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Ebner von Braun is the assistant leader of the Knights of the Teutonic Order, and a main villain in the Copernicus Legacy series. He is a programmer, astrophysicist, and assistant to the Order's Grand Mistress, Galina Krause. He aims to lead the Order on its quest to find 12 relics that, when put together, form a powerful time machine.
Biography
The Forbidden Stone
Ebner von Braun first appears at a Polish seaport, where he meets Galina Krause. Galina, Ebner, and some men later fly to Germany and ambush relic Guardian Vogel. During the fight, Vogel uses a glass paperweight to smash Ebner's temple, badly injuring it. Ebner realizes that Vogel threw a USB in the fireplace, which he attempts to grab. However, he burns his hand in the process and learns that Vogel sent the info to his American friends, the Kaplans.
Ebner later appears at a remote Order station located in Iceland. He chats with programmer Helmut Bern, who has just finished building a tracking computer for Ebner. Ebner proves his dominance over Bern by forcing him to drink a bowl of water he has been nursing his burnt hand in.
Later on, Galina and Ebner follow the Kaplans, who are investigating Vogel's death. The two use Bern's computer to track the family to Vogel's grave in a cemetery. However, the Kaplans have already been there and stole a key relating to the 12 relics.
Ebner later visits Galina in her French base, where he reports that the Kaplans discovered the truth about Copernicus and the 12 relics, and they have the help of the Guardians. She becomes even angrier when he says that the hitmen sent after the Kaplans have been killed by Guardian helpers. A few days later, Ebner reports to Galina in an Italian penthouse. He prepares her jet for their flight to Guam, where they discovered the relic is.
In Guam, Ebner uses Bern's tracking computer to find the Kaplans, who are getting help from the local Guardians. Galina and Ebner follow the Kaplans into the jungle, where the Kaplans are searching for the relic, named Vela. The Order is eventually able to corner the Kaplans in the cave with Vela. When the family refuses to give up the relic, a battle ensues. Ebner tries to retrieve the relic but ends up smashing his forehead on rocks. He then tries to shoot Becca, but partially misses when Galina tells him the relic will shatter if she drops it. Ebner retreats, along with the Order, by boat when they realize the Kaplans have won this fight.
Wade and the Scorpion's Claw
Ebner appears in a video conversation with Galina, where they discuss their next moves. His head bruise has substantially healed since the last book.
The Serpent's Curse
Ebner goes to meet Helmut Bern and Galina at the Copernicus Room, a massive station in Spain that functions as the Order's HQ. Galina has succeeded at capturing Sara Kaplan, the mother of Wade and Darrell. They plan to send her back in time using the Kronos machine (a replica of Copernicus's time machine) and find out about the astronomer's life. Ebner protests to the idea, saying that the Kronos machine is unstable and can lead to accidents in the space-time continuum. However, he is forced to give into his mistress.
Ebner deploys Archie Doyle, an assassin, after learning that the Kaplans now have the help of a Guardian in searching for the Serpens relic. Doyle ends up killing that Guardian but fails to kill the Kaplans. A furious Galina has Ebner go with her to remote Russia, where the original Kronos machine is. They eventually reach the base, located at Greywolf Castle. Ebner has Bern start reprogramming the machine, and he helps the Order wheel in Sara, their prisoner.
Darrell, Becca, Dr. Kaplan, a Russian officer Guardian, and Guardian soldiers make a plan to storm Greywolf and rescue Sara. Ebner has Bern release wolves around the property and sends Order soldiers to keep the castle safe. This fails, though, and an epic battle follows. Darrell is able to find the Serpens relic hidden underneath the castle. They enter the top room, where Bern is about to activate Kronos and send Sara back in time. An armed Ebner blocks the entrance and tells the Kaplans to surrender. Just as it seems all is lost, Becca is able to knock out Bern, while Dr. Kaplan attacks Ebner. Ebner attempts to shoot Sara but ends up shooting his own foot in mistake. Becca throws the Serpens relic down the stairway, taunting him; he goes after it but gets tripped down flights of stairs by a soldier.
Ebner finally reports to Galina, who is in Istanbul for cancer treatment. He suffers many injuries from the battle of Greywolf and now uses a cane. He gives Galina the good news that he has Serpens, and Archie Doyle has been deployed again to kill the Kaplans. A proud Galina compliments her assistant as the two walk off their boat,
The Golden Vendetta
Ebner and Galina coordinate a suicide plane attack on a Polish castle where Copernicus worked. The resulting explosion destroys the castle and reveals the framework of his time machine, which the Order begins excavating. Galina's cancer causes her to faint in Ebner's arms, much to his shock. He calls for a medic, who takes her to an Order clinic in East Asia.
Physical Description
Ebner is a middle-aged German, with pale skin, balding hair, and a weak chin. He is often described as a gnome or troll, due to his pale complexion and bent way of standing. He uses thick glasses and, later on due to injuries, a cane. His right temple bears a large scar from getting hit with a paperweight by a Guardian. His left hand bears burn marks.
Personality
Ebner is a ruthless and effective leader who will stop at nothing to please his mistress and lead the Teutonic Order on its quest to find the 12 relics. He is quite evil, taunting Darrell when he tries to rescue his mother, and also shooting Becca's arm with a crossbow. He can be seen as an example of the "evil German scientist" trope.
However, he has a sympathetic side. It is strongly hinted that he is the No. 2 Order leader because he saved a young Galina's life. He misses his great-uncle; he wishes to "toast to power" with him, hinting that he had a strong relationship with him. Galina and Ebner's relationship is also strange because he feels in debt to her, and serving her is a way of making up this debt.
Trivia
- He often wears bow ties
- He has sustained many injuries throughout the series (getting hit on the head with a glass paperweight, burning his left hand, smashing his forehead on rocks, shooting his foot, and getting tripped down stairs) but has managed to survive despite his age