Khudabadi Ketkar was a major in the Indian Para Commandos and the first Polemarch of the International Fleet.[1] He was first introduced in Earth Unaware.
History[]
Earth Unaware[]
Major Khudabadi Ketkar requested that Wit O'Toole help train the Indian Para Commandos. Before the training, Ketkar bet that his men could beat the Mobile Operations Police in a game of capture the flag, which would be 300 PCs versus 30 MOPs. The winner would have to clean the latrines and mess hall during training. Wit O'Toole took the wager with Ketkar.[2]
O'Toole, with the help of his new recruits, was able to infiltrate Major Ketkar's base. Pinetop was able to clear the way for Wit and the others to go into Ketkar's office. Ketkar was not surprised to see Wit O'Toole, and knew that O'Toole was lying to him about the supposed scuffle his top officer had against the MOPs in the hallway. After talking with Ketkar, Wit O'Toole put a spider round on his chest while Lobo used the speaker system to provide a distraction for escape using a premade speech by Ketkar.[2]
The MOPs training in India.
After O'Toole damaged three of the Indian PCs vehicles and successfully took the flag back to the MOPs' camp, Ketkar went to the MOPs' base to talk with his men who were hanging out at the camp after a hard fought battle against the MOPs. Ketkar would not allow the MOPs to pay for any of the damaged vehicles and was suspicious about O'Toole's claims that his team was not able to successfully capture the PCs' flag. In the end, Ketkar decided to call the game of capture the flag a tie before training with the MOPs began the next day.[2]
A few months later, Wit O'Toole requested the help of the PCs in Indonesia to help control the terrorist group known as the Rémesh. The Indian PCs were unable to donate troops to the effort.[2]
Earth Awakens[]
Ketkar encountered Wit O'Toole again, when he, Mazer Rackham, and Captain Shenzu came to India to develop a counteragent. Ketkar greeted them after they were held in a government safehouse for several days, and then he explained India's idea for persuading China to accept India's help. Ketkar would need Shenzu to speak at a press meeting to encourage China after they had displayed the counteragent. Ketkar then took Wit, Mazer, and Shenzu to see Dr. Pavar Gadhavi, who had developed a counteragent. Gadhavi showed them a successful test for the counteragent, and they quickly discussed production of the counteragent before starting to prepare for the press conference.[1]
The next day, Ketkar held a press conference at an empty hangar. Ketkar spoke first by expressing the usefulness of the Indian PCs before giving the stage to Dr. Gadhavi, who taught everyone about the counteragent. The stage was then given to Shenzu, and the press conference quickly ended after Shenzu was done speaking. After the conference Ketkar returned to his office, where he had e-mails from several different careerist officials and one e-mail from Ukko Jukes saying, "Well done."[1]
Ketkar worked with Ukko Jukes to arrange himself to become the first Polemarch, which was announced by the Secretary General Silva several days after the war ended. Ketkar was to be in control of construction and maintenance of the International Fleet's military forces.[1]
The Swarm[]
After three years as Polemarch, Ketkar was informed of the Formic activity on Asteroid 2030CT. He sent a recorded message to the crew of the Gagak, which had discovered the alien dome on the asteroid. He announced to them that the ship would be commandeered by the International Fleet and used to investigate the Formic asteroid, replacing the current captain Arjuna with the Fleet's ensign on the ship, Imala Bootstamp.[3]
Later, Ketkar sent an email to Imala, reaffirming the International Fleet's control of the Gagak and any findings it came across. He told Imala to prevent Edimar Querales from posting her information on the Formics on a public forum.[3]
Ketkar followed up this email with another, confirming Edimar's findings that eight Formic warships were headed into the solar system from both ends of the ecliptic. He commanded Imala to fly Victor Delgado to the Formic-occupied asteroid with a Quickship, conscripting him into the International Fleet.[3]
Ketkar had an Ansible conversation with the Hegemon Ukko Jukes on the topic of interchangeable parts on ships in the Fleet. Ketkar wanted exceptions for vessels or weapons with unique purposes, but Ukko said that if it couldn't be shared with other warships then it wouldn't be made, threatening to remove him from his position if he did not accommodate this into his designs.[3]
Ukko communicated with Ketkar once again, reprimanding his order for the Gagak, a civilian free-miner ship, to investigate the Formic-occupied asteroid 2030CT. Ketkar thought that Ukko did not understand the situation, as he had never held military command.[3]
Ketkar disagreed with Ukko Jukes that the International Fleet should be divided by attacking outside the epileptic, as he felt the strategy would leave Earth vulnerable. Jukes wanted someone who would be willing to take action and urged Ketkar to resign. Shortly thereafter, Ketkar left the office of Polemarch, causing the Rear Admirals to have more control.[3]
Personality[]
Ketkar was often arrogant, going against the orders and wishes of the Hegemon to act out what he thought was correct. This ultimately ended up in his removal from his position as Polemarch.[3]
Trivia[]
- Known email addresses:
- ketkar%polemarch@ifcom.gov[3]