Geoffrey Tolwyn is an officer of the Confederation Navy serving as the captain of the TCS Tiger's Claw. He was the archnemesis of Prince Thrakhath nar Kiranka.
Biography[]
Early life[]
While at the Academy he befriended Rhea Bergstrom, and in their youthful ambition they jokingly put a bet: should one becomes an Admiral first, the other would owe him 10 credits.[1]
Rise to Flag Rank[]
From 2639 to 2654, Tolwyn rose to prominence in the Navy, rising from Lt. J.G. to Commodore in the 15 years and became the Captain of the carrier Tiger's Claw. His driven nature was as much a hindrance as a blessing, however, and he developed as many enemies in the Admiralty as friends; some of whom blocked his ascension to Rear Admiral for a number of years. Fleet Command didn't trust him, believing that he fought his own private war inside the war. Being opinionated, argumentative and critical of his superiors, his talents went largely useless.[1]
Finally his chance to prove himself as a force commander came on the Tiger's Claw's Cadet Wing of 2653-4.
Meeting Blair[]
Tolwyn announces to the cadets they are coming to the Claw.
While the Claw was being retrofitted, he visited a chapter of the Space Naval Academy on planet Hilthros to see his friend the Commandant. There he met cadets Christopher Blair and Todd Marshall, and seeing the competitiveness between them, he appointed them as leaders for a mock space battle. The exercise was spoiled by saboteur who served as spy for the Kilrathi, and a Kilrathi Blockade Runner nearby. It was destroyed by the joint effort of Blair and Marshall. He announced to them that they needed hands-on training and brought them to the Claw through a number of harrowing engagements with the Kilrathi.[2]
The Pirates of M4-21a[]
Tolwyn assigned to the Cadets one of their first missions, to explore the M4-21a system because of its strategic importance. There the Cadets discover hero-turned-pirate Daimon Karnes, who is eventually killed during a skirmish with the Kilrathi. Tolwyn revealed to Blair and Marshall that the Confederation knew the truth about his defection but kept this information secret as this revelation would be bad for the people's morale. He ordered them never to mention their adventure.[3]
Dioscuri[]
When the Claw reached the Dioscuri system, Tolwyn assigned the Cadets to investigate Kilrathi influence on Dioscuri II on 2654.162. Blair and Marshall were captured and Tolwyn dispatched Scimitars to their rescue, however his orders to Hector Paz not to attempt a solo rescue mission, was disobeyed.[4]
Crisis in the Claw[]
Tolwyn also had to confront a crisis as 4 cadets, affected by a solar wave which caused delusions, believed that Tolwyn was allied with the Kilrathi. He did not manage to arrest them, but the delusional pilots were stopped by Gwen Bowman and Yulan Chang.[5]
The pulsar[]
Setting up an ambush near the hypernode.
On the discovery of a Kilrathi jump buoy near a pulsar, he ordered its destruction. He decided to send a recon team of two Broadwords to scout the other side. Picking Blair and Lindsay Price for the mission, Marshall complained for not picking him. During that mission, Price disobeyed Tolwyn's orders of non-engagement and lost her ship. During their absence, Tolwyn ordered communication silence expecting the emergence of Kilrathi forces. During that time Blair's Broadsword returned from the jump node. Believing that all soldiers, including himself, are expendable, he refused to Nelson's suggestion to hail the Broadsword and risk the advantage of surprise. After the ambush and the pilots' successful recovery, Blair made up a story to explain how Price lost her ship, swearing to his honor as a Blair.[6]
Stationed near that pulsar's hypernode, and worried by the Kilrathi activity in this sector, he asked the Fleet Command for reinforcements. Expecting a Kilrathi reconnaissance force, he set up an ambush around the node. He chose cadet Blair to be with him in order to learn what it means to command: Leaders don't share the dangers of those under their command, but their role to be right is even harder, as war doesn't forgive mistakes. After ambushing the Kilrathi recon force, reinforcements arrived, TCS Manasses and TCS Trafalgar.
Meeting Rhea.
Admiral Rhea Bergstrom of the Trafalgar arrived to the Claw, also making some bitter remarks that she managed to outrank Tolwyn. Tolwyn was tasked by Bergstrom to guard the node as a bait for an ambush at Seti Beta I of their combined forces of 140 fighters and then retreat to an unsecured sector. Tolwyn objected to the foolishness of the plan, and Bergstrom, not trusting that Tolwyn would carry out her orders, ordered cadet Blair to spy him for her.[1]
Not intending to carry out Bergstrom's orders, he ordered the cadets to destroy Kilrathi reckon ships who enter through the node, but Blair warned him about Bergstrom's intentions in time. Tolwyn changed his plans to carry out the ambush. The sudden retreat, while having the advantage, made Kilrathi commander Garahl nar Hhallas suspicious. Tolwyn confined Blair to his quarters. However Tolwyn soon found out that the Kilrathi had already prepared a trap on their own, and Bergstrom's task force was under attack. Tolwyn complied to her request and assisted the Trafalgar right before its destruction. In the sickbay, Bergstrom admitted that Tolwyn was right.[1]
The Claw barely escaping the collision.
Seeing all the Kilrathi forces coming towards the Claw, Tolwyn ordered all head forward to the jump node under all the gunfire with all power diverted to forward shields. Maintaining collision course with Agon Ra Sivar, he played "chicken" with Thrakhath nar Kiranka, until the Prince acknowledged his bravery and moved his Dreadnaught to evade the Claw. The carrier was scratched and made it to the node. Later he would explain to Blair that every time he gives an order, he doesn't know its outcome, he just risked whether the Kilrathi would retreat to allow them to escape.[1]
Against Confed fighters[]
During a Kilrathi plot, the Claw was unprepared when it received attack by Confederation fighters, piloted by Kilrathi pilots. Once detecting a long distance missile lock Tolwyn sounded an alarm and ran to board a Scimitar.
Flying as Archer's wingman.
During the skirmish Tolwyn flew as Bowman's wingman, since no pilot wished to fly with her. Hunted by a Broadsword, he was saved by Price. After the attack, Tolwyn recommended her for saving the Claw, and Marshall for saving the Pleiku the Flying Cross. Maniac however recommended it to Dr. Kyle and the nurses of the hospital ship, being the real heroes.[7]
Stealth fighters[]
Tolwyn grounded Marshall considering him responsible for the death of Emil Zoharian, and later Blair for the loss of three Achilles-class transports under his protection. He would not give notice to the reports that the pilots did not detect any ships near the destruction, and attributed the failure to their neglect. While overseeing the repairs on TCS Suffolk Dr. Guthrig Andropolos who told him that pride is the worst enemy, as it causes one to sacrifice himself for it. Tolwyn commented that he understands why all the cadets hate Andropolos and wished to hear no more. Disobeying his orders, Blair and Marshall tracked and engaged the Strakha stealth fighter of the Kilrathi, and Tolwyn realised that his pride did not allow him to see this possibility. He admited to them his mistake of denying the existence of a stealth fighter, and decided to forget the event that they disobeyed his orders commenting that nobody did anything to be proud of.[8]
Alien visitor[]
Examining the alien ship.
The Claw was escorting an Achilles-class and a Byrd-class en route to Oasis, when pilots salvaged a mysterious Sleep Ship from a Kilrathi Salvage Tug. Seeing there an alien in cryo-sleep, he ordered Maya McEaddens to seal the ship again until he contacts the Confederation Scientific Operations. However sometime later the alien was restored and attacked the crew, requesting a ship to descent to the planet, until incapacitated by Paz and took him to the brig. Near Oasis, Tolwyn put the ship in stand-by alert because of the presence of a Kilrathi Carrier. Around that time the alien had escaped and kidnapped Blair, but because of the Kilrathi presence, Tolwyn would not spare fighters to rescue him.[9]
Kilrathi defector[]
When Blair and "Clipper" were lost while investigating a Carrier, Tolwyn denied the cadets a rescue mission, as they should rather patrol for that carrier before it reaches the Claw. However Marshall neglected his orders, and followed by Bowman he rescued Blair. Blair returned to the Claw with the news that a Kilrathi Bokh nar Ragitika wished to defect; Tolwyn however was sceptical, considering it an old trick to ascertain the location of the Claw. He rather set the plan for an ambush to surprise the Kilrathi Carrier. Tolwyn was angered when Blair insisted that the Kilrathi defector would prove useful, and even puts him in charge of the task force. Indeed, Blair "betrayed" the Kilrathi defector and the Carrier was successfully destroyed. Tolwyn then considered to believe the information Bokh gave Blair and turn it against Thrakhath, telling him not to be troubled over a dead Kilrathi traitor.[10]
Against Thrakhath[]
Preparing the attack against Thrakhath's Dreadnaught.
Tolwyn decided then to personally assault Prince Thrakhath during the Sivar-Eshrad ceremony on Dolos. After arriving to the Dolos system, the Claw destroyed the Kilrati jump buoy and fighters destroyed all guards so there was no warning on their arrival. Talking with Summer, Tolwyn was denied any reinforcements or assistance and was ordered to consider the Claw expendable on his objective to attack Thrakhath. He briefed the cadets about their fake objective to prepare for a Confederation Marines invasion to liberate the Dolosians. He assigned Blair and Paz for that mission and intimidated Marshall for complaining.[11]
During the process of the mission, Tolwyn informed the pilots that the Marines won't arrive and the Claw would engage the Kilrathi fleet alone, helped by the Dolosian uprising. His intentions were detected by cadet Bowman, who realised that this was the original plan all the time. He ended her confrontation saying that war is making hard choices. Indeed his plan worked and having captured the cadets, Thrakhath expected a military invasion, unprepared for an assault against Agon Ra Sivar from space. The Kilrathi fleet left Dolos dishonoured. Tolwyn awarded the Gold Wings of the Cadet Wing Commander to Blair who denied it, as he was lied and used as bait on a suicide mission, He angrily threw the medal to space, saying that it is deserved by those who died.[11]
Trivia[]
- Tolwyn is voiced by Malcolm McDowell, who portrayed him in the FMV cut scenes beginning in Wing Commander III; his cartoon appearance also seems to be modelled after McDowell.
- Star*Soldier places events of Academy between 2653 and 2654 and most overlapping the Pilgrim Crisis, Vega Campaign, and Defense of Firekka campaigns. As such it has "Commodore" Tolwyn acting as CO on the Claw. This seems to contradict other sources that mention Jason Sansky/Paul Gerard, Thorn, and Peter Halcyon as the ship's captains/acting captains (in WC1 the captain or ship commander on the bridge is never named) whereas Tolwyn was on board the TCS Concordia most of that time.