Howard Clemens

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"They should have taught how to address superiors in boot camp."
― Clemens, referring to Húxiān[3]

Howard Clemens is a former Brigadier General 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.[3]

He later commanded Operation Domino, after which he was later arrested and charged with the attempted assassination of Trigger, and with spreading false intelligence on behalf of Alicorn agent Edgar Saxon. He was assaulted by Strider 4, Húxiān during his arrest.[4]

Biography

Clemens was born in or prior to 1979.[a] At some point, Clemens joined the Osean Air Defense Force as an officer, rising to the rank of Brigadier General by the time he reached his 40s.[1]

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 provided with intelligence that alleged that the Erusean submarine Alicorn was carrying weapons of mass destruction.[4]

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 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. This resulted in the LRSSG having to fight dozens of enemies alone until the rest of the support got there. During the battle, 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.[3]

Downfall

Sometime before September 10, Clemens received more intelligence. This time, it suggested 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 commenced, 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 panicked and contacted them on an open channel, ordering them to cease combat and withdraw. Mimic refused (on the grounds that their failure would damage their reputation) and subsequently engaged Trigger and Count. Both assassins were killed in the ensuing dogfight, but Clemens' treachery and complicity in Mimic's assassination attempts had been revealed.[4]

Upon Strider's return to base, Húxiān attempted to attack Clemens, but was restrained by Wiseman and Skald. Clemens attempted to debrief the enraged Strider Squadron, but was interrupted by Vice-Chairman Edwards of the Osean Joint Chiefs of Staff, along with OIA analyst David North, who Clemens had previously threatened. David revealed to everyone present that Clemens's source of intel was Edgar Saxon, a former crewman of the Alicorn who had become an agent under Captain Matias Torres. Clemens was subsequently accused by Edwards of treason under the grounds of his communications with Mimic Squadron. Despite Clemens' protests, Edwards ordered his immediate arrest via military police, and Húxiān obliged by knocking Clemens out cold.[4]

References

Footnotes

  1. 1.0 1.1 Clemens' official bio on Ace Combat 7's website calls him "a top elite who rose to the rank of general in his 40s."[1] Since Ace Combat 7 takes place in 2019, this places Clemens' birth in or prior to 1979.