Marcellus Valens
| |
|---|---|
| Age | 70, as of March 5, 2006 |
| Rank/Position | President of Kahanistan |
| Height | 7'0" / 213 cm |
| Weight | 310 lbs. / 141 kg |
| Blood type | A- |
| Frame | Large, powerful |
| Hair/Eyes | White/Brown |
| I.Q. | 118 |
| Economic Left/Right | 0.42 |
| Social Libertarian/Authoritarian | -1.09 |
| Religion | Pagan |
| Hobbies / Interests | Roman history, gardening, technology, flying |
| Languages spoken | English, Latin, Italian |
| Weapon | M9 Beretta, AK-47, MiG-29 |
| Affiliation | Kahanistan Republic Guard, Kahanistan Government |
Marcellus Quintus Valens (born August 13, 1935) is the 32nd and current President of Kahanistan, and a former Defense Minister and General of the Republic Guard. He is one of the most famous pilots in Kahanistan, in part simply because he has piloted for over fifty years, longer than most wing commanders have even been alive, but also because of his exploits in battle.
Valens was born in Al-Qamar, Kahanistan, in 1935 to a poor, technologically conservative Luddite family. However, despite their poverty, his parents sacrificed everything so that young Marcellus, an only child, could have all that they lacked and feared. At twelve, he arrived home from school one day and announced that he wanted to be a pilot. His parents discouraged him, fearing technology in general, but they allowed him to train in the Republic Guard, hoping he would drop out of training long before he reached combat age. But in 1955 he graduated as a second lieutenant in the Republic Guard.
Lieutenant Valens's career was not easy. He advanced slowly through the ranks, his superiors not wishing to promote him because they considered his skills as a pilot too important to lose him to administrative work. However, by 1978 he had reached the rank of Lieutenant Colonel and the position of wing commander, having been shot down three times and made over 200 shoot-downs. He was able to assure his superiors that a wing commander, or even a fleet commander, could in fact not only fight in the air, but that doing so would make him a more effective commander than the "desk jockeys" who commanded from behind their desks. His career soared after that.
General Valens achieved national fame late in life, in 2005 during the Jenrak conflict. While his air force was forced to withdraw due to problems on the homefront, he proved himself again in the Ottoman conflict, commanding the 11th Air Force in battle. After the end of that war, he assisted Xirniumite forces in Operation Divine Retribution, personally escorting a convoy of MiG's to the AKA.
Shortly thereafter, tragedy struck the general. After his victory in Xirnium, Automagfreek invaded Kahanistan, killing millions of Kahanistanian civilians, including General Valens' wife of 42 years, Claudia Tiberia (1936-2005), who died on a Freekish stake. The event depressed the general deeply, filling him with a hatred of AMF that lasts to this day.
After the war, Valens was made Minister of Defense, replacing the mentally unbalanced General Abdullah Hassan al-Ghazi. In 2006, the Communist Party of Kahanistan nominated Valens for President, despite the fact that he himself is apolitical. It is widely believed that he was nominated due to his martial skills, which would enable him to protect the country and not interfere with the Communists' social goals. Valens won with roughly 26% of the vote.
As President, Valens has sought to improve the military more efficiently, with less spending, citing the ability of Doomingsland to defeat Kahanistan with a far smaller defense budget. He plans to divert some of the savings into law and order, public transportation, and the environment, which suffered under President al-Za'if's term in office.
General Valens has a son, Julius (born 1961). He is a Commander in the Kahanistan Republic Navy.
