation uncovered a mix of information which still did not connect any direct threats to the regiment or their client.  So far, she had pieced together that Inagawa's rival ''yakuza'' gang had brought a battalion's worth of troops with him to wage an open war in the back streets of the Imperial City. Through her client vassal Peter Abdulsattah, she arranged a meeting with the assistant director of the ISF, Ninyu Kerai. The next night, the meeting at a local junkyard was ambushed by what appeared to be DEST troopers.  After downing one of them, Cassie was knocked out by another using a sonic stunner.

====Subhash Indrahar and Renegade ISF====
She woke up in the company of ISF Director [[Subhash Indrahar]] where she notified him of her suspicions of conspiracy within the ISF that was linked to a recently ended conflict within the ''yakuza'' gangs.  Their discussion would end with her being enlisted by Subhash to secretly work directly for him to try and find evidence of what was amounting to a conspiracy against Theodore Kurita.<ref>''Black Dragon'', pp. 167–173, 179–183, 185–194: Cassie goes uncovers threads of</ref>

After returning to compound at Cinema City, Cassie went to the Caballero's Commanding Officer, Colonel Carlos Camacho, with news of her scouting mission. However, the Colonel and regimental intelligence officer Father Bob told her that one of the ''familia'', Lieutenant Misty Savedra, had been kidnapped. She told them that the lieutenant would be nearly impossible to rescue, and despite the friendly treatment the regiment had been receiving, this was still a hostile world to outsiders. She urged that the unit be confined to the compound and that she needed to root out the enemy before they could strike. However, the Colonel would give her a rare direct order to find the missing lieutenant first.<ref>''Black Dragon'', pp. 238–244: Cassie reports of the impending threat to the unit, only to be forced into a dilemma find a kidnapped Lieutenant Savedra</ref> With evidence pointing to the youth gang known as the Sudden Impulse tribekids, Cassie searched the city, looking for leads and interviewing citizens.  An old woman recalled seeing two men from the Sudden Impulse tribe take a very still Misty away by car. After obtaining the license plate number, Cassie asked her police contact to run a trace on the car. She was then contacted by Subhash Indrahar about her investigation being distracted from their mutual concern. Cassie was informed by Father Bob that Misty's body had been found, and suggested she return due to a "shoot-to-kill" order that been placed on their heads. Cassie dismissed his concerns and continued her investigation until she came across mention of incoming noble, Angus Kurita.  She reported this to Subhash who in return identified the noble as great-grandson of [[Marcus Kurita]]. He told her to return to the Regiment and to be on guard for an attack, while he do what he could on his end.<ref>''Black Dragon'', pp. 249–256, 263–266, 268–270: Cassie continues to weed out conspirators to find out a likely replacement for Theodore Kurita is inbound to Luthien</ref>

====Final Showdown with the Black Dragons====
On July 1st, the Coordinator's birthday, Cassie woke to find the compound had been captured by Black Dragon aligned troops.  Cassie donned a [[DEST Infiltration Suit|DEST Sneak Suit]] that was gifted to her by ISF Director Subhash.  As she proceeded to liberate the regiment, the Black Dragon troops revealed to their captives their intentions of using the Seventeenth Recon's 'Mechs to assassinate Coordinator Theodore Kurita. Some of the unit's MechWarriors whose 'Mechs had been captured volunteered to use the movie studio's [[AgroMech]]s, which were cosmetically altered to resemble real BattleMechs, in a diversionary assault on the Black Dragons while Cassie's group made a break to liberate the unit's 'Mechs.  In the heat of battle, Cassie encountered Johnny Tchang, who had been searching for her since the other day. He confessed that he had fallen for her, but he was a reluctant spy for the Maskirovka. [[Chancellor]] [[Sun-Tzu Liao]] had sent him to the Coordinator's birthday celebration to observe the assassination of the Coordinator.  He convinced her that he meant her no harm and offered his help to escape the Black Dragon-controlled commandos. She managed to grab a forklift and assisted in bring some of her ''familia'' to the cockpits of their 'Mechs, while cutting down the attacking commandos who attempted to stop her. The Caballeros managed to overcome and wipe out the last of the enemy commandos, only to find out that the Coordinator's life was still in danger.

Cassie left for the Imperial City in hopes of arriving in time to stop the assassination of the Coordinator. Johnny joined her on a mad trip in Takura Migaki's [[Warrior (Combat Vehicle)|modified Warrior VTOL]] to the Imperial Palace.  On the way, Cassie received a call from Ninyu Kerai using his father's secret two-way with her. In the exchange between the two, she learned that Subhash was dead and that Ninyu knew of the plot to kill the Coordinator. She told him that ISF Director ''Tai-sho'' Hohiro Kiguri was in on the assassination plot with members of the [[Otomo]].<ref>''Black Dragon'', pp. 273–280, 283–286, 291, 294–295, 298, 306–307, 309–310, 312–316, 327–328, 334–335, 337, 339–341: Battle in Cinema City, Cassie's actions leading her to try rescue the Coordinator</ref>

As they arrived, Cassie tried to get Migaki to bring them in over the reviewing platform to give the Coordinator cover fire; however, the VTOL took a disabling hit from the ongoing battle. After crash landing on top of the grandstand, Johnny Tchang, herself and Takura Migaki rushed to the Coordinator's reviewing stand, fighting ''Tai-sho'' Hohiro Kiguri and his DEST commandos every step of the way.

Cassie and her allies finally saw reinforcements arrive in the form of newly appointed ISF Director Ninyu Kerai, accompanied by a man dressed in a spacer outfit.  Shaved of his red hair, dressed in a black suit emblazoned with the emblem of his adopted father's ''mon'' family crest, Ninya and the 'spacer' dispatched the last of ''Tai-sho'' Kiguri's troopers.  Kiguri, standing alone, challenged Theodore Kurita to an honor duel.  The 'spacer' then revealed himself to be Theodore's illegitimate son [[Franklin Sakamoto]], who announced that any challenge against his father must go through him first.  However, he was overruled by Ninyu, who challenged Kiguri to an ''iai'' duel, a quick draw contest.  Ninyu used a trick he learned from [[w:Sanjuro|ancient samurai movie, ''Sanjuro'']] and quickly ended the traitor's life.  Theodore Kurita ordered the blast doors lowered, and as this exchange occurred, Cassie found herself holding hands with Johnny Tchang, having bonded together emotionally after fighting the rogue DEST commandos.  They witnessed Lainie's reunion with her lover Takura Migaki and Theodore welcoming home his illegitimate son, Franklin.<ref>''Black Dragon'', pp. 345–348, 358, 364–369, 371–374: The Rescue of Coordinator Theodore Kurita and out its outcome</ref>

===Later years===
After [[Operation BULLDOG]] she and the rest of Camacho's Caballeros were assigned to secure Tanadi's assets on various worlds including [[Luzerne]].  However, the unit was caught up in the fighting with [[Clan Ghost Bear]], when the Clan came over the border as part of the opening phase of the [[Combine-Ghost Bear War]].<ref>''Field Manual: Mercenaries, Revised'', p. 54: Camacho's Caballeros - Cassie's unit update, up to 3067, including brief mentioning her in name</ref>

After the opening stages of the [[Jihad]], Cassie and the 17th Recon gained an early release from longtime employer Chandrasekhar Kurita. They returned home to Southwest Worlds in the Free Worlds League. In the Trinity, the unit would rush to fight unrest occurring due to the League-employed mercenary regiment, the [[Swann's Cavaliers]] and local provincial militia fight put down unrest due to unfair taxes.  After overthrowing the League-controlled units, Don Carlos Camacho was promoted to President of Galisteo's new government and handed command of his regiment to his son, Gavilán.<ref>''Field Manual: Mercenaries, Revised'', p. 39: Cassie's mercenary unit is deployed home to liberate their worlds from onslaught of Federal employed units</ref>

==Family and Legacy==
Cassie would have at least one child, a daughter named Anjelah. Her daughter would go on to marry Jesus Camacho in [[3095]].
However, the marriage would end in [[3105]] with Jesus' death, and Anjelah "[[w:Comanche#Some of the Comanche group names|Itehtah'o]]" Camacho would assume command of the Caballeros.<ref>''Field Manual: 3145'', p. 180: Mercenaries/Free Worlds League/Camacho's Caballeros - Cassie's mentioned as having daughter who would grow up to be commander of the Camacho's Caballeros</ref>

==Notes==
* During the Clan Invasion, her unit fought for the Federated Commonwealth. During the war however, it was made clear that their severe losses were suffered on the [[Draconis Combine]] world of [[Jeronimo]]. As of this writing it has not been cleared up if this is still considered canon, or how it can be explained.<ref>''Close Quarters'', pp. 43, 79: Cassie reflects her unit's losses working for the FedCom against the Jaguars. Cassie later notes the effects of fighting the Jaguars on Jeronimo on the Colonel</ref>
* There is little information on what became of Cassie and her children who lived into the [[Dark Age era]]. Aside from her daughter, she had a grandson who became a freelancing spy. This grandson was known only by his call sign as the "[[Knave of Hearts]]". Cassie trained him in her skills of capturing [[BattleMechs]] barehanded. During Clan Jade Falcon's [[desant|invasion]] of the Republic of the Sphere, he went by the name of Paul Laveau.  His mission was to assassinate a Free Worlds League [[SAFE]] agent, but he also rescued [[Tara Campbell]] from death by stealing a Jade Falcon's 'Mech.<ref>''Flight of the Falcon'', p. 286: Paul Laveau remembers his anti-'Mech training that he learned from his great-grandmother, Cassie Suthorn</ref>

==References==
<references/>

==Bibliography==
* ''[[Black Dragon (novel)|Black Dragon]]'' (novel)
* ''[[Close Quarters]]'' (novel)
* ''[[Field Manual: 3145]]''
* ''[[Flight of the Falcon]]'' (novel)
* ''[[Hearts of Chaos]]'' (novel)
* ''[[Ozymandias]]'' (short story)

[[Category: 17th Recon Regiment Characters|Suthorn, Cassie]]