Zachary Colson
| Zachary Colson | |
|---|---|
| -2667 | |
 Zachary Colson in 2666 | |
| Callsign | Jazz |
| Place of birth | Kansas City, North America, Sol System |
| Place of death | Ayer's System |
| Allegiance | Terran Confederation, Society of Mandarins |
| Service/branch | Terran Confederation Space Force |
| Years of service | 2654-2667 |
| Rank | Major |
| Battles/wars | Operation Crusade |
Zachary Colson started his service life as a young, inexperienced pilot on the TCS Austin. He was given the callsign of 'Jazz' from being a musician and was known to perform on the TCS Austin, playing the piano.
Colson later transferred temporarily to the TCS Tiger's Claw along with Etienne Montclair. Even at this point, Colson despised everyone on the Tiger's Claw.
In 2656, Colson betrayed the Confederation and leaked the coordinates of the Tiger's Claw to the Kilrathi in K'tithrak Mang, as the Terrans were planning to destroy the Kilrathi's Sector Command HQ in the system. The Kilrathi ambushed the Tiger's Claw with a flight of Strakha Stealth Fighters, destroying the vessel and killing its entire crew. Colson subsequently framed Colonel Christopher Blair, one of the only survivors of the attack with allowing the Claw to be destroyed. To ensure his claims of stealth fighters remained unfounded, Colson stole Blair's flight recorder disk, making him a scapegoat and forcing him off the frontlines for nearly a decade.
Over ten years later, long after the destruction of the Tiger's Claw, Colson served on the TCS Concordia. By this time, Colson had secretly joined the Mandarins and began a campaign of betrayal and murder. He sabotaged ships, transmitted information to the Kilrathi, and planted explosives on the Concordia's flight deck.
Eventually, Colson's betrayal was discovered when he revealed that he knew more than he should have about the Confederation's operation in K'tithrak Mang. He attempted to kill Colonel Jeannette Devereaux but was forced to flee the Concordia when Devereaux disarmed him. Colson subsequently fled on an F-57 Sabre but was swiftly shot down and captured by fellow Concordia pilot, Christopher Blair. When Blair confronted Colson as to why he betrayed the Confederation, Colson explained that he believed the Goddard colony and his brother would have been saved if the Tiger's Claw hadn't detoured to attack a Kilrathi troopship. Colson had then sworn to kill everyone who served on the Claw, and confessed to being responsible for the death of Mariko Tanaka.
At his military trial, Colson was convicted of murder and high treason and was sentenced to death. The TCS Bastille was to transport him to the TCS Alcatraz, which would then take him to Earth for his execution, however, the Mandarins freed him while he was still aboard the Bastille. Colson took refuge on the Mandarin bas of Ayer's Rock but fled in a F-95 Morningstar when Blair, as part of a Special Operations group, destroyed the base. Blair eventually tracked and killed Colson in 2667.
Zachary Colson as seen in Super Wing Commander
