Mariko's Coup

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Mariko's Coup
Part of DRAW Your Own Story 11
Maricoup-walkers.jpg
Imperial walkers attack the city garrison outside the Senate
Date4–9 August 2011
Location
Result
Belligerents
 Republic of Coruscant Umbrella Corporation logo.png Umbrella Corporation
 Second Galactic Empire
Commanders and leaders

Mariko's Coup or Mariko's Putsch (万里子のクーデター, Mariko no kūdetā) was a failed coup d'état against the Republic of Coruscant. It was conceived by Mara Jade as the Umbrella Corporation's final act of revenge against the Republic, but Mariko Antilles assumed planning and execution after her activation, secretly aiming to usurp control of the coup in pursuit of her own goals.[1] Despite initial success in the surprise attack, the battle soon bogged down and the insurgents were forced to retreat from Earth with stolen equipment and spaceships.[2] Mariko would later lead more successful takeovers of strategic planets, beginning the Second Galactic Civil War.

Background

Seeking to salvage Umbrella Corp. after Albert Wesker's abysmal mismanagement, Mara travelled to Vault 55, a secret cloning lab housing 'body backups' in case of CivGeneral's physical death. Accompanied by Wesker and Dr. Richtofen, she activated a female clone named Mariko with the lab's available memory records, and playing off the clone's disgust over the Partition of Earth, sought to recruit her as an Umbrella lieutenant, pledging full military support to an assault on New Port City.[1]

Mariko, however, was dead-set on restoring the Galactic Empire in her image. The night before the attack, she made a secret alliance with Pul Wat Aa in spite of his vendetta with Wesker, obtaining security codes to access the New Port Citadel.[3]

Opening attack

Mariko launched the coup the morning of 4 August 2011 with an assault on the New Port Armory, overwhelming the garrison and killing the attending general. The insurgents seized legacy equipment, including stormtrooper vestments and AT-AT walkers, before moving on the Senate.[4] Police attempts to stall the advance proved futile, and by mid-afternoon Mariko reached the Senate. After slaughtering the security detail she systematically murdered the representatives of Coruscant, Kuat and Kessel.

Declaration of Second Empire

By this time, CivGeneral had arrived in New Port to take personal command of the battle. En route to the combat zone, he found Wesker boasting his 'triumph' over the Hacker and delivered a FALCOOOO—what's that?—sorry, "Panzerfaust" that knocked Wesker clear across the city. That evening, Mariko issued a public broadcast in which she announced the foundation of the Second Galactic Empire and elaborated her philosophy of nationalist revival.[5]

Face-off at the Citadel

The next morning, Mariko found a mortally-wounded Wesker outside the Senate. He begged her to help him, but she responded by shooting him dead. As the insurrectionists prepared to move out, they were confronted by the Republic Army and a fight ensued. Reinforced by Liberty Prime, the Army proceeded to devastate the separatist forces. The Hacker then emerged, offering to take care of the Coruscantis if Mariko disabled the robot's anti-hacking mechanism. She proceeded to deliver a critical strike, crippling the robot, and the Hacker teleported in deathclaws, turning the tide.[6]

Mariko sports new power armor in her confrontation with the heroes

The rebels stormed the New Port Citadel; when the admiralty refused to relinquish command of the starfleet, Mariko seized the access codes by force. The posse then congregated at the top of the Citadel; Mara Jade congratulated Mariko, but fearing future betrayal, Mariko turned on her, impaling her with a lightsaber. At that moment, CG and Co. arrived to confront the party, and Mariko revealed herself. Before she could strike down the stunned CG, Ayane intervened, but the fight was cut short as Mariko and her associates fled to the Imperial fleet destined for Wetickra.[2]

In a rare instance of not killing the villain, CivGeneral ordered medical treatment for the gravely-wounded Mara, electing to have her stand trial for her past transgressions.

Aftermath

While the coup failed to trigger an empire-wide rebellion, Mariko was satisfied with her limited gains. Subsequently, she pledged support to the Hacker in the impending siege of his headquarters on Wetickra.

Following the Hartford Convention, Hanna Antilles and Motoko Kusanagi drafted the "Hanna–Kusanagi Act", legislation intended to strengthen the Republic's unity while excising remaining Imperial iconography to distance the nation's image from Mariko's breakaway state. The emblem of the Galactic Republic was replaced by a stylized starbird similar to the sigil of the Rebel Alliance and the Galactic Republic from the the Old Sith Wars.[7]

References