Rankin family

The Rankin family were English nobility. They once kept their own dragons, four or more generations ago, before the private ownership of dragons was abolished in Great Britain and all dragons were inducted into the Aerial Corps as "property of the Crown".

In the early 19th century, the head of the family held title as the Earl of Kensington. His third son, Jeremy Rankin stated that the family had "always sent third sons to the Corps". Jeremy Rankin's grandfather was the first captain for Celeritas, suggesting some disruption of the direct line of primogeniture in the intervening generations. Celeritas' second captain was another Rankin, presumably one of Jeremy Rankin's uncles.

The Rankins had considerable political influence and Jeremy's mother was able to keep him at home longer than was customary for young aviator candidates, which was later blamed for giving him "strange notions". In the normal course of events, Jeremy Rankin would have inherited his uncle's captaincy but Celeritas rejected him, retiring from active service to become a captainless trainer at the Loch Laggan covert.

Celeritas later told William Laurence that Jeremy "ought never have been an aviator, much less a captain". However, at the time, Celeritas did not voice his objections; Aerial Command reassigned the boy to become a courier at age 12, giving him a Winchester whom he named Levitas.

After Levitas' death, which was partially attributable to culpable neglect, the Rankin family again used its influence on Jeremy's behalf to get him a new dragon. Jeremy was sent to New South Wales and given priority for the eggs that had been sent with Laurence on the HMS Allegiance. The first hatchling accepted him, though it rejected his proposed name of "Serenitus" and insisted on naming itself Caesar instead.

Nothing is currently known of Jeremy Rankin's two older brothers, or any nephews who might supply the next generation of aviators from the family.