Jeremy Rankin
Character Profile
| Name: | Jeremy Rankin |
| Date of Birth: | |
| Service: | Aerial Corps |
| Rank: | Captain |
| Nationality: | British |
| Billets: | Loch Laggan covert, captain to Levitas New South Wales, captain to Caesar |
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 known or much cared what happened to Rankin for some time after this.
However, Rankin was later sent to New South Wales and was given the command of an egg. He arrived on the HMS Beatricce just after Laurence and Temeraire arrived, and at first refused to speak to Laurence. Jane Roland wrote that she hoped he drown before he got there, because he only got the chance at this second egg because his family, with their connections, appealed to their Lordships. She contrived that he must have the first egg they had out of Arkady's feral band since he had experience with them in the field.
The egg hatched into Caesar, who (like his sire, Arkady) wanted a very rich captain, so Rankin suited him fine. Ironically enough, Rankin's relationship with his new dragon was much healthier, as they were of similar temperament.
