HISTORY

Colonel Jonathan Markham was the head of GigaCorp security until Kelleher's takeover, and is the only man alive who knows Kelleher's secrets. Markham is now in command of GigaCorp's military assets, and Kelleher defers to his judgment when it comes to committing military resources in the field.

Markham was born on 13 April 2104 in Manchester, England. His childhood was ordinary enough, but he was considered a bully in school. Frequently in trouble, he nevertheless found that he had great leadership abilities. Other children rallied to his side. By the age of 15, he had a small gang of his peers who hung on his every word and action.

Markham wanted more from life than the adulation of his fellows. It came as a surprise to the members of his gang when he announced his intention to go to university in London. While at school, Markham performed adequately. He was not an exceptional student, but he was a consistent one. His grades were good enough to land him a commission in the Royal Marines. As a Marine, he continued to show flare as a leader. Soldiers naturally listened to him and - more importantly - they sought his approval.

Despite the approbation of his superiors and the respect of his men, Markham was dissatisfied with life in the Royal Marines. The early 2120's were a period of relative peace. This did not appeal to the young man who did not wish merely to lead men, but to lead them in battle. He resigned his commission with the Royal Marines and signed on with Crimson Shield, the security force of the Crimson Group. Markham rightly guessed that corporate security forces saw much more action than did more “legitimate” militaries. If battle is what he wanted, he had found it.

Markham signed on with Crimson Shield just as things were beginning to heat up in the wars between the Crimson Group and GigaCorp. The battles of those days exposed Markham to a variety of situations he would never have encountered with the Royal Marines. In addition to receiving training as a saboteur and commando, he became a pilot as well. Markham never particularly enjoyed flying, but he was a competent flyer.

In 2132, when GigaCorp captured the Sol system Aleph, Markham realized that the time was ripe for him to change allegiances. Crimson Group was the ultimate loser in this clash of the corporate titans. Rather than fall with them, he decided to seek employment with GigaCorp. GigaCorp was very happy to have him as one of their employees. Markham's years with Crimson Shield gave him knowledge and insights that no other man possessed. He used those insights to assist GigaCorp to strike a number of significant blows against his old employers.

His superiors in GigaCorp did not fail to notice his efforts. In recognition of his usefulness to the company, Markham took charge of all of GigaCorp's security forces. He relished this job and devoted himself fully to it. Shortly after the destruction of Earth, he embarked on a series of raids on the remaining Crimson Group facilities. This concerted effort resulted in the seizure of valuable information, some of which GigaCorp used to lay the groundwork for an all-out assault against their rivals.

Not surprisingly, these raids were successful. Markham was quite pleased with himself and expected to be treated to a hero's welcome upon his return to Prosperity Station. Instead, he returned to discover that he had been displaced by a young woman he had never heard of, let alone seen involved in any kind of security work. Enraged, he was told that Mercedes Kelleher had been selected to head up security in the wake of the corporate shake-up following Earth's destruction. The re-constituted board of directors wanted to take the company in new directions and believed Kelleher would assist in this endeavor.

Markham approached Keller to find out what was really going on. Calmly, the young woman explained that times were changing and GigaCorp must change with it. She outlined her vision of the company's future and how everyone - Markham included - fit into it. She then took a gamble and took the old warrior into her confidence. She admitted that she was a fraud.

Initially, Markham was outraged to learn that Kelleher was a fake, but soon realized that her business acumen and ability to plan long-range operations were necessary; her audacity was also an asset. As much as he disliked the public embarrassment caused by his sudden displacement, he knew why Kelleher had done it. He reluctantly agreed to assist her in her bid for power. In exchange, he wanted a promise that his former position would be returned to him - in addition to sizable payment and total control over GigaCorp's military resources. Kelleher agreed and a partnership was struck.

Markham's advice to Kelleher eventually paid off. GigaCorp forces launched a series of lightning attacks against Crimson Group facilities. Crimson Shield fought bravely, but was ultimately destroyed. By the middle of the year, GigaCorp had eliminated its only significant competitor and was now on the verge of acquiring total control of all corporate resources in human space. Kelleher then used these successes to place herself in total control of the company. One of her first acts as CEO was to re-appoint Markham head of security.

For the time being, Colonel Markham is willing to allow the uneasy truce with Kelleher to continue, though he is planning for the day when the ambitious woman will no longer be necessary. Until then, he continues to bide his time, building his own network of allies within GigaCorp.

PHYSICAL APPEARANCE

Markham is a dour, grim man in his late 40s, a veteran of numerous border skirmishes with other secessionist corporate forces. In his time with the Crimson Shield, he was a combat pilot, infiltrator, saboteur, and security specialist. He takes his job very seriously, but is wary of his partner, Kelleher. While he has the military might to seize control of GigaCorp, Kelleher has the computer and business skills to destroy the company finances. As long as the uneasy alliance between the conspirators exists, both sides profit. For now, Markham is willing to allow the situation to continue.

Markham is a stocky, burly, muscular man of British descent. He is somewhat out of shape, but he is still a physically powerful individual. He is starting to lose his hair, and his face is permanently twisted into a scowl. Despite Markham's fearsome appearance and gruff demeanor, his primary concern in military matters is the safety of the troops under his command. Years of service with corporate forces have dulled his ancestral accent somewhat, but it is clear enough to those who listen to his voice carefully.

While not reluctant to order men into dangerous situation, Markham insists on providing them with proper weaponry and backup. In addition, Markham is not averse to strapping himself into a cockpit and leading an assault, dropping in full combat gear onto the surface of an enemy-occupied asteroid and launching an ambush, and otherwise leading from the front. Between his insistence on planning missions thoroughly with an eye to preserving his troops' lives, his financial generosity to the grunts who fight the battles, and his willingness to get his hands dirty, his troops are fiercely loyal.