Howard Clemens
Brigadier General Howard Clemens was a high-ranking officer in the Osean Air Defense Force. He commanded the Osean forces participating in Operation Sighthound, ordering them to capture the Alicorn for leverage in peace negotiations rather than sink it.[2]
Clemens shows no interest in the lives of soldiers, choosing to play political games and opting not to update all forces on any changes to mission times.[2]
He was later arrested and charged with treason and spreading false intelligence, later revealed to have been coming from Edgar Saxon. He was assaulted by Strider 4, Húxiān during his arrest.[3]
Biography
Sometime before September 4, 2019, Clemens contracted assassins Elke and Otto van Dalsen, collectively the Mimic Squadron, to assassinate Osean ace Trigger. He was also given false intel that the Alicorn had weapons of mass destruction on board by Edgar Saxon, callsign Zul, who was unbeknownst to Clemens, a former crewman of the Alicorn now working as an undercover agent for his rogue captain, Matias Torres.[3]
The Escape of the Alicorn
By September 4, 2019, Clemens was put in command of Operation Sighthound, a tactical landing operation to seize control of the Eruseans' advanced nuclear submarine Alicorn. The operation was to be carried out by an OMDF fleet supported by the Strider Squadron and an electronic warfare squadron, but Clemens changed the H-hour without notifying Strider, resulting in them having to fight dozens of enemies alone until the rest of the support got there. During the battle, Clemens' contracted hitmen, the Mimic Squadron, arrived in the airspace in an attempt to kill Trigger, but were eventually forced to retreat. The Alicorn mutinied, destroyed the landing fleet, and escaped from the port, resulting in the operation ending in failure.[2]
Downfall
Sometime before September 10, Clemens was once again contacted by Zul, who told him that the Alicorn was prepared to link up with Erusean forces at Anchorhead Bay. On September 10, Clemens initiated Operation Domino, a strategic strike on the port to destroy Erusean naval forces and prevent the Alicorn from linking up with them. As the operation ensued, Clemens was contacted by the top brass of the Osean Defense Forces, including Lieutenant General Shepherd, whom Clemens tried to convince of Trigger's unnecessariness. To his dismay, their conclusion was that Osea had much need for Trigger. As the operation neared its conclusion, Mimic once again appeared. Clemens contacted them on an open channel and ordered them to cease combat and withdraw. Ignoring the order, on the grounds that it would hurt their reputation, Mimic engaged Trigger and Count. Both assassins were killed in the ensuing dogfight.[3]
However, upon Strider's return to base, Húxiān attempted to attack Clemens, but was restrained by Wiseman and Skald. Clemens debriefed the enraged Strider Squadron, who had heard the entire conversation Clemens had held with Mimic. David North, who Clemens had previously threatened, revealed to everyone that Clemens's mysterious source of intel was Edgar Saxon, former crewman of the Alicorn. Clemens was subsequently assaulted by Húxiān and taken into the custody of the military police under the order of Vice-Chairman Edwards of the Osean Joint Chiefs of Staff, and charged with treason.[3]
References
- ↑ https://twitter.com/Bardic_DW/status/1213690027512713222
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 SP Mission 01: "Unexpected Visitor", Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 SP Mission 02: "Anchorhead Raid", Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown.