Jeremy Rankin

Character Profile

Name:	Jeremy Rankin
Date of Birth:
Service:	Aerial Corps
Rank:	Captain
Nationality:	British
Billets:	Loch Laggan covert, captain to Levitas

Biography

Jeremy Rankin came from a noble family and a long line of Aerial Corps captains. A younger son of the Earl of Kensington, Rankin was a tall, blonde man, always impeccably dressed and with a gentleman's manners. He was supposed to be next in line for Celeritas, but the Yellow Reaper couldn't stand him. He harnessed a Winchester named Levitas, whom he treated abusively, thus proving himself no gentleman at heart.

He initially befriended William Laurence after Laurence was treated coldly by other aviators. Laurence noticed that Rankin was treated similarly, and believed Rankin's noble birth was the cause. However, once Laurence discovered that Rankin's treatment of Levitas was the reason for his unpopularity, he regretted befriending Rankin and distanced himself thereafter.

Rankin did prove himself useful in one regard: he was able to give Laurence advice on where to buy jewellery for Temeraire in Edinburgh. He told Laurence that it is amazing how jewellery restores a dragon's spirits, saying that whenever his beast became sulky, he would bring him a bauble "and he is at once all happiness again; just like a temperamental mistress."

It is not known how Rankin came by this information, as certainly he never bought any "baubles" for Levitas. He may have been quoting another captain and only pretending to Laurence that he was referring to his own dragon.

After Levitas died at the Dover covert from an injury following a reconnaissance mission, Admiral Lenton chose to send Hollin - on Laurence's recommendation - to harness a Winchester about to hatch rather than to place another dragon in Rankin's hands. It is not know or much cared what happened to Rankin after this.