Yang Thomas

Yang Thomas was a human male born in Tharsis City, Mars in 2097. As a child Yang became heavily invovled in the Martian independence faction, known as Red Fist, beacuse of his parents, who were both founding members of the group. In 2123 Yang led a small group of revolutionaries into hijacking the Weyland, causing an interplanetary diplomatic incident between Earth and Mars. Yang demanded that Earth recognize Mars as an independent military power before he would release the Weyland. The UN was prepared to destroy the ship along with the passengers when the Somakians suddenly invaded the solar system. During the Survival War Yang led a militia fighting against the Somakians on Mars. After the war and the formation of the Alliance, Yang was pardoned for his crimes and became Mars' first Senator in the Alliance Senate, where his policies were focused mainly on the Martian terraforming project. Yang died of natural causes in 2205 at the age of 108. In 2212 a bronze statue of Yang was erected in Independence Square in Tharsis City, and his contributions to the planet are taught in every Martian school.