Clan Spirit Cat IC Roleplaying Thread

[Marlin]

OOC: could the 2 above posts be deleted?

IC:
Location Classified
April 3070

"Ah, Selina. It is a pleasure to see you. I hope you kept your skills?"

"My Khan, I am honored to finally meet you. Of course I have tried hard to maintain my skill and that of my Warriors, but it is not that easy. Are there any news from the Homeworlds?"

Andrea West shook her head. "Not much. Certainly nothing that points towards a major move. I hope it stays this way. Other than the Blood Spirits and Ice Hellions, there were not much dealings as well. The deal with the Vipers is complete. My hope is that Zeta and Overlord can make good use of the diverse designs we gained. Or not. Perhaps they must follow us?"

Selina Fokker, saKhan of the Spirit Cats, nodded thoughtfully. "We will see in some weeks, quiaff. But I would argue that there can be no other outcome than victory. Sledgehammer will be a success. The state of our Watch however, is still worrysome and I have to support the Loremaster Morris' sentiment to put much more resources into that, especially if we are to keep what we gain."
She gazed at her Khan, wondering if she did not already had ordered such.

"I agree. However, we also have few personnel that can be trusted with this task, add to it that most Warriors view it as disgraceful. There is at least now increased resources for this and if all goes well, it will double or triple over the next months. If we stumble over too much enemies however, then we have much greater problems anyway."

Selina bowed to her Khan's wisdom. "You might be hungry, shall we go to the mess? The Warriors here would certainly be delighted to see both their Khans at once.", she offered. It was around noon and usually time to eat and indeed, both Khans together was a rare opportunity. It might raise morale and spirit of the Clansmen, not only the Warriors.

"Agreed, perhaps there would be even real food to be eaten, or at least Inner Sphere rations?" Andrea grinned. It was a fact that the Clan rations were horrible, anyone with the ability to taste something else knew that. "And make sure, a VidCam will be there, the others shall get pictures of us. Mute, only when I say otherwise. Our time is still precious."

They moved on to the mess. Both were attractive women, Warriors, although Andrea was a MechWarrior and Selina a Fighter Pilot, the size difference was not that huge, as Andrea was not excessively long, while Selina was not the shortest of Pilots either.

Their time in the Inner Sphere also had given them time to learn more about manipulating others, be it via strong powerplay or the more seductive way, which helped with the non-Warrior Castes, who were still bound to families and less free than the Warriors.

To keep the families intact was a major part of the Khan's policies, the many moves the Clan had endured depended on the Castes and their welfare. Dividing family units were fostering discontent, so only volunteers could be moved with ease. It was part of living years within the Terran Hegemony, that so harshly betrayed them. It was also the reason why the Visioneer Movement had basically been brought to impotence. Only few visioneers remained and mostly outside of the Clan, an example being the one Warrior that went to the Blood Spirits. The visions had cost the Clan not only their standing in the Grand Council, but made them traitors once. It also cost them a saKhan and his Keshik against the Scorpion scum. They would be dealt with when they had built up sufficient power.

When the two women arrived, the lower Caste cook hurried to get them a proper meal, a Vidcam recorded them, floating around so that all could enjoy the view, while the attending Warriors were visibly pleased to have their Khans around. Of course, they could not prove their worth as Warriors immediately, but when talking about their deeds, they made sure to speak up a little bit, so that the Khans might hear. Only few Warriors dared to sit with them, however, mostly of high rank and the Khans exchanged some words.

Both seemed well informed about the codices of their interlocutors and if one was not firm in the grip, the other would step in. If there was praise to give, it was given, the cook for example did a great work, but if there were reproach or even harsher criticism to give, it was given. The Khan decided which was to be recorded for all, and not every high-ranker went away with a chin up.

Several waves of people ate with the Khans, whose desks were empty from food soon enough, replaced with sheets and Compblocks.

The session lasted long and the next days and weeks would see repeated instances of this.

[Marlin]

30 June 3070

*static*

"My Khan, Andrea, this is Selina. I have found the last unit and we are obliterating them." *cluster bombs in the radio* "Direct hit, mop them up! .. We got them. The lower castes here do not seem to make much trouble out here. I see you soon. SaKhan out."

Andrea West listened and was content. As content as one could be after what had happened here. They had lost the "Blade". The "Principle" was seemingly salvageable. At least. Those Niopsians had a bizarre society. Even now the people were streaming in to offer their services. But that was only after several riots killed the higher ups when the ground forces were destroyed.

The next phase of her plan, however, was already set in motion. Most troops would not stay here, infact, they would go after even worthier and more rewarding opposition.. not that it would go easier, though. It might get more brutal, after all those were upstart ex-Pirates as their neighbours, the Canopians had already seen. It would be done, however.

[Marlin]

"Star Admiral, Ground sent us data. It is about "belters"."

The Admiral looked up: "Belters? Not unlikely. Do we know their exact whereabouts? If not, start scanning the area and prepare some ships. We need to keep them in check. I assume the Khan already knows about this?" He nodded on the answer.

"Then move some ships and Marines there. Stay alert. Normally, belters are far away from their groundbound Hosts, but Niops might be different. If you make contact, inform me and the Khan, we will know what to tell them."

And thus it was done. The new "Aria" was sent along with two Jumpships and their Dropships to investigate what those belters were up to. If they cooperated, there was no problem. If they had closer ties to Niops then expected, there would be more deaths...

[Marlin]

(By Cannonshop.)

Comms Intercepted, NIOPS Belt, 3 AU from NIOPS IV...

"...goldskins are under different management, they've got the lower orbitals and the bottom of the Well pretty much dogged down."  Curufin Fingol sat in his prospecting singleship, and listened to the chatter on the common side-bands, but this distracted him from the latest hobby-coding.

"What?" he asked, "Somebody fill me in-I've been J-tracking a lump of Plat."

"You've had your nose into a Plat-Rock? Finagle's lucky balls, man, we're Murphied!  The stupid damn flatlanders got involved in a war, now they're occupation territory, and the invaders have the Zenith and Nadir sewed up, with a Neutrino-detector and deep-radar sweeping for any jump sig bigger than an Explorer class-word is out that the damn Goldskins just signed up under their command, too."

"So?" Curufin asked, "Flags change, so what?"

"Difference between a fine for smuggling, and getting airlocked." Melisande "Morgoth" Jinnao was a recent immigrant, "Clanner laws are really, really, really flatlander." she added, "They're big on zero-sum accounting too-no more AnCap free markets, I'm packing to head out before their new garrisons get here."

"How're you doing that with all YOUR shit, given they have the big points covered?" someone else on the band asked.

"Planet Four's coming into phase, there'll be a decent size point forming in a few weeks, should be stable for most of the month-check these numbers."  she replied, "better than hanging around waiting for them to put a leash on me."

"You know, you sent that in the clear-they know about it too, now." Curufin commented.

"Who cares? the point's forming in a rockpile, and flatlanders can't Math their way out of a survival sack." she said, "I'm not handing over my property that I worked and sweated and almost died to build, to a bunch of dirt-living socialists with delusions of destiny-it was bad enough in the Lyran Commonwealth, where they at least pretended to believe in property rights and free exchange."

[Marlin]

4th January 3070
Office of the Commander
Katyusha City, Strana Mechty

The final Phase of Operation "Ides of March" was now on. All forces were in place as was reported to the Khans. The Tau and Chi Galaxies would be swarming Lothario and Lordinax, supported by Beta Naval Star, while Xi and Theta would go after Leximon. Omicron and 449th and 489th Assault Clusters from Alpha would take on Blantleff. Some Clusters were held in reserve to support either attack.

The Hammerstrike however, would be at Alphard proper. The final Recon and Intel results made a successful invasion plausible.

Nova Star Keshik, Delta, Sigma, Omega, Eta and most of Ice Claw Galaxy supported by Alpha, Delta and five Clusters of the Aerospace Enigma Galaxy would overwhelm the defenders, making this attack the defining moment of the whole Operation. Of course, the Khans were not stupid, would the Caesar or whoever with Command capacity offer reasonable terms of surrender or even integration, they would think about it. The Hegemony's history and style, however, made that rather unlikely. Only when it was decapitated was there hope to go on with an orderly integration. The Cats had a bit of advantage in this as they already had lived in a Inner Sphere society, even the lower Caste members. It would work.

The Aria and Melusine, both ships captured/reclaimed in the already infamous Battle for Niops had been scouting several systems in the meantime, now they were supporting the Operation as well.

Thanks to the strategic mobility by the Cats, the Marians would have no chance, even if they could hold up, or perhaps even throw back one of the invasions. Reinforcements would be swift and decisive, while taking away much of the infrastructure and power of the Enemy. The Khans knew that this was a huge operation, covering nearly as much material and Warriors as 2 or 3 Invading Clans had used in the beginning of Operation Revival. It would make or break their legacies. All hinted to the former.

And it would create a new realm in this sector of space. One which the Terrans and all their bootlickers would have to think twice about attacking.

If all went as planned, the FWL would have to finally show its true colors. If they wanted Illyria, they would have to actively attack and take it. Probably claiming protection against the Cats. This was fine. Anyone could see what was up. But with the Cats covering their backs and not having a WoB outpost threatening their Periphery, they could weather this storm much better than before. Especially with the Clans moving from the Coreward.

Galaxy Commander Maximilian Guerette pettet his Space Cat again as he thought about this. She was pestering him today all the time, perhaps she wanted back into space? But her purring was calming him down as he hoped that the Great Spirit would guide his brethren through this time. The Spirit Cats would survive and thrive. Here or there.