Editing Crystalla Centrella

{{InfoBoxCharacter
| image               = Crystalla Centrella.png
| caption             = 
| name                = Crystalla Centrella
| birthdate           = 22 April [[2536]]
| died                = 13 June [[2611]]
| affiliation         = [[House Centrella]]
| rank                = 
| title               = 
| position            = [[Magestrix of the Magistracy of Canopus|Magestrix]]
| profession          = 
| parents             = 
| siblings            = 
| spouse              = 
| children            = [[Rinalla Centrella]]
}}
'''Crystalla Centrella''' was the ruler of the Magistracy of Canopus immediately before and during the Reunification War.

==History==
A direct descendant of [[Kossandra Centrella (26th c.)|Kossandra Centrella]], the founding ruler of the [[Magistracy of Canopus]], Crystalla had the misfortune to be the [[Magestrix of the Magistracy of Canopus|Magestrix]] of the Magistracy during the [[Reunification War]]. Crystalla inherited a nation less than fifty years old but already very wealthy; that wealth was also a large part of her nation's undoing, as it attracted the avaricious interest of the [[Inner Sphere]] powers.<ref name="H:RWp57">''Historical: Reunification War'', pp. 57–58: "Crystalla Centrella"</ref>

Kossandra Centrella had been a warrior hardened by battle and possessed of considerable experience when she founded the Magistracy; in contrast, Crystalla was possessed of a keen understanding of people and human nature rather than military skills. With war between the [[Star League]] and the nations of the [[Periphery]] increasingly certain, Crystalla used her ability to spot people with talents she lacked to make up for her own shortfalls. Perhaps the best example of this was her recruiting people such as the skilled mercenary officer [[Adam Buquoy]] to lead the [[Magistracy Armed Forces]] to make up for her own lack of martial skill; Crystalla had trained as a [[MechWarrior (pilot)|MechWarrior]] and was adept at small unit tactics, but knew that she lacked the ability to craft the high-level military strategy needed to defend the Magistracy effectively. Buquoy had a keen mind for tactics and strategy and an encyclopedic knowledge of warfare; Crystalla gave him the authority to plan and conduct the defense, and did everything in her ability and power to provide the MAF with the war materiel it needed to fight.<ref name="H:RWp57"/>

{{quote|This popinjay expects us to hand him the keys to our jeweled cities on a golden platter. That is an absurd notion. We are Humans, yes, but we are also Canopians, and Canopians we shall remain. What does he offer us for the "privilege" of joining his Star League?<ref name="TP1Ep39">''The Periphery'', p. 39: "Crystalla's Reply"</ref> What can he offer us that we cannot already buy?<ref name="H:RWp57"/><ref name="TP1Ep39"/>|Magestrix Crystalla Centrella, transcript of Ministerial Minutes, 7 October [[2576]]<ref name="H:RWp57"/><ref name="TP1Ep39"/>}}

Crystalla knew that the Magistracy had little chance of winning the war, but remained a pragmatist throughout.<ref name="H:RWp57"/> Crystalla recognized from the outset that if Weapons of Mass Destruction were used during the war, the population of the Magistracy would be the ones who suffered the most, and WMDs were not used by the MAF during the War as a result.<ref name="H:RWp188">''Historical: Reunification War'', p. 188: "Magistracy of Canopus Front"</ref>

The War began on 14 May 2577 when [[Duke]] [[Brion Marik]] landed on Canopus to deliver the declaration of war. Brion had been selected to deliver the message because while he was an economist, rather than a diplomat or [[Free Worlds League Military]] officer, he had been a part of the delegation sent to try and influence Crystalla into accepting the Pollux Proclamation, and the two had built a rapport. Brion stated that while a state of war existed between the two nations, the task force led by [[General]] [[Marion Marik]] - Brion's grandmother - would fight in accordance with the [[Ares Conventions]], despite Ian Cameron having officially suspended the Conventions. Crystalla began by thanking Brion for both his candor and that of his grandmother and then stated that the MAF would defend their homes with dignity, tenacity and honor. With this exchange of words, the two confirmed that, while the campaign to conquer the Magistracy would be hard-fought and bloody, it wouldn't be a dirty war, unlike that being waged on other fronts.<ref name="H:RWp97">''Historical: Reunification War'', p. 97: "Over the Edge (2577)"</ref>

Even after her capture as a result of the capture of [[Canopus IV]] in [[2584]] Crystalla refused to assist with the conquest of her realm and set out to make the most of a bad situation, using her abilities to read and manipulate people to begin gaining influence and control of [[Ian Marik]], the son of future [[Captain-General of the Free Worlds League|Captain-General]] Marion Marik and [[Star League Defense Force]] military governor of Canopus IV.<ref name="H:RWp57"/>

{{quote|Darling, you wanted to take all my people away from me, so if they're being naughty then it's for you to deal with them. Do you want to give them a good spanking? Or me?”|Magestrix Crystalla Centrella in response to being directed to order the MAF to surrender.<ref name="H:RWp105">''Historical: Reunification War'', p. 105: "Mopping Up (2584–2588)"</ref>}}

{{quote|Anything you say, Governor. Coffee? Tea? Or would you prefer me, governor? I can provide whips and handcuffs if you think I need punishing.|Magestrix Crystalla Centrella responding to Ian Marik's declaration that he was the new military governor of Canopus IV, 2 May 2584.<ref name="H:RWp7">''Historical: Reunification War'', p. 7: "Stalking Prey"</ref>}}

Her efforts met with a not-inconsiderable degree of success prior to his recall to the [[Free Worlds League]] after a number of Marik family members died in action, deaths which left the Parliament unsettled over so many heirs to the Captain-Generalcy in hostile realms. This left Crystalla to deal with Marion Marik and then subsequently [[Melissa Humphreys]], each of whom was as formidable in their own way as she was.<ref name="H:RWp57"/>

Although control over the Magistracy was stripped away from her, Crystalla was allowed to retain her title, and she subsequently styled herself Magestrix-Dowager and worked with both women. Crystalla and Marion's relationship was difficult, with Crystalla never getting along with Marion, but her working relationship with Melissa was a lot better, and Crystalla grew to both respect and like Melissa. That respect didn't prevent Crystalla from refusing to ever quite acknowledge the positive effects that Melissa's reconstruction plan for the Magistracy had after the Reunification War, however.<ref name="H:RWp57"/>

When the Star League decided to restore civil rule of the Magistracy, replacing the occupation government, Melissa approached Crystalla to retake the title and position of Magestrix, but Crystalla refused, stating that her time was past and that it was time for the next generation to take over. Rule passed to Crystalla's daughter, [[Rinalla Centrella|Rinalla]], and although Crystalla died peacefully in [[2611]] she had the opportunity to see Rinalla grow into the role of Magestrix and to see Rinalla's daughter mature into a young woman.<ref name="H:RWp57"/>

==Trivia==
Crystalla was described as a svelte and elegant woman, with honey-colored skin, fine bone structure and lustrous black hair; she was considered by some to be the veritable image of a catwalk model or multimedia star.<ref name="H:RWp57"/>

==Notes==
* Special rules for Crystalla Centrella can be found in ''[[Historical: Reunification War]]'' (page 187).

==References==
<references/>

==Bibliography==
* ''[[Historical: Reunification War]]''
* ''[[The Periphery (sourcebook)|The Periphery]]''

[[Category: Magistracy of Canopus Characters|Centrella, Crystalla]]