Editing Emma Centrella

{{InfoBoxCharacter
| image               = Emma Centrella.jpg
| caption             = 
| name                = Emma Centrella
| birthdate           = [[3008]]<ref name=TPp102>''The Periphery'', p. 102: "Emma Centrella profile"</ref><ref>''Era Report: 3062'', p. 82: "Emma Centrella Profile"</ref>
| died                = [[3071]]
| othernames          = 
| affiliation         = [[House Centrella]]
| rank                = 
| title               = [[Duchess of Luxen]]<ref name=TPp102/>
| position            = [[Magestrix of the Magistracy of Canopus|Magestrix]]
| profession          = Noble
| parents             = [[Kyalla Centrella]] (mother)<ref name=TPp102/><ref name=HB:MPSp43>''Handbook: Major Periphery States'', p. 43</ref>
| siblings            = 
| spouse              = [[Nicolas Ramilie]]
| children            = [[Danai Centrella|Danai]]<ref name=HB:MPSp63>''Handbook: Major Periphery States'', p. 63</ref><br/>[[Naomi Centrella|Naomi]]<ref name=HB:MPSp63/><br/>[[Erde Centrella|Erde]]<ref name=HB:MPSp85>''Handbook: Major Periphery States'', p. 85</ref><br/>[[Newton Ramilie II|Newton]]
}}
'''Emma Centrella''' was a Periphery noblewoman and [[MechWarrior (pilot)|MechWarrior]] who rose to the position of [[Magestrix]] of the [[Magistracy of Canopus]] in [[3040]].

==History==
===Early history===
Born on [[Luxen]] to [[Kyalla Centrella]], Emma became the holder of the title of Duchess of Luxen. Her father, Kyalla's second husband, died by order of her mother for treason. Though her father was in fact guilty of attempting to overthrow his wife, Emma knew her mother's infidelities drove him to such extreme measures. Her mother's actions forced Emma Centrella to keep her animosity hidden behind a façade of loyalty, while at the same time learning from Kyalla the skills needed to play the game of politics and court intrigue.<ref name=TPp102/><ref name=SS124>''Shattered Sphere'', p. 124</ref>  At age 15, she began training to become a [[MechWarrior (pilot)|MechWarrior]] and to serve with the [[Magistracy Royal Guards]]. By age 17 she had earned the rank of Ensign in the [[Magistracy Armed Forces]].<ref name=TPp102/>

===Canopian-Andurien Alliance===
In [[3030]], Emma had steadily climbed the ranks of the MAF. She was caught up in her mother's political workings, however, when Kyalla revealed she was to marry [[Richard Humphreys (31st c.)|Richard Humphreys]], Duchess [[Catherine Humphreys]]' fifth son, as part of a political alliance with the [[Duchy of Andurien]]. Emma protested against both the alliance and the marriage, knowing of Richard's hedonistic ways and rejecting him as a suitor.<ref name=20YU74>''20 Year Update'', p. 74</ref><ref name=BW57>''Historical: Brush Wars'', p. 57</ref> When the [[Andurien Crisis]] began, Kyalla ordered Emma transferred to the [[2nd Canopian Cuirassiers]], which spearheaded the assault into the [[Capellan Confederation]] at the head of Task Force Duo. Despite her continued public opposition, Emma served with distinction during the conflict.<ref name=FMP32>''Field Manual: Periphery'', p. 32</ref> When the war turned against the Magistracy and its forces were in retreat from [[New Roland]], Emma fought in the rearguard and helped saved Task Force Duo from being destroyed by [[Warrior House Dai Da Chi]] and [[Kamakura’s Hussars]], allowing it to escape in February [[3035]].<ref>''Historical: Brush Wars'', p. 66</ref>

{{ApocryphalContentStart}}
Emma Centrella is a protagonist in the [[apocryphal]] German novel ''[[Gier]]'' that is focused on the Andurien war and her relationship with Richard Humphreys.

According to the novel, Emma was in fact well impressed with Richard and they developed a mutual friendship (with Emma hoping for more) over their shared feelings that their respective lives were overshadowed by their mothers' machinations. However, Richard was straightforward in that [[Elala Cisne]], the mother of his daughter [[Dalma Humphreys]], was the love of his life. Unwilling to enter into a purely political marriage, Emma and Richard engineered a faux public falling-out to derail their engagement, and Richard acted the irresponsible playboy.

Not marrying Richard saw Emma promoted to Major and sent into de facto exile on [[Detroit]], a strategically important protectorate world for the Magistracy that was also wooed by other powers, particularly the Capellan Confederation. Much to Emma's distaste, her battalion of the [[2nd Canopian Cuirassiers]] was to support a brutal ruler on Detroit for political reasons.

In his quest to reunite with Elala, Richard was meanwhile following a lead to [[Andarmax]], a target of the Canopian prong of the joint Andurien/Canopian offensive against the Confederation. Richard sent a letter to Emma, asking her to request him as a liaison so that Richard would be sent to Andarmax and could investigate further. Emma, already in a stormy relationship with Nicolas Ramilie, went out of her way to help Richard and perhaps turn their friendship into a relationship after all, but found that he was too obsessed with Elala.

Ultimately, Elala was found to have become a member of the [[Worm Cult]], a nationalistic Capellan sect; exiled from the Duchy of Andurien and her child for a decade at that point, she had embraced Capellan citizenship, married a Capellan man and rejected Richard and their daughter. Richard was so heartbroken that he submitted himself to the sect, who immediately proceeded to abduct him as a political hostage. Emma Centrella immediately took charge of the rescue operation together with one of Richard's bodyguards, and personally overpowered Elala in a final shootout. Richard, heavily drugged, was indifferent.

On the eve of his return to the Duchy of Andurien following his rescue, Richard requested from Emma that Elala be granted her wish to be released into the Capellan Confederation with her husband. Then he and Emma bid each other farewell.

Emma subsequently kept the fan he had sent her as a token to remind her of Richard, and the overall experience made her resolve to push medical sciences ahead in the Magistracy once she became Magestrix.
{{ApocryphalContentEnd}}

While Canopian forces had returned home to recover from their failed campaign against the Capellans, the conflict was not completely resolved. On 17 May 3035, a reprisal raid consisting of the [[McCarron's Armored Cavalry|4th McCarron's Armored Cavalry]] arrived on [[Canopus IV]]'s doorstep, surprising the defending forces. Only through the efforts of Emma Centrella, who personally organized the counterassault, were the elite Liao mercenaries forced to withdraw after three days of fighting, but not before they had razed most of Canopus's most important industrial and government districts as a message from Romano Liao.<ref>''Historical: Brush Wars'', p. 67</ref>

===Ascent to the throne and fall of Kyalla===
As an early critic of and one of the few heroes to emerge in what increasingly was an unpopular war, Emma's popularity grew among the people of the Magistracy and she became the focus of opposition to her mother Kyalla.<ref>''Historical: Brush Wars'', p. 84</ref><ref name=20YU74/>  With the war ended though, Emma chose to quietly return to her role as Duchess of Luxen, neither lending her support to the opposition nor defending her mother publicly.  Resentful of her daughter's fame and her own lack of support, Kyalla increasingly saw Emma as a threat to her throne.<ref name="Handbook: Major Periphery States, pp. 43–46">''Handbook: Major Periphery States'', pp. 43–46</ref>

In April [[3039]], an assassination attempt was made on Emma's life.  While she in a side room, the killer snuck into Emma's bedchambers and shot both of her lovers in her bed, thinking one of them to be the Duchess, before in turn being killed by Emma.<ref name=20YU74/>  Though no evidence directly linked them, it was popularly believed that Kyalla was responsible for the attempt on her daughter's life.  Given the situation, Emma fled to [[Hardcore]] and rallied supporters to her, giving Kyalla the pretext she needed to order the [[Magistracy Royal Guards]] to arrest her and bring her back "in chains."  Those sent to arrest her however were secretly in league with Emma, giving her a chance to confront her mother.  On 8 May [[3040]] Emma arrived on Canopus IV under guard and restrained and was escorted directly to the throne room.  As Kyalla began to harshly criticize and gloat over her daughter, Emma calmly removed the unlocked chains, and when the Magestrix ordered her Royal Guards to execute the "traitor" they instead took her into custody.  The next day, Emma made a public announcement that, after examination by several psychiatrists, Kyalla Centrella was declared clinically paranoid and unfit to rule.  The Canopian electorate quickly ratified Emma’s ascension to the throne, becoming the 17th Magestrix.<ref name="Handbook: Major Periphery States, pp. 43–46">''Handbook: Major Periphery States'', pp. 43–46</ref><ref>''Era Report: 3062'', p. 82</ref>

===First efforts as Magestrix===
After assuming the throne, Emma Centrella began work on her nation's economy.  Expanding on its existing traditional industries - gambling, [[Canopian Pleasure Circus|pleasure circuses]], medical science - she opened up the economy to increased foreign trade and investment initially started by expanding their existing traditional trades.  Within decades trade between the Magistracy and the [[Inner Sphere]] had tripled, with [[3048]] considered a banner year for the recovering Canopian economy, as firms from as far away as the [[Lyran Commonwealth]] were constructing new factories on Canopian worlds.  While many local corporations were concerned about the encroachment of Inner Sphere firms, the Magestrix made sure the government clamped down on any unequal contracts and ensure as much as the profit remained in Canopian hands as possible.<ref name="Handbook: Major Periphery States, pp. 43–46" /><ref>''20 Year Update'', p. 75</ref>

While the [[Clan Invasion]] was taking place far from their borders, the Magestrix was sufficiently concerned by it that in late [[3051]] she proposed a defense pact among the Periphery states so that they could pool their resources against this threat.  However her proposal failed, as most Periphery nations either didn't feel threatened by the Clan invasion or pled poverty.  The [[Marian Hegemony]]'s ''Caesar'', [[Sean O’Reilly]], went so far as to increase attacks on Canopian trade vessels traveling between his realm and the [[Lothian League]] and leaked word of her proposal to the Successor States to try and provoke a reaction.  The unexpected destruction of many of the other pirate kingdoms in the Periphery by the Clans had created an opportunity for both the Hegemony and [[Circinus Federation]] to increase their piratical raiding.<ref name="Handbook: Major Periphery States, pp. 57–58">''Handbook: Major Periphery States'', pp. 57–58</ref>

Frustrated by her diplomatic failings, Emma turned to her intelligence agency, the [[MIM]] for help, ordering them to gather information on the new Clan invaders (and making the Magistracy the first Periphery nation to actively do so).  The MIM used a loose network of [[Errant MechWarrior]]s and the traveling pleasure circuses to insert operatives in the path of the Clan invasion.  The information gleaned from these intelligence efforts gave Emma insight into basic Clan strategies, however they were unable to salvage much of any technology since the Clan invaders rarely lost. Magistracy intelligence agents were able to acquire some bits of reverse engineered technology that the [[Draconis Combine]] had after their success in the [[Battle of Wolcott]].<ref name="Handbook: Major Periphery States, pp. 57–58">''Handbook: Major Periphery States'', pp. 57–58</ref>

===The Bull and Liao===
While the anti-Clan alliance had failed, it had impressed some within the [[Taurian Concordat]] who, like Emma, were concerned with the increased threat posed by the Hegemony and Federation.  [[Marshal (rank)|Marshal]] [[Hadji Doru]] of the [[Taurian Guards]] was the driving force behind a series of backchannel communications between the Magestrix and [[Jeffrey Calderon]], heir apparent of the Concordat.  By [[3053]], secret negotiations had advanced to the point where Emma and Jeffrey were directly communicating with each other towards forming a loose joint defense pact.  These contacts also gave the two an appreciation for the other's character and political skills.  When Jeffrey Calderon's bloodless coup against his father succeeded in [[3055]], the negotiations were made public and the [[Treaty of Taurus]] signed in early [[3056]], strengthening military and economic ties between the two nations and the creation of the [[New Colony Region]].<ref name="Handbook: Major Periphery States, pp. 57–58" /><ref name="Handbook: Major Periphery States, p. 59>''Handbook: Major Periphery States'', p. 59</ref>

The treaty had also caught the attention of [[Sun-Tzu Liao]], [[Chancellor]] of the [[Capellan Confederation]], who had desired to make use of both the Magistracy and Concordat in an effort to reconquer territory lost in the [[Fourth Succession War]].  Sensing that Emma might be more open to his offers, the Chancellor made a dramatic visit to Canopus IV in May [[3058]], accompanied by just a dozen of his [[Death Commandos]].  In exchange for formal ties between the two nations, the Confederation was prepared to offer military aid to help combat the increased piratical raids on Magistracy shipping and worlds, raids which had already resulted in the assassination of three planetary governors.<ref name="Handbook: Major Periphery States, pp. 59–60">''Handbook: Major Periphery States'', pp. 59–60</ref>  Emma was naturally suspicious of the offer, but Sun-Tzu was able to allay them by tracking down the source of these raids to a faction of the [[Word of Blake]] on [[Campoleone]] and leading a joint military force with her daughter [[Naomi Centrella]] in destroying it.<ref name=SS117>''Shattered Sphere'', p. 117</ref>  Fully aware that the proposed alliance would be more valuable to the Confederation than the Magistracy, the Magestrix nevertheless saw that it would also benefit her nation too, and in early [[3058]] the [[Trinity Alliance]] was formed.<ref name="Handbook: Major Periphery States, pp. 59–60"/>

The new Alliance did not sit well with the Taurian Concordat, and Protector Jeffery Calderon sent a stinging personal message to Emma accusing her of naïveté and double-dealing.  Emma did her best to cool Jeffery's temper and ease his fears about the Treaty between their two nations.  She also desired to have the Concordat also join the Trinity Alliance, if only to prevent Sun-Tzu from playing the two nations against each other.  Her efforts led to grudging acceptance for Capellan aid in building up the New Colony Region and a planned summit between Emma, Sun-Tzu and Jeffery to take place in late [[3060]] on [[Detroit]].<ref>''Handbook: Major Periphery States'', p. 60</ref>  While arranged with the hope of changing Jeffery's mind about joining the Alliance, Emma privately knew that he would never change his mind, instead hoping to use the opportunity to extract more concessions from the Confederation.<ref name=SS112>''Shattered Sphere'', p. 112</ref>

Before the summit could take place though, Emma would receive terrible news: her daughter [[Danai Centrella]], her unit on loan to the Confederation as part of the Trinity Alliance, had died in the fighting against the Clans during the [[Great Refusal]].  Her death caused public opinion to sour somewhat against the Trinity Alliance.<ref name="Handbook: Major Periphery States, pp. 59–60"/>  As a mother, Danai's death was a bitter loss for Emma, though the politician in her also recognized that Naomi would be just as good (if not better) as Magestrix.<ref>''Shattered Sphere'', p. 118</ref>

===Detroit Conference===
The summit seemed to be a bust before it ever began when Sun-Tzu was forced to cancel his visit on account of [[Capellan-St. Ives War|events taking place back home]]. Rather than waste the opportunity though both Emma and Jeffery agreed to meet regardless, and on 21 December 3060 the two leaders and their entourages arrived on Detroit. However, during a Christmas Eve reception, Colony President [[Serman Maltin]] arrived with a force of [[Colonial Marshals]], took Emma and Jeffery hostage and proclaimed the independence of the New Colony region. Maltin told Emma he "regretted" having to resort to doing this but felt only way for his people to have their freedom. With Emma and Jeffery hostage, their respective nations were unable to act in fear of killing them.<ref name=SS115>''Shattered Sphere'', pp. 112, 115</ref>

For Sun-Tzu though the situation merited swift action. In February [[3061]], Naomi arrived at the head of a joint Capellan-Canopian force to free the two leaders. Using their superior numbers and cutting-edge technology, the rescuers were able to push back the insurgents and by June had surrounded the Government House where Emma and Jeffery were kept. Naomi led the charge to storm the building on 28 June, and while succeeding in saving Emma, the Protector of the Concordat was killed in the attempt. Though lacking in any hard proof, Emma suspected Sun-Tzu had somehow been behind the entire ordeal, though resigned to accepting the more likely explanation that it had been the work of Blakist or [[FedCom]] agents.<ref name=SS115/> Jeffery's replacement, Lord [[Grover Shraplen]], would later enter the Concordat into the Trinity Alliance in August [[3062]].<ref>''Handbook: Major Periphery States'', p. 65</ref>

===The Trinity Alliance===
Though the Concordat was now formally a member of the Alliance, its attention (and resources) were soon taken up by the [[Pleaides Campaign]], leaving Emma to try and manage both the unruly New Colony Region and House Liao's demands for more troops in their war with the [[St. Ives Compact]]. Eventually she came to recognize that only by giving the NCR its independence would the matter be solved, though it would come with a price. In February [[3063]], over the objections of the Concordat, Emma dispatched the [[1st Magistracy Highlanders]] to Detroit, ostensibly to protect its newly refurbished [[BattleMech]] factory from piratical raids. Then on 9 April [[3066]] she formally recognized the NCR, or Fronc Reaches, as independent, but kept the Highlanders garrisoned on Detroit, declaring it a "Canopian protectorate planet" the next day. Relations between the Magistracy and Concordat cooled considerably afterwards, while years of negotiations would follow between the Fronc Reaches and the Magistracy over a suitable "compromise" over the Detroit situation.<ref name="Handbook: Major Periphery States'', pp. 69–71">''Handbook: Major Periphery States'', pp. 69–71</ref>

===Jihad and death===
In November [[3067]] Emma Centrella did not attend the [[Fourth Whitting Conference]] on [[Tharkad]], where her nation was to be made a member of the Star League. Her Trinity Alliance ally, Sun-Tzu Liao, sent a recorded message denouncing the League as a hollow alliance.<ref>''Dawn of the Jihad'', p. 25</ref>

In October [[3068]], the [[Word of Blake]] assaulted Canopus and managed to capture Emma and her Senior General, [[Hadji Doru]].<ref>''Dawn of the Jihad'', p. 116</ref>  While in captivity, the Canopian resistance grew against the Blakist forces. In August [[3071]], her son's mercenary force, [[Ramilie's Raiders]], assaulted Canopus. While [[Newton Ramilie]] engaged the [[34th Division (Word of Blake)|34th Division]] and elements of the [[41st Shadow Division|41st Division]], a special detail of lances covered the escape of Doru. Regardless of the effort, Emma's son and a majority of his unit were wiped out. It is unclear what exactly happened to Emma Centrella, but there is speculation she died during firebombings by Blakist forces.<ref>''Jihad Hot Spots: 3072'', p. 58</ref>

==Personality and Traits==
Emma was a small woman, with a dusky complexion, grey eyes and long, curly black hair. She kept herself in excellent physical shape through fencing and a special exercise program she designed herself, and her stamina became legendary among friends and acquaintances. Highly intelligent, Emma was known to be aggressive and self-directed but could also be warm and friendly regardless of the person's class or gender. Her assertiveness and honesty won her tremendous domestic support within the Magistracy, while she used her beauty and charm to become one of the most accomplished diplomats in the Periphery.<ref name=TP102/><ref name=SS124/><ref name=20YU86>''20 Year Update'', p. 86</ref>

==Marriage and Family==
Emma Centrella married [[Major]] [[Nicolas Ramilie]], son of [[Colonel]] [[Newton Ramilie]] of [[Ramilie's Raiders]], in [[3041]]. By [[3050]] it was reported that they had six children, but their marriage was strained by frequent separations.<ref name=20YU86/>   Shortly before [[3059]], Nicolas left the royal residence, taking his only son [[Nicolas Ramilie II]] with him.<ref name=FMM>''Field Manual: Mercenaries'', p. 79</ref> The two departed with Ramilie's Raiders when the mercenary unit left the Magistracy's service by [[3067]].<ref name=FMMr>''Field Manual: Mercenaries, Revised'', p. 96</ref>

Rumors suggested that Emma's daughter Danai and Richard Humphreys' daughter [[Dalma Humphreys]] were in fact half-siblings,<ref name=BW57/> lending credence to the otherwise apocryphal notion that "mutual dislike" does not accurately describe the relationship between Emma and Richard.

The names originally given for Emma's six children were Sandra, Joseph, Mitchell, Newton, Albert, and Carol.<ref name=20YU86/>  However, these were assumed names used to protect the children from political threats. Later it was clarified that Emma had only one son, Newton II, and five daughters.<ref name=FMM/> The real names for three of her daughters were [[Danai Centrella|Danai]], [[Naomi Centrella|Naomi]], and [[Erde Centrella|Erde]]. Given the heavy security measures taken to protect her children, it is ultimately unclear if the other two children ever existed.<ref>[http://www.classicbattletech.com/forums/index.php/topic,61800.msg1482782.html#msg1482782 BattleTech Writers signal what is known about canon children] (dead link)</ref>

==BattleMechs==
During the Andurien war, Emma Centrella reportedly piloted a ''[[Vulcan (BattleMech)|Vulcan]]''.<ref>''20 Year Update'', p. 74</ref>

Apocryphally, she piloted a ''[[Grasshopper]]'' after being posted to [[Detroit]] prior to the war, which she used during the Andurien war on [[Repulse]], [[Andarmax]] and, by April of 3031, on [[Drozan]].<ref>''Gier''</ref>

==Portrait Gallery==
<gallery>
Emma_Centrella_(age_17).jpg|At age 17
Emma-centrella-42.jpg|At age 42
Emma Centrella ShSphere.jpg|Emma at age 53 from ''[[Shattered Sphere]]''
Emma Centrella.jpg|At age 54
GierCover.jpg|Around 22 years old. From the novel ''[[Gier]]'' ([[apocryphal]])
</gallery>

==References==
<references />

==Bibliography==
* ''[[20 Year Update]]''
* ''[[Dawn of the Jihad]]''
* ''[[Double-Blind]]'' (novel)
* ''[[Era Report: 3062]]''
* ''[[Field Manual: Mercenaries, Revised]]''
* ''[[Gier]]'' (novel)
* ''[[Handbook: Major Periphery States]]''
* ''[[Historical: Brush Wars]]''
* ''[[Jihad Hot Spots: 3072]]''
* ''[[The Periphery (sourcebook)|The Periphery]]'' (sourcebook)
* ''[[Shattered Sphere]]''

[[Category:Magistracy of Canopus Characters|Centrella, Emma]]
[[Category:Notable Vulcan Pilots|Centrella, Emma]]