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Xandar Harlow
Mechwarrior
Sex: Male
Year of Birth: 3021
Place of Origin: Oberon Confederation
Gunnery: 2
Piloting: 5
Pilots:
Lance: Strikers’ Assault Lance – Daylight
…Devastator Photo Link
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Con Artist
Xandar Harlow was born on Oberon VI in 3021. The son of a pirate, Xandar was
practicing as a thief before he could walk. After growing up with barely any
education, a mid-teen aged Xandar hit the streets of Oberon VI, looking for work
as a bouncer or hired thug. He was lucky enough to find a small group of
rebels, who in fact were working with Redjack Ryan in an attempt to destroy
Oberon VI’s capital city with an unknown biological warfare agent. The group of
experienced Mechjocks, hitmen, and drivers had been looking for someone new
as part of their master plan. Plotting to frame their new employee, the band of
pirates took Xandar in. Training him seemed easy enough, for Xandar was a
quick learner in the ways of the wicked. The boy excelled in many of the
pirates’ trades, one of which being the basic handling of a BattleMech. After
proving himself worthy, Xandar was initiated and entrusted with the terrorist
plans. Though a pirate at heart, young Xandar had strong objections to the
complete genocide of a capital city’s population. As his conscience slowly
made up his mind, Xandar created a plan allowing himself to profit by capturing
his new "friends". After three weeks of playing dumb, he took action.
Storming his fellow pirates’ hangars in the middle of the night, Xandar gained
access to an 80 ton Charger BattleMech. Packing only five small lasers, the
Charger still proved invulnerable in sheer strength and durability. Before his
friends could man their Mechs, Xandar destroyed each of the three other
machines. The rookie carefully destroyed each cockpit with perfectly executed
punches using a technique his enemies had taught him just days before. While
radioing for help from local authorities Xandar continued to destroy the pirate
base. After killing many of the unarmored pirates, Xandar powered down his
Mech. Placing explosives inside, he destroyed the cockpit with the flick of a
radio controlled switch. Using weapons gathered and stashed the day before,
Xandar fought off several pirates. Rather than kill all of them, he used a stolen
rocket pack to aide him in capturing one of his foes. Fortunately this was
Trevor Drake, one of the leaders of the pirate team. Xandar was rewarded with
full salvage of the four pirate BattleMechs. Intent on living an easier life than he
had been, Xandar began traveling in system on a series of expensive vacations.
Unfortunately for Xandar, Redjack Ryan learned of the young hero’s identity.
Redjack began plotting an assassination that would conveniently rid him of the
boy that had ruined his plans. Tracking down Harlow proved difficult, but finally
in late 3040 a break in Ryan’s investigation followed through. Redjack Ryan
learned of a Union class Dropship passing near one of his pirate jump points.
This Dropship happened to be carrying some very valuable booty. The
Dropship was transporting two light BattleMechs and their owner, the once
famous Xandar Harlow, savior of Oberon VI. Attacking the Dropship with a
small boarding team of pirates, Ryan had successfully cornered his prey.
Though Redjack did not know it, one of the his own soldiers was about to
betray him. One of the pirate boarding party, a man named Mike Strider,
suddenly announced his identity, history, and intentions. After helping to
capture Harlow’s Dropship, he switched sides and used the ships weapons to
fire on Ryan’s Dropship. The traitor destroyed Ryan’s engines, then left him
stranded in the middle of space. It was on this occasion that Xandar first came
into contact with Mike Strider. The two worked together, destroying several
members of the pirate boarding party.
Almost two decades later in 3059 Strider’s Strikers attacked a Jade Falcon base
on Diosd, in their second mission under their Comstar contract. The Strikers
picked up radio transmissions from a nearby friendly Mech during the initial
stages of the battle. The Mech was Xandar Harlow’s Caesar. Xandar aided the
Strikers in the takeover, and joined the mercenary team shortly thereafter.
Xandar Harlow was a fearsome opponent. Though he was known for showing
no mercy to the enemy, he was a trustworthy friend and cooperative lancemate.
His attack strategies were generally poorly thought out unfortunately, which
led to a bad reputation with some teammates. However he was almost always
effective, never biting off more than he could chew in battle. The unparalleled
firepower of his Clan upgraded Devastator was enough to make any enemy
think twice before firing upon him.
During more recent years, Xandar’s life had calmed somewhat. While he was
still an active member of the mercenary unit, he became valued as a trainer and
teacher for new pilots. He shared this role with Lamont Sanford, a pilot who’s
years with the Strikers numbered fewer than Xandar’s own. However the two’s
friendship and cooperation streamlined the Strikers unit’s training programs
and benefited nearly everyone who still practiced in the Mech simulators.
Another close confidante of Xandar’s was Samuel Stark, a self-taught weapons
designer and supporter of the team’s infantry. Xandar took to spending his
evenings after work in the Command Tower of the Headquarters Mech facility,
which also happened to be Samuel’s favorite place. They were known to argue
constantly over trivial things, but also shared a deeper bond that most
misunderstood. Some have suggested the two were friends because of their
similar interests in small arms weaponry.
Xandar was killed in 3068 when Blakist death squads attacked the command
company’s barracks building. He was killed while trying to escape from the
Mech facility, which had been overrun with enemy commandos and
battle-armored soldiers. Many believe he could have helped to turn the tide of
battle quickly if he’d been able to reach his Devastator before the Mech facility
had been infiltrated.
Xandar was infamous in Mech simulator combat, one of the most feared pilots
of all Inner Sphere members of the mercenary unit. This may have been due in
part to his usual Devastator’s weapons, which were all 4 considered
‘headhunter’ in nature. If Xandar was lucky enough to strike an opponent’s
cockpit with any of his primary weapons – 2 Gauss Rifles and 2 ER PPCs, then
there would be no chance in them returning fire again.
This profile was last updated in 3068.
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