Patty Friese

May 2, 2025

  • Birthplace: Deseret
    Affiliation: Border Guard, later commissioned into the Compact Navy
    Rank: Lieutenant Commander
    Assignment: Executive Officer, Queen Maria Sophia
    Status: Killed in action, 433 IE

    Background

    Patricia “Patty” Friese began her service in the Compact Border Guard as a hypergate traffic controller over The Caliphate. Her sharp eye caught the anomalous signal from Farigha, triggering one of the Compact’s earliest investigations into Gelt interference.

    Due to her outsider status and lack of political baggage, she was hand-picked by Vice Admiral Eileen Burke for a special mission. Afterward, Friese was formally commissioned into the Navy, serving as a warp navigator aboard the Challenger before being promoted to executive officer of the Queen Maria Sophia.

    Personality

    Friese was caustically witty, skeptical of authority for its own sake, and grounded in operational realism. She brought a calm, commanding presence to every ship she served on. While she often mocked the foibles of younger officers—particularly JT Austin—she inspired deep loyalty and was often the one holding things together during a crisis.

    Relationships

    Friese was married to Captain Linda Havak, commanding officer of the Challenger and a key figure throughout the Suicide Arc. Their marriage, though often conducted from separate postings, was based on mutual respect and strategic alignment.

    With JT Austin, Friese shared a combative yet familiar rapport, often ribbing him about his chaotic love life and impulsive decisions. Still, she respected his instincts and skill. During the boarding of the Queen Maria Sophia, she entrusted him with the highest-value evacuees aboard: King Edward Windsor and Lady Mitsuko Yamato

    Notable Actions

    • Spotted the Farigha signal while serving in Border Guard control, helping uncover early Gelt activities.

    • Served aboard the Alcubierre and later transferred to the Challenger as a warp navigator during the early development of warp fleet operations.

    • Promoted to XO of the Queen Maria Sophia, where she helped coordinate defense and evacuation during an unexpected and devastating boarding assault.

    • Ordered JT Austin to pilot the CJC-1967 Falcon carrying King Edward Windsor, Mitsuko Yamato, and royal staff to get them away from their seized vessel.

    • Assigned Midnight Angel (Stephanie Mercado) to escort the Falcon in a second shuttle to run interference.

    Death and Legacy

    Patty Friese was killed in action during the boarding of the Queen Maria Sophia. As enemy mechs breached the ship, she led the effort to extract the Bonapartan monarch and his entourage. To ensure their survival, she and Midnight Angel boarded a second shuttle to serve as a decoy.

    The shuttle was destroyed in the attempt, sacrificing itself to draw enemy fire away from the Falcon. Austin successfully piloted the CJC-1967 to safety, and later personally reported Friese’s death to her wife, Captain Linda Havak.

    Friese’s death was a pivotal moment in the conflict, marking both the high cost of resistance and the bravery of those who made escape possible. She is remembered as a fearless officer whose dry wit masked a fierce heart—and as a leader who never asked others to do what she wouldn’t do herself.

Appearances: No Marigolds in the Promised Land, Flight Blade, Storming Amargosa, Checkmate