Editing Nicholas Kerensky

{{Update Needed|[[Fall from Glory]]|[[Visions of Rebirth]]|[[Land of Dreams]]|[[Field Manual: Warden Clans]]|[[Operational Turning Points: Widowmaker Absorption]]}}
{{otheruses|the ilKhan|the battleship|Nicholas Kerensky (Individual Texas-class WarShip)}}

{{InfoBoxCharacter
| image               = Nicholas Kerensky BTL.jpg
| caption             = Nicholas Kerensky
| name                = Nicholas Kerensky
| birthdate           = 4 May [[2764]]<ref name=H:OKp104>''Historical: Operation Klondike'', p. 104: "Nicholas Kerensky Profile"</ref>
| died                = 7 October [[2834]]<ref name=OTP-WA>''Operational Turning Points: Widowmaker Absorption'', p. 1</ref>
| othernames          = 
| affiliation         = [[Clan Wolf]]
| profession          = Founder of the [[Clans]]<br />First [[ilKhan]]
| parents             = [[Aleksandr Kerensky]] (father)<br>[[Katyusha Lumilova]] (mother)
| siblings            = [[Andery Kerensky]]
| spouse              = [[Jennifer Winson]]
| children            = 
}}
'''Nicholas Kerensky''' was the founder of the [[Clans]] and their first [[ilKhan]]. He was the elder son and designated heir of the legendary [[Aleksandr Kerensky]], Commanding General of the [[SLDF]].

Known and idolized as the "Great Father" of the Clans, Nicholas Kerensky is a revered, almost saintly figure in Clan history—much of which was forged, falsified, and warped by Nicholas Kerensky himself. In actual truth, he was a sociopath with a troubled childhood that had apparently left him emotionally scarred and with severe psychological issues; he may also have had a genetic disposition since his mother, too, had suffered from psychological issues.{{cn}}

Using deceit and propaganda as means of manipulation and positively embracing harsh dictatorial rule, he would stop at nothing to create what he felt was a perfect utopian society: The Clans.

==History==
===Family===
Nicholas' father was the revered General Aleksandr Kerensky, who passed away in [[2801]]. His mother was [[Katyusha Kerensky]]. Nicholas had a younger brother, [[Andery Kerensky]], who was later killed on [[Eden]] during [[Operation KLONDIKE]] in [[2821]] under unclear circumstances; some contemporaries felt Nicholas may have had a hand in his brother's death, either by recklessly putting him in danger or through outright plotting to kill him.

Nicholas married [[Jennifer Winson]], ironically at a point where he already actively worked to purge family bonds from his Clan society.

Due to his genetic legacy, Nicholas Kerensky has numerous descendants among [[Clan Wolf]] and [[Clan Wolf-in-Exile]]. His [[Kerensky, Nicholas (Bloodname)|Bloodname]] has never been [[Reaved]]. The Kerensky name and descendants from the Great Father are shared with a [[Kerensky, Andery (Bloodname)|second Bloodname]] derived from his brother Andery. Nicholas' most famous descendants are [[Natasha Kerensky]] and [[Ulric Kerensky]].

===Founder of the Clans===
Nicholas Kerensky was the man who formed the [[Clans]] between 11 June [[2807]]<ref>''Historical: Operation Klondike'', p. 103: "Timeline"</ref> and [[2810]]<ref>''The Clans: Warriors of Kerensky'', p. 30: "Comparative Timeline"</ref> from the remnants of the [[Star League Defense Force]]. When the warring factions on the [[Pentagon Worlds]] refused to follow Nicholas (then the Commander of the [[146th Royal BattleMech Division]]), he led the [[Second Exodus]] to the future Clan capital world of [[Strana Mechty]] and founded the original twenty Clans.

===Operation KLONDIKE===
{{main|Operation KLONDIKE}}

When the [[Pentagon Civil War]] broke out, [[Aaron DeChavilier]] was deputy to [[Aleksandr Kerensky]].  DeChavilier led a regiment of troops to [[Eden]] and fell prey to a rebel ambush.<ref name=HOKp20>''Historical: Operation Klondike'', p. 20</ref>  Less than a month later, Aleksandr Kerensky passed away.  This left the leadership of the [[Star League-in-Exile]] in doubt: some followed [[Nicholas Kerensky]], while others chose to join one of the warring factions or created their own.  Abandoning the [[Pentagon Worlds]], Nicholas led around a million people on the [[Second Exodus]].<ref name=HOKp22>''Historical: Operation Klondike'', p. 22</ref>

Six years of building and testing later, Kerensky announced the birth of the [[Clans]] and the goal of returning to the Pentagon Worlds.<ref name=HOKp27>''Historical: Operation Klondike'', p. 27</ref>  Preparations took years, during which new technologies were researched and radical changes made to the fabric of the new society.<ref name=HOKp29-37>''Historical: Operation Klondike'', pp. 29–37</ref>

[[Operation SABLE SUN]] was launched to gather intelligence about the state of affairs in the Pentagon Worlds.<ref name=HOKp40>''Historical: Operation Klondike'', p. 40</ref>  Using this information, Clan space forces jumped in and secured the jump points and naval caches and neutralized the hostile spacegoing vessels and stations in each system.<ref name=HOKp41-46>''Historical: Operation Klondike'', pp. 41–46</ref>

Each world was to be invaded simultaneously by four Clans on 2 July 2821.  Technical problems with a [[JumpShip]] delayed the [[Dagda (Clan System)|Dagda]] operation until 22 July, however.  Kerensky, now [[ilKhan]], sent orders via [[HPG]]<ref name=HOKp82>''Historical: Operation Klondike'', p. 82</ref> and also traveled to observe the different campaigns.  On [[Circe]] he oversaw a good-natured competition between [[Clan Mongoose]] and [[Clan Nova Cat]],<ref name=HOKp77>''Historical: Operation Klondike'', p. 77</ref> and he visited the siege of [[The Chosen]] by [[Clan Goliath Scorpion]] on Dagda.<ref name=HOKp82>''Historical: Operation Klondike'', p. 82</ref>  He took personal command of the invasion of [[Novy Moscva]] on [[Eden]], occupying his father's old command bunker.<ref name=HOKp95-96>''Historical: Operation Klondike'', pp. 95–96</ref>  After Eden was secured, he led [[Clan Jade Falcon]] and [[Clan Wolf]] to finish the assault on Dagda, taking to the field in his ''[[Atlas (BattleMech)|Atlas]]'' in the siege of the [[Black Brian]].<ref name=HOKp86>''Historical: Operation Klondike'', p. 86</ref>  On the day the Black Brian finally fell, he gathered the [[Grand Council of the Clans]] and declared Operation KLONDIKE concluded.<ref name=HOKp87>''Historical: Operation Klondike'', p. 87</ref>

===The Culling===
{{main|Clan Jade Falcon#The Culling}}
[[Clan Jade Falcon]] expected that the Kerensky [[Bloodnames]] would join with their Clan.  Instead, the Kerensky names passed to [[Clan Wolf]].  Dissatisfaction with this decision grew into debates about Kerensky's agenda, and some even proposed secession.  The Jade Falcon Khans executed the leaders of this movement and sent the others on punitive "exploration missions", quelling the discontent.  But another problem arose very soon after, with a different Clan.<ref name=HOKp99>''Historical: Operation Klondike'', p. 99</ref>

===Wolverine Annihilation===

After the dust had settled from Operation KLONDIKE and the Clans had settled into a period of relative peace - notwithstanding the accepted various combat Trials of one kind or another between and within Clans. As this time of peace dragged on, Kerensky noticed that [[Clan Wolverine]] and its Khan [[Sarah McEvedy]] had made a habit of 'expanding their interpretations' of the ilKhan's directives, both on and off the battlefield (for instance, by ignoring the rules of ''zellbrigen'' against non-Clan enemies when it was tactically expedient to do so,<ref>''Betrayal of Ideals'', p. 8</ref> and by relaxing the boundaries of the Clan caste system in order to increase productivity).<ref>''Betrayal of Ideals'', p. 17</ref> The Wolverines were enjoying considerable social, economic, technological and military benefits as a result of their self-determined policies, to the extent that they were reliably winning combat Trials put to them by other Clans.<ref>''Betrayal of Ideals'', p. 22</ref> However, by departing from the ilKhan's teachings to such extents, they were embarrassing him as well as causing agitation in other Clans' lower castes.<ref>''Betrayal of Ideals'', p. 21</ref> In response to pressure from other Khans, particularly Khan [[Jason Karrige]] of [[Clan Widowmaker]], Kerensky agreed to establish an internal security organization in order to monitor the Clans' behaviors.<ref>''Betrayal of Ideals'', p. 28</ref> This organization would become known as the original [[Watch]].

The Wolverines continued to prosper, however, and a conspiracy of other Clans including Clans Widowmaker, [[Clan Coyote|Coyote]], [[Clan Fire Mandrill|Fire Mandrill]], [[Clan Smoke Jaguar|Smoke Jaguar]] and [[Clan Wolf|Wolf]] decided to commence their own espionage operations against Clan Wolverine. Aware that her Clan was being outmaneuvered, Khan McEvedy sanctioned the Wolverines' own espionage operations, but this decision backfired when Khan [[Lisa Buhallin]] of [[Clan Jade Falcon]] discovered a Wolverine spy amongst her own Clan personnel.<ref>''Betrayal of Ideals'', p. 71</ref>

This would not be the last time that Clans Wolverine and Jade Falcon clashed - a fact that Nicholas Kerensky used to his advantage in his eventual project to use Clan Wolverine as a target for his scheme to solidify his control over the Clans. When a hitherto-unknown [[Brian Cache]] was discovered on the border between Wolverine and Jade Falcon territory in mid-[[2823]], the Jade Falcons laid claim to the cache despite it technically lying within Wolverine territory.<ref>''Betrayal of Ideals'', p. 58</ref> After a perfunctory [[Trial of Possession]] ended in a decisive Wolverine victory, the matter was brought to the [[Grand Council]] - there it was discovered that the cache contained old, but functional, nuclear weapons of mass destruction. Kerensky ruled that the contents of the cache were too valuable to be owned by a single Clan and would be distributed equitably amongst all twenty.<ref>''Betrayal of Ideals'', p. 77</ref> When McEvedy protested the matter and called for a [[Trial of Refusal]], Clan Widowmaker won the bid to represent Kerensky's ruling - the Widowmakers defeated the Wolverines, slaying Wolverine [[saKhan]] [[Dwight Robertson]] in the process.<ref>''Betrayal of Ideals'', p. 87</ref>

Despite her defeat, McEvedy continued to resist the decision to redistribute the contents of the Brian Cache at the next meeting of the Grand Council, even bringing up the activities of Kerensky's Watch, but her accusations fell on deaf ears and she walked out of the meeting in protest, to Kerenky's anger.<ref>''Betrayal of Ideals'', p. 99</ref> At the meeting after that, McEvedy introduced her new saKhan, [[Franklin Hallis]], whose position Kerensky refused to recognize since he had not been elected through a formal combat Trial that the ilKhan had overseen - another breach of Clan customs that further sullied the Wolverines' reputation with the other Clans. McEvedy walked out of that meeting as well, suggesting that Clan Wolverine would no longer heed the rulings of Kerensky or the Grand Council,<ref>''Betrayal of Ideals'', pp. 113–115</ref> despite the warnings given to her by her friend [[Joyce Merrell]], saKhan of [[Clan Snow Raven]].

Later, Kerensky spoke privately to McEvedy, admitting that he was aware that the other Clans were conspiring against the Wolverines and confessing that the real reason he was allowing the Wolverines to be made into the enemy of the Grand Council was in order to prevent the Clans' stagnation and to give them a common enemy to restore their sense of purpose, while simultaneously making an example of a Clan that presumed to ignore or change the ilKhan's laws as they saw fit.<ref>''Betrayal of Ideals'', p. 120</ref>

At the next Grand Council meeting, the other Khans accused McEvedy of ordering her warriors to kill anyone who came to claim the spoils of the Brian Cache, as trials had already been held to portion out the cache's contents. McEvedy did not deny the charge, instead accusing Kerensky of sacrificing the Wolverines in order to solidify and preserve his autocratic control over Clan society. She then went on to formally and publicly declare that Clan Wolverine was seceding from the Grand Council and establishing itself as an independent power, ignoring Kerensky's protests. After McEvedy left the Grand Council chamber, Khan [[Franklin Osis]] of Clan Smoke Jaguar called for a [[Trial of Absorption]] against Clan Wolverine, which Kerensky upheld.<ref>''Betrayal of Ideals'', p. 128</ref>

The Absorption then began, as each of the other Clans was eager to punish the Wolverines out of resentment for that Clan's earlier ascendency. The fighting was initially conducted with honor, but after a nuclear detonation destroyed the Wolverine capital city of [[Great Hope]], nearly killing Kerensky himself, he determined that McEvedy had destroyed her own capital city and killed thousands of her own citizens (this was supported by the fact that some of the nuclear warheads from the Brian Cache were missing and unaccounted for). In truth, Widowmaker Khan Karrige was responsible for the explosion, having ordered two of his warriors to steal the warheads and plant them in Great Hope in order to deceive Kerensky into believing that the Wolverines had obliterated the city.<ref>''Betrayal of Ideals'', p. 144</ref>

In response, Kerensky declared that Clan Wolverine was to be [[Trial of Annihilation|Annihilated]]. He ordered all traces of and references to Clan Wolverine to be destroyed, and when a refugee column of Wolverine survivors from Great Hope presented themselves to him as his loyal subjects, he had the Warrior Caste members executed and the rest chemically sterilized and given as ''isorla'' to other Clans. He also ordered the rubble of Great Hope bulldozed into the sea, claiming that the city "never existed."<ref>''Betrayal of Ideals'', p. 165</ref> Later during the protracted Trial of Annihilation, an accident caused the detonation of another nuclear weapon over the Clan Snow Raven capital of [[Dehra Dun]] - after McEvedy was captured by Clan forces, Kerensky personally told her that the Dehra Dun catastrophe would be blamed on Clan Wolverine.<ref>''Betrayal of Ideals'', p. 177</ref>

The remainder of Clan Wolverine fled, but the Grand Fleet of the Clans caught them at [[Barbados]] and they were defeated by Clan Wolf. Franklin Hallis, now Khan of the Wolverines, was cornered and summarily executed, but not before Kerensky allowed Hallis to personally kill Widowmaker Khan Karrige for his role in the Great Hope incident, which Kerensky had discovered the truth of from McEvedy.<ref>''Betrayal of Ideals'', pp. 209–210</ref>

On the way back from Barbados, Kerensky orchestrated a grand revision of history, manipulating and in many cases outright fabricating evidence in order to give the impression that the Wolverines were a dangerous menace to Clan society, that McEvedy was planning to assassinate Kerensky, and that the Wolverines were responsible for the destruction of Dehra Dun (Great Hope was purged from historical record, as Kerensky did not want the place to become a symbolic rallying point for resistance to his leadership.) Even afterwards, Kerensky slowly began to introduce some of the social reforms that the Wolverines had originally implemented, since they were proven to increase stability and productivity.<ref>''Betrayal of Ideals'', p. 215</ref> He also, with her consent, promised to Joyce Merrell that he would alter the records to show that she died during the Pentagon Civil War, preventing her from being associated with the demise of her close friend's Clan - Merrell knew the truth of Dehra Dun, and while she was unwilling to go against the ilKhan's revision of history, she felt such extreme regret over the cover-up that she suffered repeated and intense nightmares of Dehra Dun's destruction.<ref>''Betrayal of Ideals'', pp. 225–226</ref>

===Viper treachery===
Shortly after the founding of [[Clan Steel Viper]], the first [[Khan of Clan Steel Viper|Khan]] of that Clan, [[Ellie Kinnison]], hatched a mad plot to assassinate ilKhan Kerensky's wife, Jennifer Winson.<ref name=HOKp113>''Historical: Operation Klondike'', p. 113</ref> Kinnison, known to be mentally unstable and fanatically obsessed with Kerensky, reasoned that once Jennifer was dead, a grieving Nicholas would have no choice but to turn to Kinnison for comfort and love.

Kerensky and Winson decided to take a vacation on [[Arcadia (Clan System)|Arcadia]], but also intended to investigate accusations made against the Vipers, particularly Khan Kinnison's policies. When the ilKhan and his wife disembarked from their [[DropShip]], Viper [[saKhan of Clan Steel Viper|saKhan]] [[Steven Breen]], who had discovered his Khan's insane plan, opened fire on Kinnison, who had come to greet the ilKhan. During the resulting confusion, only Breen and Winson saw Kinnison draw her own sidearm and aim it at Winson. Breen's next shot killed Kinnison.

For his heroism, Steven Breen was elected as the second Khan of Clan Steel Viper. On ilKhan Kerensky's orders, Ellie Kinnison's name was stricken from all Clan records, and her genetic legacy was destroyed.<ref>''Invading Clans'', pp. 80–82</ref>

===Death===
Nicholas was killed on 7 October 2834 during the [[Clan Widowmaker]] [[Trial of Absorption]] by Widowmaker Khan [[Cal Jorgensson]] in what was an apparent accident. Clan Widowmaker had called for a Trial of Refusal against their absorption by Clan Wolf, and during the fighting Cal Jorgensson wound up dueling Wolf Khan [[Jerome Winson]]. Winson was on the verge of winning when a Star of Widowmaker 'Mechs violated the [[Circle of Equals]]. As Nicholas Kerensky, piloting his ''[[Atlas II]]'', stepped in, his cockpit was incinerated by a stray shot from Jorgensson's ''[[Highlander]]''. When his body was extracted from the cockpit, he was already dead.<ref name=HOKp101>''Historical: Operation Klondike'', p. 101{{cn}}</ref><!--This substantiates the event but not the details.  Please cite more sources.-->

==Legacy==
The death of the ilKhan enraged the warriors of Clan Wolf, who proceeded to wipe out the remaining Widowmaker warriors and absorbed the rest of their Clan. Jorgensson claimed the ilKhan's death was an accident, but was executed anyway.

Two centuries later, in a museum in Strana Mechty dedicated to the Pentagon Wars was preserved a coolant vest of Nicholas Kerensky. As it was bloodstained, it may be assumed it was the one he was wearing when he was killed.<ref>''Forever Faithful'', p. 58</ref>
His diaries, relating to the Exodus and Clan's foundation, were held still by Clan Wolf in the thirty-first century.<ref>''The Clans: Warriors of Kerensky'', p. 6</ref>

During the [[Dark Age Era]], a book called [[The Final Codex]] was found. Apparently written by Nicholas, it stated their future plans for the Clans' society, but was hidden by his successors. His veracity remains unconfirmed.<ref>''Trial by Chaos'', p. 108</ref>

==BattleMechs==
Nicholas Kerensky was known to pilot an ''[[Atlas II]]'', which he named ''Unity'', and was piloting it during the Trial that resulted in his death. But in the battle of Barbados, during the Clan Wolverine Annihilation, he appears to have switched to a ''[[Highlander]]''.<ref>''Betrayal of Ideals'', p. 206</ref>

The ''Atlas II'', after his death, was put in a place of honor, the annex to the Great Hall of the Khans, watched by the [[Ebon Keshik]], and remained there as a sacred relic, despite numerous [[Trial of Possession|Trials of Possession]] by [[Clan Goliath Scorpion]] [[Seeker]]s desperate to add it to their [[Temple of the Nine Muses]].<ref>''BattleTech: Legends'', p. 71</ref> The Goliath Scorpions were successful in obtaining a twenty centimeter piece of head armor that was partially melted by the laser blast, "Unity" apparently having the damage repaired before becoming a display piece.<ref>''Fragments of History'', p. 3</ref>

==Quotes==
{{quote|We will purge our old ideals and ethics; those belong to the corrupt stars of the Inner Sphere, and will not serve as we begin anew. Now, while our minds are open and yearning for new insight, we must remold them and fill them with the truth of our destiny. For we are destined not only to be different from those we left behind, but also better. My father knew this, and saved us from the holocaust of the Inner Sphere. I accept it as truth, and have returned to lead you, the survivors of this most bitter trial.
|Nicholas Kerensky to his loyalists on Strana Mechty, 2802<ref>''Touring the Stars'', p. 11: "Trials and Glory" – Ways of the Wolf Clan</ref>}}

{{quote|True warriors do not follow paths, they make them. It is not just their desire, it is their nature.
|Nicholas Kerensky{{cn}}}}

{{quote|Combat begins long before armed forces clash on the battlefield.
|Nicholas Kerensky<ref name=FMCC12>''Field Manual: Crusader Clans'', p. 12</ref>}}

{{quote|A warrior never stops learning, never stops pushing to be the best, and never takes anything for granted.
|Nicholas Kerensky<ref>''Elements of Treason: Honor'', ch. 2</ref>}}

{{quote|Our victories here have proved the rightness of the Way of the Clans; let it always be so among those of the True Faith. Let these few words always announce our coming and portend our victory.|Nicholas Kerensky, Speaking on ''Clan Liberation Day'', May 26, 2822}}

{{quote|''The darkness is behind us, the light is ahead.''<br />
''Strive toward it, for it is the way."''<br />
''Said our Founder, Nicholas.''<br />
''"Be ever vigilant''<br />
''and rely on your strengths:''<br />
''Faith, which preserves us;''<br />
''Knowledge, which gives us power;''<br />
''Understanding, which lets us know our foes;''<br />
''Courage, which lets us face the darkness without fear.''|The Remembrance (Clan Wolf), Passage 10, Verse 9, Lines 1-10}}

==Gallery==
<gallery>
Nicholas Kerensky WCSB.jpg|Nicholas Kerensky from ''[[Wolf Clan Sourcebook|Wolf Clan SB]]''
Nicholas Kerensky OpKlondike.jpg|Kerensky at age 57 from ''[[Historical: Operation Klondike|Hist:Op Klondike]]
Nicholas Kerensky BTL.jpg|Kerensky from ''[[BattleTech: Legends|BT:Legends]]''
Atlas II (Unity) BTLegends.jpg|Kerensky's ''Atlas II'' ''Unity'' from ''BT:Legends''
Nicholas Kerensky Death.JPG|Destruction of Kerensky's 'Mech by Khan Cal Jorgensson
</gallery>

==References==
<references />

==Bibliography==
{{div col|colwidth=25em}}
* ''[[BattleTech: Legends]]'' (sourcebook)
* ''[[Betrayal of Ideals]]'' (novel)
* ''[[The Clans: Warriors of Kerensky]]'' (sourcebook)
* ''[[Dark Age: Touring the Stars (3130)]]''
* ''[[Elements of Treason: Honor]]'' (novella)
* ''[[The Founding of the Clans]]'' trilogy: 
** ''[[Fall from Glory]]'' (German: ''Clangründer: Abkehr'') (novella)
** ''[[Visions of Rebirth]]'' (German: ''Clangründer: Traum'') (novella)
** ''[[Forging of Blood]]'' (German: ''Clangründer: Bande'') (novella)
* ''[[Fragments of History]]''
* ''[[Historical: Operation Klondike]]'' (sourcebook)
* ''[[Invading Clans (sourcebook)|Invading Clans]]'' (sourcebook)
* ''[[Jade Falcon Sourcebook]]'' (sourcebook)
* ''[[Operational Turning Points: Widowmaker Absorption]]''
* ''[[Wolf Clan Sourcebook]]'' (sourcebook)
{{div col end}}

[[Category:ilKhans|Kerensky, Nicholas]]
[[Category:Khans|Kerensky, Nicholas]]
[[Category:Clan Wolf Characters|Kerensky, Nicholas]]
[[Category:Notable Atlas Pilots|Kerensky, Nicholas]]
[[Category:In-Universe Authors|Kerensky, Nicholas]]