Lord Theodore Blakenstoke

Wolf359 Commonwealth politician and nobleman.

Background

Lord Theodore Blakenstoke serves as the Deputy Governor of Quadrant 7 for the Wolf359 Commonwealth, playing a pivotal role in the governance and political management of the Commonwealth’s interests in the region. His career in Quadrant 7 has been characterized by a focus on maintaining stability and ensuring the prosperity of Wolf359 colonies, particularly during times of political upheaval and external threats.

Blakenstoke is known for his diplomatic acumen, often representing the Commonwealth at interstellar summits, including those dealing with key issues such as military coordination and inter-polity relations. His leadership has helped navigate tensions between competing powers in Quadrant 7, securing trade agreements and reinforcing the Commonwealth’s influence.

Despite recent challenges within the Commonwealth, including investigations into corruption, Lord Blakenstoke has maintained a reputation for being a steady hand, committed to upholding the integrity of the Commonwealth. His close work with military leaders like Admiral Lady Hermina Thorebourne has also been essential in aligning the Commonwealth's political and defense strategies in Quadrant 7.

Biography

(Taken from the unoffical biography "It Isn't Ultra Cricket" by Diana S Transom-Lake.)

Lord Theodore Blakenstoke was born the third son of the Marquess of New Hindhead, and his wife (Elizabeth nee Fitz-Spencer). As a genetic perfect, and a member of the Aristocracy, some sort of service to the Realm was always his destiny. At New Oxford, he managed to not disgrace himself academically despite his real passion being for Ultra-Cricket; going so far as to earn a Blue for it. At New Oxford he also met the future Lady Blakenstoke, Henrietta Conyngham or ‘Hetty’ to her friends, who introduced him to the ideals of the New Wolf movement.
The Marquess of Hindhead arranged for his son to join the Royal Navy, hoping that some time in training (and as out of system as soon as decently possible) would allow his son’s ardour to cool, or at least that a dose of reality would cause the young couple’s ideals to be tempered by exposure to reality. The courtship endured, however. Sub-Lieutenant Blakenstoke’s outspoken views in the Wardroom on the KPGK and the necessity for “just a spot of reform, what, to ensure decency and fair play at all levels of society” made their way back to his increasingly despairing father’s ears. His zeal for the rules, thanks to a very clear understanding of what was and what was most definitely not Ultra-Cricket, initially infuriated the other ranks, until they realised that he was also just as zealous in seeing his fellow officers follow things by the book. Some of his fellow officers, started to whisper against him “trying too hard,” and even of seeking to be liked by his ratings!

After successfully completing his twenty-year tour of duty, the Marquess (in no small part driven to it by the Marchioness herself) finally consented to the union of his third son to Henrietta Conyngham, having decided that getting his son a post on Wolf itself (“where the family can keep an eye on the naïve little wotsit”) in the Civil Service was the better idea. Theodore’s patriotism, unswerving belief in the superiority of the Wolfer way of doing things and grand ideas won him supporters amongst the people who notice such things; almost, but not quite, as many enemies as his progressive tendencies generated, especially in the KPGK, not to mention the exasperation of his family. Fortunately for both enemies and family, and to exasperation of his staff, he tended to move from idea to idea, without always thinking them through or even carrying them all out.
Lord Blakenstoke was assigned to Evangelou as a functionary in the Ministry of Defence in the Warship Building strategy team; it was assumed his progressive social ideas couldn’t affect Starship hulls. His underlying professionalism & competence remained at war with his unwitting ability to wind up the more traditional members of society, to which he generally remained completely oblivious until his latest faux pas was pointed out to him by a colleague, a sub-ordinate or, more often than not, Lady Blakenstoke herself. He found himself moved from team to team, gaining a reputation as a ‘new broom that likes to sweep clean,’ as well as a broad if relatively shallow appreciation for all the functions of the various offices and departments within the ministry he moved through. Indeed, more than once his services were requested for a very clearly timebound secondment; so that he could be unwittingly useful in a game of internal politics, and then conveniently moved on.

As the scales slowly started to tip towards his being more of an embarrassment to his father, and the family seat in his Lords, his other notable patron at Court, his Uncle ‘Willie’ Fitz-Spencer, pulled a few strings, getting the young aristocrat a significant boost sideways and upwards into the Quadrant Office, and a long, long way away outwards towards the Colonies. He hoped that some time as Deputy Governor to his old college chum Duke Augustus Bollen would temper some of his nephew’s youthful naivety. Indeed, the Old Boy found it was a struggle to get the young fool to accept the post, having spent year’s publicly arguing for merit to have almost as much importance as patronage! Nevertheless, off he and Lady Blakenstoke went to the none too subtle relief of his Father and elder brothers. Fortunately, Uncle Willie’s reaction to the news that old “two bottles of Bollenger Bollen” was missing, presumed sloshed, and young Theo had suddenly found himself catapulted into the role of acting governor in Quadrant 7 was kept from the media by several inches of wall and some very discrete servants. This reaction was nothing, however, compared to that when the news of the arrests started reaching the Homeworld…

Personal Timeline

• 3085 – Born in Hindhead, third son of the Marquess and Marchioness of New Hindhead
• 3104 – Attends Brassneck College, New Oxford, meeting Henrietta ‘Hetty’ Conyngham
• 3107 – Graduates with a Blue in Ultra-Cricket, and a place at the Royal Naval Academy. “Oh, and a degree in something or other. I would have to check my notes.”
• 3210 – Commissioned as Sub-Lieutenant Blakenstoke
• 3228 – Successfully completes tour of duty, retaining a commission as a Cdr in the RNVR, and begins a Civil Service career
• 3230 – Begins a round robin of posts on Evangelou
• 3234 – Assigned to Q7 as Deputy Governor
• Late 3234 – Assumes acting Governorship Q7