Southern Cross Who's Who - World Powers

Wyatt Moran
Prime Minister of the United Earth Government
Birthdate: 1968

Wyatt Moran was the protege of Senator Alphonso Russo, one of the architects and leaders of the Unified World Government. Russo had been a key player in the creation of the UWG and the UN Space Command in the aftermath of the arrival of the SDF-1 in 1999. Moran's connections to Russo earned him a high ranking position as Senator in the restored UWG after the Zentraedi assault of 2011. Senator Moran was a part of the group of government officials that were opposed to the Robotech Expeditionary mission, arguing it would weaken Earth's defense should another alien invasion occur. One of Moran's allies was Anatole Leonard, leader of the newly formed Army of the Southern Cross.

After the departure of the REF in 2022, Moran's group within the UWG gained ascendency and in an effort to purge the government of the remainder of their political opponents they actually orchestrated the final collapse of the already weakened Unified World Government. It was also Senator Moran and his allies who then proposed the new form for the World Government and gained the necessary support from world leaders to create the United Earth Government. When the UEG was formed, its cabinet chose Senator Moran as its first leader. Prime Minister Wyatt Moran is now beginning his second five-year term in office.

Anatole Leonard
Field Marshal, Supreme Commander of the United Earth Defense Forces
Birthdate: 1974

Anatole Leonard was part of a cabal of officers in the UN Spacy (later the RDF) with strong connections to the Unified World Government. This cabal were the guiding force behind many of the UWG's defense policies and Leonard's connections earned him a position in charge of construction of the second Grand Cannon in South America. Leonard earned the undying loyalty of his troops when he successfully led them out of the jungles after their base was annihilated by the Zentraedi bombardment, an assault that also killed his family. This loyalty was so strong that his troops renounced the RDF to form the Southern Cross militia under Leonard's command. His connections proved useful again when the restored UWG granted his militia official sanction, giving birth to the Army of the Southern Cross. Leonard led his fledgling army with great enthusiasm during the Malcontent Uprisings (his earlier losses had given him a major xenophobic streak) and earned the ASC the role of planetary defense force when the Expeditionary Force left Earth in 2022. When the UWG collapsed and was replaced with the United Earth Government, with former Senator Moran as new Prime Minister, Leonard was named Supreme Commander of all United Earth Forces, giving him command of not only his own Army of the Southern Cross but of the local militaries of UEG member nations.

Rolf Emerson
General, Chief of Staff of the Army of the Southern Cross
Birthdate: 1983

Rolf Emerson was one of the first officers of the fledgling UN Space Command. He showed exceptional tactical and leadership abilities early on and was fast tracked for a command position. His tenure as a space vessel commander was cut short by the Zentraedi invasion, but he became a dedicated and respected member of the RDF due to his efforts during the Reconstruction. Emerson saw combat again as a regional commander in South America during the Malcontent Uprisings where he became friends with Veritech aces Max And Miriya Sterling. His actions during the Uprisings earned him a promotion to General.

A career military officer, General Emerson turned down a senior role in the Robotech Expeditionary Force in order to take a flag position with the recently established Army of the Southern Cross. His charismatic, thoughtful leadership style did him well and he eventually rose to the position of Chief of Staff of the Southern Cross forces. Emerson is a cautious commander and considers all the options before committing to an action, a trait that increasingly has him at odds with Supreme Commander Leonard.

Pyotr Mikhailovich Alexandrov
Premier of the Eastern Bloc Soviet Independent State
Birthdate: 1971

Pyotr Alexandrov became premier of the E.B.S.I.S. in 2023 after his predecessor resigned due to failing health. Prior to that, Alexandrov had been a high ranking politician and diplomat who had been a key player in securing the EBSIS's African holdings at the end of the Malcontent Uprisings. His personal charisma and diplomatic skills led to the early triumph of his tenure as leader, the addition of the East Asian Soviet Protectorate to the EBSIS. His successes in expanding the EBSIS and in increasing the nation's influence in global affairs has earned him the nickname "Peter the Great".

Dmitri Alexievich Bukharin
General, Grand Marshal of the Defense Forces of the Eastern Bloc Soviet Independent State
Birthdate: 1966

General Bukharin is a decorated soldier who began his career with the Soviet Red Army serving in Afghanistan. He later served with honor commanding the elite Russian Crimson Guard unit during the Global Civil War. As a senior officer in the Russian Army in the early 2000s Dmitri was among the many Soviets who were angered by their governments waning global influence after the creation of the Unified World Government and the UN Space Command. It was Bukharin and several of his Crimson Guard allies who helped maintain order in Moscow after the Zentraedi orbital assault in 2011. His loyalty and skill earned him a senior position in the military forces of the newly formed E.B.S.I.S. and he proved his worth yet again commanding the EBSIS African forces during the latter part of the Malcontent Uprisings. Bukharin was promoted to Grand Marshal in 2020 when his predecessor was ousted over numerous failures during the Uprisings.

Malachi Kessler
Overall leader and public figurehead of the NWO
Birthdate: 1980

Kessler was a member of the UWG (part of Wyatt Moran and Commander Leonard's faction) who very publicly quit over the REF's decision to leave Earth with the fleet. He remained a vocal opponent of the UWG after that point but secretly maintained links to Moran and Leonard. He disappeared from public view after the dissolution of the UWG in 2023, at which time he created the New World Order as an underground political movement with ties to the old anti-unification groups. Kessler was arrested at the end of the NWO conflict and was imprisoned in Oslo awaiting trial, but it is unknown if he survived the later destruction of that city at the hands of the Robotech Masters.

Anthony Lykos
Military leader of the NWO
Birthdate: 1978

Lykos was born Nov. 15, 1978 making him 50 years old at the start of the NWO conflict; however he has access to the age-retarding process created by Dr. Jakob Erlich, making him physically the equivalent of a man in his early 30s. Lykos' parents were both terrorists, his father was Greek and his mother Irish. When his father was killed Lykos' mother went back to Ireland, bringing Anthony along. During the Global Civil War he joined a hard-line splinter group of the IRA but disappeared in 1999, prior to the arrival of "The Visitor". He resurfaced a few years later as part of the Anti-Unification League (where he established ties with T.R. Edwards). In 2006 he was granted amnesty and joined the RDF, though his activities are classified. Lykos survived the Zentraedi assault of 2011 but went rogue afterward. He showed up as part of Jackal's mercenary group but left sometime in 2013 or 2014 (prior to the New Toronto incident). From 2014 to 2018 he was leading his own mercenary team, operating mainly in Argentine Quadrant. When the Malcontent Uprisings started in 2018 Lykos and his mercenary group began their own covert terror war against the Zentraedi in South America. He vanished again in 2022 after the departure of the REF. It is assumed that he joined with Kessler at this point to form the New World Order. Lykos is the most senior member of the NWO to have escaped capture at the end of the NWO conflict. His present whereabouts, or even if he survived the Second Robotech War, are unknown.

Dr. Jakob Erlich
Chief scientist and weapons designer of the NWO
Birthdate: unknown, believed to be sometime in the 1940s or early 1950s.

Dr. Erlich is a brilliant but amoral doctor who performed unethical experiments on prisoners during the Global Civil War. Before his atrocities were uncovered Erlich was assigned to the international research team working on deciphering the alien technology from "The Visitor". While Dr. Emil Lang and his team focused on the mysterious Protoculture and the related mechanical and electronic technologies, Erlich focused his research into the biological technologies found aboard in the vessel's medical bays. When investigators discovered the truth behind Erlich's activities during the Global Civil War he was charged with war crimes. Before Erlich could be arrested, however, he escaped Macross Island along with the majority of his research notes. After his escape Erlich fell in with the Anti-Unification League where he continued his research. Erlich survived the Zentraedi assault of 2011 and eventually joined Jackal's mercenary crew. By this time, thanks to renewed access to alien technology in the form of derelict Zentraedi vessels left after the war, Erlich had made several amazing advances in medicine, genetics, and cybernetics. It was Erlich who was responsible for designing and inserting the cybernetic implants used by Jackal. After the dissolution of Jackal's mercenary band, Dr. Erlich found sanctuary with a group of Zentraedi Malcontents after promising to help them with their technology. After the Malcontent Uprisings, Erlich disappeared from view and linked up with Lykos (whom he knew from their time together in Jackal's crew). He is the lead scientist in the NWO's research and development of new technologies for use in their efforts. Among Erlich's notable discoveries are:

• Cybernetics: thanks to his access to remains of bioroid and android technology in the SDF-1 Erlich was able to perfect a human-machine interface, allowing him to create viable cybernetic implants.
• Biotechnology: during his time with the Malcontents Erlich was able to decipher the mechanisms behind the Zentraedi cloning chambers. While human cloning eluded him, Erlich was able to produce new Zentraedi clones. His greatest, and most heinous, success was the creation of Kam'u-Jin, the clone of Khyron who led the Zentraedi forces in the Malcontent Uprisings. In addition to his cloning success, Erlich also managed to replicate the memory imprinting technology used to provide newly created Zentraedi clones with combat skills. Erlich was even able to adapt this technology to human use, allowing for rapid training of mecha pilots and extensive brainwashing capabilities.
• Verjuengungprozess (Rejuvenation Process): while unable to develop viable human cloning technology, Erlich did manage to decode part of the Zentraedi genome. Among the traits the doctor was able to examine was the Zentraedi's longevity. Using harvested DNA from micronized Zentraedi (a process that kills the donors) Erlich was able to develop a serum to retard the human aging process and in some cases even reverse the effects of aging. The process is difficult, and treatments must be customized for each recipient, but as a result Erlich has managed to rejuvenate himself and select members of the NWO hierarchy, regressing their physical ages to the equivalent of late-20s, early-30s (Erlich himself is believed to be in his 90s but is physically closer to between 60 and 70 years of age due to his experiments). At present the process is limited due to the dwindling supply of Zentraedi donor DNA.

Dr. Erlich was captured by Southern Cross forces at the end of the NWO conflict. When news of his heinous experiments was revealed he was charged with crimes against humanity. After a trial (held in Perth for security reasons) Erlich was found guilty and imprisoned in Oslo. He was released into the custody of Dr. Lazlo Zand at the Robotech Research Facility during the Second Robotech War because his expertise was required in the analysis of Robotech Masters biotechnology. Both Erlich and Zand were believed to have been killed during the final Robotech Masters assault on the Research Facility at the end of the war.