Duke Ryan Steiner

Ryan Steiner was an ambitious political leader as part of the Free Skye movement and a relative to House Steiner. His actions led to the creation of the Lyran Alliance under Nondi Steiner, but he was killed in action before he could see the results of his actions.

Early Life

Ryan lost his mother early, in 3011, and was mostly raised by nannies and tutors. In 3015, he attracted the attention of former Archon Alessandro Steiner. Ryan was brought to Alessandro’s estate for the rest of his education and youth, until he was accepted in the Flight Academy of Thorin, where he graduated as an Aerospace Fighter pilot of some quality. He, however, turned back to politics almost immediately.

Political career

Fourth Succession War

Ryan was mostly a pawn in the powerplay between Alessandro Steiner, Aldo Lestrade and Katrina Steiner. Realizing his position was untenable, he sided with the Archon as the battles of the Fourth Succession War raged. This in turn sent Frederick Steiner to his “death” but secured Ryan’s position as Duke of Porrima while also being the face of the more “moderate” Skye independentists.

Skye Crisis of 3034

When the Draconis Combine granted Rasalhague its independence, calls from the Skye secessionists came quickly. Ryan Steiner was the head of the “moderates” of Free Skye, which was just the political branch of the movement. Using his contacts, Ryan started a small-scale revolt in the region which was met with drastic response from the First Prince of the Federated Suns. Those riots and insurrections grew, “against Ryan Steiner’s orders and recommendations” up to the point where ComStar had to officially intervene.

Primus Myndo Waterly supported Ryan Steiner during the negotiations, even though she was meant to be a neutral observer, and the Free Skye movement was given preferential treatment on HPG usage in the region along with requesting a moratorium on AFFS troops being used in what would become the Skye March. Waterly was also granted the permission to deploy her Com Guards throughout the region to defend the HPGs from “rebel elements”.

Clan Invasion

The situation in Skye caused issues to the AFFC during the early stages of the Clan invasion. Marshal Morgan Hasek-Davion realized the ties between Ryan Steiner and the Kelswa family, forcing him to both defend the Tamar March while keeping enough forces in reserve in case Skye were to try seceding again. Ryan did participate in the defense of the realm, however, dispatching the Skye Rangers to the front to help the war effort. The loss of the Seventeenth Sky Rangers to Clan Jade Falcon was a blow to his political credit, as the locals disliked “their boys” dying for an occupying power.

Coming of the Alliance

After the Truce of Tukayyid, Ryan Steiner approached various other Lyran lords and nobles to try and undermine the power of the Federated Commonwealth. Ryan Steiner had become closer to his aunt Nondi Steiner to build more political capital, and both members of the ruling house felt that the Federated Suns did not do as much as they could to protect the Tamar region. Ryan followed suit by approaching young Katherine Steiner-Davion, trying to implicate her in a plot to secede the Lyran Commonwealth as a whole. Ryan did not expect Katherine to take things quite so far as she tried to sponsor the assassination of Melissa Steiner, which quickly devolved in MIIO and Loki giving more attention to Ryan than he would want.

Shielded in part by his name and by Nondi Steiner, Ryan managed to escape some criminal charges, but he was due for a full trial in 3056. As he realized this would ruin him and potentially even have him executed, Ryan moved on ahead with the next logical step in his plan.

Skye Revolt of 3056

Ryan used all his stored political capital to get the Skye region to openly revolt against the Federated Commonwealth. Lacking international support, the Skye independence movement relied mostly on local power structure to survive, which limited them. Archon Melissa Steiner and First Prince Victor Steiner-Davion opposed the movement and wanted a peaceful resolution to the affair rather than coming to blows. Prince Peter Steiner-Davion was sent with a military escort to meet with the leadership of the Free Skye movement but was captured by Hauptann-General Leonidas Brannock and held for ransom.

Ryan attempted to negotiate with Brannock to free the prince as he saw this could cause major problems to the movement, but Peter was rescued by the Gray Death Legion and began serving in guerilla against the Free Skye movement. It did not take long for the Legion, Northwind Highlanders and supporting elements of the AFFC to reclaim Skye and end the rebellion. Ryan decided to flee his estate, but his dropship was intercepted by Gray Death Legion aerospace assets. While Ryan wanted to surrender peacefully, the DropShip captain decided to resist. Duke Ryan Steiner died as he was trying to commandeer a fighter to leave the ship and surrender.

Personal life

Ryan Steiner enjoyed sports and recreational flight in conventional planes and aerospace fighters. He spent most of his free time flying or messing around with airplanes in his adult years. He married Morasha Kelswa to grow his political clout within the Lyran portion of the Federated Commonwealth in 3033, having a son, Robert, in 3034. Ryan spent a lot of time with his son, trying to have him not live through the same thing he did.

Clan Watch Report

“Ryan Steiner was a political animal, trained to foment dissent and incredibly ambitious. His military skills were too limited to ever be a real threat, but his skills at manipulation were second to none. His actions in the Skye region of the Federated Commonwealth could have fractured the realm if he had been more careful about it. The people of Skye were a victim of his machinations, which proves that political animals like these are a threat to the peace and prosperity of the Inner Sphere and shows the superiority of our way of life.”