Frederick Jasper
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Frederick Jasper was a fleet admiral in the Free Planets Alliance fleet and a member of the Year 730 Mafia.
History
Little is known of Jasper's past, aside from the fact that he was born somewhere in the Alliance in 710 UC (401 IC / 3510 CE), and that he enrolled at the Free Planets Officers Academy in 726 UC (417 IC / 3526 CE).
His time at the Academy was fruitful, and Jasper showed himself to be an excellent student, graduating 16th in the Class of 730. During those four formative years, Jasper became friends with the rest of those who would become the Year 730 Mafia. Of these individual, it is probable that he was somewhat closer to Alfred Rosas and Wallace Warwick.
Jasper's early years in the Free Planets Star Fleet was, just as it was for the rest of his friends, a quick rise through the ranks, so that by the Battle of Firezard in 738 UC (429 IC / 3538 CE), Jasper had attained the rank of commander, and was presumably put in charge of a ship, logically a cruiser, during the battle. Having brought the Alliance a complete tactical victory, Jasper and the others became celebrated heroes and were each promoted one rank.
From 739 UC (430 IC / 3539 CE) to 742 UC (433 IC / 3542 CE), Jasper continued to rise, from commodore to rear admiral one step behind his friend and leader, Bruce Ashbey, something which caused tensions within the group. It was presumably by 743 UC (434 IC / 3543 CE)-744 UC (435 IC / 3544 CE), that he became a vice admiral, taking command of the 4th Fleet. He, as well as the other members of the Year 730 Mafia, were then selected to form the massive defensive fleet which met the Galactic Empire at the Second Battle of Tiamat. It was during this time that it was noted that when Jasper won two battles in a row, he tended to lose the third. Although simply an odd coincidence, the 'jinx' took hold in the imagination of soldiers and civilians alike, and Jasper became forever known as 'March' Jasper.
At Tiamat, Jasper was initially ordered to take his fleet to a particular portion of the corridor, where one defensive fleet could easily hold three enemy units, Ashbey explaining that the Imperial commanders would attempt to move to the Alliance's rear, cutting them off from Alliance space. Jasper, while agreeing that he could hold the fleets, was sceptical. There had been nothing to suggest that the enemy would even attempt such a movement, but his objections were sternly overruled by Ashbey, and he was compelled by duty to obey his orders.
Due to circumstances, no enemy ever came to fight the 4th Fleet, angering Jasper, who wished to be reassigned to the front lines, something Ashbey allowed. While at the front, Jasper's aggressive nature and quick thinking was instrumental in throwing the enemy into disarray several times, one of which saw the death of an enemy admiral. Eventually, the Alliance forces prevailed, but both Bruce Ashbey and Vittorio di Bertini died, which definitely broke the 730 Mafia. By 746 UC (437 IC / 3546 CE), the group had disbanded.
Despite the group's dissolution, Jasper remained an important member of the Star Fleet, becoming a full admiral in 749 UC (440 IC / 3549 CE), continuing to serve on the front lines. Two years later, it was Jasper's 4th Fleet which was sent as reinforcements for John Drinker Cope's 11th Fleet at the Battle of Palentia. Unfortunately, the battle went unusually badly for Cope, and by the time Jasper arrived, the 11th had been decimated, and Cope had already died. Presumably as a form of revenge, Jasper pursued the retiring Imperial forces and managed to inflict some damage on them.
Despite this, rumours were born which accused Jasper of having willingly slowed the pace of the 4th Fleet, arriving late so he could gain more battlefield glory for himself. Although these allegations were disproven, Cope's widow believed them for a while, and in her grief made accusations against Jasper. Although she later apologized, the rumours sundered the relationship between the Copes and Jaspers, and on his last visit to Cope's family to tell them of Cope's posthumous promotion to Fleet Admiral, Jasper declined to see Cope's widow. They never spoke again.
Eventually, Jasper was made Chief Commander of the Space Fleet, replacing his old friend Wallace Warwick. Jasper remained at his post from 749 UC (440 IC / 3549 CE) to 770 UC (461 IC / 3570 CE), the longest tenure in Alliance history for the post. During his seventeen years of service, he was promoted to Fleet Admiral for his accomplishements. Afterwards, he served one year as Alliance Joint Chief of Staff. Being a man of the battlefield, he was only average at this task, and retired from the administrative position and from the military altogether in 771 UC (462 IC / 3571 CE).
Tragically, Jasper, who had survived decades on the battlefield, wouldn't have the time to enjoy his retirement. Shortly after quitting the military, he died along with his wife in a shuttle accident.
Personality
Frederick Jasper was fearless and intelligent, a genuine straight-shooter. A fierce combattant, he was also highly intelligent and could easily grasp the ebb and flow of the battlefield, scoring many victories for the Alliance. Despite the jinx which of his battlefield victories and defeats, Jasper was well-liked by his subordinates.
Legacy
A deeply talented military man, Jasper was reponsible for maintaining the front agains the Empire for nearly two decades. However, his talents were seemingly tactical rather than strategic. Although he won much more often than he lost, his victories never prevented the Empire from putting Iserlohn in the space corridor between the two powers, begining the gradual strategic edge for the Imperial forces which would, décades after Jasper's death, lead to the Alliance's defeat.
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