HISTORY

The current leader of the Iron Coalition is Brigadier General Derek Fisk. Fisk rose rapidly through the ranks because of his uncanny skill and ruthlessness during the Io Conflict. Born in Lincoln, Nebraska on 19 August 2084, Derek Fisk came from a large family with a proud military tradition. His father, William, had seen combat as part of the military forces that broke the Siege of Leonov. Young Derek grew up hearing stories of his father's exploits and was clearly impressed by them. No one among his family or friends ever doubted that he would one day serve with the military just as his father did.

Fisk attended the US Naval Academy in Annapolis, where he excelled at mathematics, physics, and military history. He left the Academy with the rank of Second Lieutenant in the US Marine Corps. His instructors predicted that he would thrive within the Corps, but few had any inkling of just how far he would go. Indeed, most believed he had the makings of a formidable strategist and tactician - not a leader of men. Yet, that is precisely what he became, although that transformation would take several more years to occur.

The early career of Derek Fisk may surprise those who know the man only as the stern leader of today. Fisk fought hard to have himself placed in a combat unit. His superiors believed his skills would be wasted as “a mere grunt.” Of course, the young Fisk proved as persuasive as he was talented and he was assigned to the Rapid Deployment Force. After distinguishing himself in several small Earth-bound conflicts in Hong Kong, Pakistan and Switzerland, Fisk won over the skeptics. He was soon promoted and accepted into the USMC's fledgling space program.

The years between Fisk's acceptance into the space program and the Second Lunar War were punctuated by a series of small brushfire wars that broke out almost daily. As GigaCorp and Crimson Group warred for control of the resources of the solar system, they inadvertently fostered a number of terrorist groups opposed to their might. These groups fought the corporations tooth and nail, as they were unwilling to hand over everything to the rapacious greed of the corporations. When their actions threatened human lives - any lives, not just corporate ones - the Coalition was often called in to restore order. Although Fisk relished this role, he came to hate the corporations and all that they stood for. Without their unending quest for profit, he reasoned, the solar system might not be the dangerous place that it had become.

Despite his feelings, Fisk had an exemplary career. By the age of 31, he had achieved the rank of Lieutenant Colonel and was renowned for his ability “to get things done.” He was also noted for his willingness to listen to the suggestions, complaints, and concerns of his men - from the lowliest grunt to his closest aides. Possessed of an earthy, earnest personal demeanor, which makes him rather approachable (a valuable asset as a commanding officer).

Fisk's greatest moment of personal glory occurred when he led a small task force of armored Marines on a surface action during the Io Conflict. There could be no question that Fisk hated GigaCorp as much as he hated the Crimson Group - perhaps more. Even so, he reasonably surmised that, since Crimson Shield troops were the aggressors on Io, he should direct the attentions of his troops against them, not GigaCorp. Thus, he launched a devastating ambush on a Crimson Shield staging area.

During the engagement, Fisk personally killed three Crimson Shield zero-g combat troops in hand-to-hand combat. Next, Fisk and his men captured several Crimson Shield spacecraft, and flew them against remaining corporate air forces, again with almost total success. Resistance on Io was quickly obliterated. While GigaCorp was grateful for the defeat of their enemies, Fisk was unmoved. His natural suspicion of corporations ruled him and he ordered Coalition forces to seize control of their facilities on Io. During the occupation, Fisk wisely uploaded the contents of both sides' computers to the Coalition mainframe.

Another major turning point in Derek Fisk's life came in December of 2116, when the Coalition leader, General Eglin, was killed in a missile attack by Lunar secessionists. Because of his accomplishments on Io, Fisk was promoted to the rank of Brigadier General - a staggeringly rapid advancement in rank - and, almost overnight, appointed the commanding officer of the deadliest military in space.

The fact that Fisk accepted the position so readily has been viewed by some of his critics as proof of his vanity and self-importance. Others have even gone so far as to suggest that Fisk orchestrated Eglin's death in order to gain supreme command of the Iron Coalition. (No proof of such outlandish accusations has ever been discovered, however.) Whatever one thinks of Fisk and his methods, it is highly unlikely that he would be capable of an act of such personal dishonor. Moreover, Fisk's career was already of such a stellar quality that he'd have had little reason to arrange Eglin's death to advance his own position.

In the years since assuming supreme command of the Coalition, Fisk has worked hard to hone it into a devastating combat force. (Ironically, he has retained his rank of Brigadier General, the lowest command rank in the Marine Corps; he claims that, in the absence of a unified Earth government, any “self-promotion” to General would be self-congratulatory and meaningless.)

Because of his own impressive record and willingness to lead from the front, Fisk has had no trouble motivating his troops to give their all. In combat, Fisk is incredibly dangerous. He is fierce, unrelenting and demands the total obedience from his subordinates. (Since he has engendered such strong loyalty, this is rarely a problem.) He rewards bravery and excellence evenhandedly, and will not brook overt political infighting within the Iron Coalition bureaucracy.

Of late, he has begun to rely heavily on the advice of a number of close advisors, including his aide, Major Robert Terrence. While some might see this as a sign of weakness on his part, it is simply another facet of his consultative personality, his willingness to consider all options before making his final decision. This flexibility and open-mindedness serve him well as he leads the Iron Coalition in its mission to restore order after the destruction of Earth and the collapse of civilian government.

PHYSICAL APPEARANCE

General Fisk is a tall, muscular black man in his 60s (nearing the age when he would have retired, in fact). No one would have any difficulty recognizing him for what he is. He looks every centimeter the career Marine who has seen his share of combat. Although his bearing speaks of a lifetime spent in a military environment, Fisk does not come across as being “ramrod straight” and stolid. He smiles often and can be heard joking with his general staff from time to time. His steel gray eyes are warm and twinkle mischievously. He is clearly the sort of man of who has given his life to the military, but who has nevertheless managed to retain his soul.

Fisk has close-cropped white hair, which is thinning somewhat with age. Those closest to him know that he worries about his hair loss - not because of vanity, but because he does not wish to appear “old” in the eyes of his troops. His clean-shaven face is marred by a series of thin scars that lace the left side of his face (the result of a near-decompression during the Io Conflict). Like many soldiers in the Coalition, he would never consider cosmetically hiding these scars. He wears them as a badge of honor and as a symbol of the fact that there are some things worth giving one's life for.

Fisk, despite his proud nature, rarely wears the rather impressive amount of citations, ribbons and medals he earned before Earth's destruction. He keeps his uniform clean and largely unadorned. His rank and unit insignia appear to be all he cares about. Like many officers of the Coalition, Fisk always wears his duty sidearm (a large-frame automatic pistol).