Editing Christopher Ahmed

{{InfoBoxCharacter
| image               = Christopher Ahmed.jpg
| caption             = Christopher Ahmed
| name                = 
| birthdate           = [[3006]]<ref name=ER:3052p92,93>''Era Report: 3052'', p. 92-93 - "Christopher Ahmed"</ref>
| died                = [[3058]]<ref name=FM:WCp137>''Field Manual: Warden Clans'', p. 137 - "Pulling the Falcon's Feathers" and "Shattered Dreams"</ref>
| othernames          = 
| affiliation         = [[Clan Steel Viper]]
| rank                = [[saKhan of Clan Steel Viper|saKhan]]
| profession          = [[MechWarrior (pilot)|MechWarrior]]
| parents             = 
| siblings            = 
| spouse              = 
| children            = 
}}

'''Christopher Ahmed''' was a warrior of [[Clan Steel Viper]] who would rise to the post of [[saKhan of Clan Steel Viper|saKhan]] after the Clans' loss to [[ComStar]] on [[Tukayyid]].

==History==
Born during the height of the [[Political Century]], Christopher Ahmed was said to be both charismatic and tactful.  These traits often served him well as a leader, but were not considered particularly valuable to the Steel Vipers, who stressed martial prowess and skill above nearly everything else.<ref name=ER:3052p92,93/>  

===REVIVAL politics===
[[Image:Svalpha.png|left|thumb|Clan Steel Viper [[Alpha Galaxy (Clan Steel Viper)|Alpha Galaxy]]]] 

Ahmed was also a noted Warden in a Clan that had traditionally stood amongst the other [[Warden Clans]] mostly due to the Steel Viper's deeply held belief in their own doctrine handed down since the time of [[Sanra Mercer]]. Their ranks were divided between the two great philosophies of the time, but the Warden point of view was most closely aligned with their own belief in assisting the [[Great Houses]] of the [[Inner Sphere]] in resurrecting the [[Second Star League|Star League]] as equal partners.  This view subtly changed over time and exposure to the Inner Sphere.  After [[Operation REVIVAL]], Steel Viper politics would shift more towards the [[Crusader Clans|Crusader]] ideology, though internal political conflicts still reigned. By this point, Christopher Ahmed had made the rank of [[Galaxy Commander]], commanding [[Alpha Galaxy (Clan Steel Viper)|Alpha Galaxy]], and was considered to be the leader of the Warden faction in Clan Steel Viper.  Alpha Galaxy was involved with most of the Viper conflicts during Operation REVIVAL's [[Clan Invasion#Fifth Wave|fifth wave]], remaining active afterward, giving Ahmed ample opportunity at battlefield glory in a fairly short period of time.<ref name=ER:3052p92,93/><ref name=FM:WCp137/><ref>''Invading Clans'', p. 92 - "Steel Viper Galaxy"</ref>

While wading through the mixed politics of Clan Steel Viper, Ahmed had made many enemies.  His mentor, [[Baltahn Ahmed]], was killed in a duel with one of these enemies, a young warrior and Crusader named [[Perigard Zalman]].  Reportedly, former Khan [[Natalie Breen]] stepped in to settle differences between the two warriors during a particularly heated incident, in order to preserve Clan unity.  In the wake of the disastrous [[Battle of Tukayyid (3052)|Battle of Tukayyid]], Ahmed was elected to the post of saKhan, serving under now-[[Khan of Clan Steel Viper|Khan]] Perigard Zalman.  The two would lay aside their differences while seizing worlds from the [[Federated Commonwealth]] and the rival [[Clan Jade Falcon]] alike.<ref name=ER:3052p92,93/><ref name=ER:3062p63>''Era Report: 3062'', p. 63 - "Clan Steel Viper"</ref>

===Refusal War and death===
[[File:Brett Andrews1.jpg|right|thumb|120px|[[Brett Andrews]], Christopher Ahmed's slayer and successor]]

When the [[Refusal War]] broke out between the Jade Falcons and [[Clan Wolf]] in [[3057]], many within the Steel Vipers saw the conflict as a opportunity to take advantage of two severely weakened Clans.  Others saw a chance to advance the Warden cause, Ahmed among them.  As the Jade Falcons and Wolves clashed, Ahmed maneuvered to acquire [[Phelan Ward]] from the Wolves.  In spite of his Clan's anti-[[freeborn]] stance, he felt that this would be in accordance with an older tradition dating back to [[Arcadia (Clan System)|Arcadia]] and [[Operation KLONDIKE]], in addition to being in keeping with Sanra Mercer's vision.   Ahmed also hoped to take advantage of both Clans once they had bled themselves dry on each other.  To do this, saKhan Ahmed aided the Jade Falcons with information about Wolf troop movements and dispositions to help them prepare better for each attack.  This angered many of his warrior peers in the Steel Vipers, and when both [[Ulric Kerensky|Ulric]] and [[Natasha Kerensky]] were suddenly killed on the worlds of [[Wotan]] and [[Twycross]] respectively, it signaled the failure of his plans.  His schemes not only failed to bear fruit, they also did much to hurt the Warden faction in the Inner Sphere, while aiding a traditional enemy of the Steel Vipers.<ref name=ER:3052p92,93/><ref name=FM:WCp137/>

Accused by many of treasonous activity against the Clan for having acted without consent of his superior, Christopher Ahmed deferred judgment to the Steel Viper [[Clan Council]], who in [[3058]] found him guilty as charged.  Ahmed demanded a [[Trial of Refusal]] against the verdict, as was his right under Clan law.  Khan Zalman chose as his champion the young Crusader [[Star Colonel]] [[Brett Andrews]], a Steel Viper ''[[ristar]]'' and commander of the [[4th Viper Guards (Clan Steel Viper)|4th Viper Guards]], who went on to slay Ahmed during their '[[Mech]] duel.  Andrews soon afterward succeeded Ahmed as saKhan of the Steel Vipers.<ref name=ER:3052p92,93/><ref name=FM:WCp137/>

==Legacy==
Born to a [[Ahmed (Bloodname)|Bloodname House]] known for producing [[MechWarrior (pilot)|MechWarriors]],<ref>''Field Manual: Warden Clans'', p. 135 - "Exclusive Bloodnames"</ref> Christopher Ahmed rose to high position but squandered his power in a gamble that was doomed to fail, while also doing much to help cement the outside view of Steel Viper leadership as erratic and conflicted.  With Ahmed went a great deal of the Warden political clout within his Clan, allowing the Steel Vipers to shift toward a more Crusader-like path than ever before, while still espousing the vision of Sanra Mercer.<ref name=ER:3062p63/> 

==Title and Position==
{{s-start}}
{{s-bef|before= [[Perigard Zalman]]}}
{{s-title|title= [[saKhan of Clan Steel Viper]]|years= [[3052]] – [[3058]]<ref name=ER:3052p92,93/>}}
{{s-aft|after= [[Brett Andrews]]}}
{{s-end}}

==References==
<references/>

==Bibliography==
* ''[[Era Report: 3052]]''
* ''[[Era Report: 3062]]''
* ''[[Field Manual: Warden Clans]]''
* ''[[Invading Clans (sourcebook)|Invading Clans]]'' (sourcebook)

[[Category:Clan Steel Viper Characters|Ahmed, Christopher]]
[[Category:SaKhans|Ahmed, Christopher]]