Out of Darkness

==Description by Author==
I started this as a short story about the Not-Named Clan the moment I read about it in the Stackpole novels. I liked the concept of what they could be and where the story canon for BattleTech could go. Short story turned into a book, written and rewritten many times. As the Canon of BattleTech has changed and I have had to change the timeline of my story many times. Eh, such is life.
==Story==
===Prolog===
"Those who break faith with the Unity, shall go down into darkness." - IlKhan of the Clans, Nicholas Kerensky 
--------
Year 2826 
The World of Santiago
Deep Periphery..... 
Gerenal Sarah McEvedy watched as the troop transport hover carrier came to a halt with a small cloud of dust twenty meters from her. The hands of her guards tighten around your arms, even though her hands were bound with a zipp tie around her back. They did not care that her arms were covered in burn wounds from the fires that engulfed her BattleMech hours beforehand. Pain shot up her arm as the tie dug into the burn just above her wrist. She winced at the pain and tried to move her hands around to get the tie to settle to where it would not dig into the burn. But the more she moved, the more the men tightened their grip. Looking up at the man holding her right arm she knew him from his father. 
"You are the son of Colonel Aaron Rayson, I know you, I knew your father. He would be ashamed at your actions her Captain." 
"I would hold your tongue General, if it was me I would have shot you and left you for dead in the 'Mech of yours." 
"I am Khan boy, and you should address me as so. All of you are charged with mutiny against me the Khan of Clan Wolverine and going against everything we have stood for since the beganning of the Star League, since the founding of this clan!" 
"You will not win over any supporters here Sarah, your mutiny and cowardice act has lead us to our actions, you should do well to shut that hole in your face." Sarah turns her head to the man who had a sub-machine gun pointed at her. 
"Commander Johanssen? how could you join these traitors? You served in my father's Division, your family has served the 331st since its inception." The old brawny man walked with a limp, his advance years of eighty seven left him out of the front line forces of the clans new toumans, but he was still a skilled MechWarrior, a gunslinger of the 348th Light Horse Regiment. His balding head was shaved and the sun of the Santiago system was kept off his head by a bandana tied tight around the top of his head. An old MechWarriors jump suit was zipped open and tied around his waste, the rest of his upper body was wrapped in white cotton cloth, blood could be seen seeping though the cloth just below his left shoulder. 
"I'm an old horse General, and I know evil when I see it. I saw it on the battlefields of New Vandenburg, on the worlds of the Rim Worlds, the Terran Hegemony worlds, and on the soil of Terra itself. And I saw it in the footage of the Blast the destroyed the 2nd." 
"That was a mistake, and was not" 
"Save your words General, I know what I saw, and I know who I follow now." 
"Who is that the madman's kin? The Raven? She is ever her cousin's hammer, yet a devoted zealot now that will kill us and dement all that the General Kerensky envisioned." 
"How dare you speak his name," Jasmine Romanov stood only five feet six inches tall, her seventy-four years did not show in her athletic frame, clad in the black MechWarrior leathers of the infamous 13th Royal Highlanders Battlion. The Samurai trained woman wore the two swords of the Samurai in a silk sash she had tied around her waist. Her aid, Kashi Takeda, son of the famed Kenjiro Takeda, swordmaster of the School of the Five Rings was at her side along with the elder spymaster and retired Colonel Thomas Maassen. He walked with a cane, the bulky air-cast around his right leg showed that it had been broken. Jasmine walked over to where the last of the Wolverine warriors under the command of McEvedy had been held for the past few hours. Grabbing Sarah by the neck and picking her up off the ground, a shot of pain shot up both of her arms and tears started to now well in her eyes, looking down on the shorter woman, Sarah could now see the grey-green eyes of Jasmine up close. 
"My how you have fallen General. Strike that you don't even rate that honor, your father was a General, and you are just a worm who basked in his honor and name for decades. You are no longer having the right to speak my uncles name, or the names of his family. And you" Jasmine walked to the other kneeling warriors stopping at the ebony skinned man in the flightsuit of a aero-fighter pilot. 
"Captain Jimmerson, we fought along side each for a long time my friend, through the Exodus War, and the Liberation of the Pentagon worlds, how could you join her? After all that we have built here you join her in her treason?" 
"I am not ashamed of my actions Colonel Romanov, the Ways of your cousin's Clans is not what the Star League was founded on, we fight as freemen, and your cousins actions are not of the Star League or the House of Cameron. We swore an oath Colonel." 
"As you did with my cousin, directly to his face, and on the name of his father." 
"No Colonel, he favors the lapdogs, and would take what is rightfuly ours." 
Jasmine's head snapped to the fairhaired woman now standing beside McEvedy. Jasmine stormed over to the woman waving off the guards that came to make her drop back to her knees, Jasmine took a moment to stand there staring into the light blue eyes of the broken woman. Jasmine's hand thumbed the hilt of the twelve hundred year old samurai sword in her sash. Knowing full well the "Blood Drinker" itched to taste the blood of a traitor. 
"Oh and the so called Khan here? She is the pillar of strength you cling to? She stood before you with Hallis and promised they only wanted to protect the Wolverines, and what of the Wolverines she and saKhan Hallis deemed not loyal to their cause, Commander Buckler?" "What about them? Star Colonel Aaron Rayson dead, his X.O. Captain Jackson Hammerick dead, Captain Kendo Date dead, what about them?" 
"They died fighting so we could excape." McEvedy said as she tried to draw Jasmines attention away from the confused Commander. 
"NET!" Jasmine shouts, waving off the ex-Khan's words. "Baited like cattle they were Commander Buckler." Jasmine could now see the worry in Star Commander Roselyn Buckler, "Thats right Roselyn, they were used as a decoys and the main force to crush the Snow Ravens, and when the Snow Ravens fled leaving their Civilians to the whim of our troops they were then told to holdfast. And like good soldiers following saKhan Hallis' orders they did." Turning back to look at Sarah, Jasmine pointed, "You didn't give them the whole truth McEvedy, spilling venom in the ears of the Clan. Promising those that did not want to leave, could join another clan if they did not want to join you in your Exodus out of clan space. Did your tell your followers how you sent me and my warriors on a wild goose chase into the Unexplore region in search of a derlict ship you claimed had the Star League core on it and would help the us in the future. And then lying to me when you said you were going to abide any ruling the Grand Council might pass." 
"Jasmine, Please." 
"No Sarah, you tell them, you tell them how you had that jackel of a man Hallis plant a Nuclear weapon on "Old Hennessy's" battletank. How you had the 2nd Wolverine Guards holdfast in the Snow Ravens city after they had cleared it. How your man wait until Star Colonel Hathcock had come to reinforce Colonel Rayson and then detonated the bomb killing all of the warriors you knew did not back your move to take the clan rogue." 
"Generaal!??" a tall and lanky man said with a thick southern accent. "Is what she says true? You killed dhem? You killed our own men?" 
"No Captain Robertson, they had betrayed us, they were planning to exchange the city for their own freedom. Leaving us to fight the Clans alone." 
"Oh when was this Sarah? when they found out that you falsified the bloodhouse votes? Or when you took the clan rogue knowing full well you would have been challenged for leadership of the Clan if your crimes had been found out?" 
"Its not like that.."
"No Sarah," Jasmine now grabbed the hilt of her sword and Takeda followed suit. "No more lies Sarah, I know everything, I know of Khan Karrige's promise, I know the deal you made with him, and I know he was lying, he played you Sarah, he played you for his own ends, and his clan was set to gain the most from our destruction."
"Maassen." Sarah looked to the very old and war-warn man. "I commend you Thomas, you, you served Aleksandr very well, and I see you have now used your gifts to help her."
Thomas Maassen smiled and then blinked at the ex-Khan. "If you knew the things I knew General you would not have done this, but the wheel has spun and your fate is set, nothing can change that now, I'm too hold to place my faith in a pebble." rubbing his hand "Tell me Sarah, did you cut Captain Bremman's throat or did you have Hallis do it?" 
Shouts and yells came from many of the warriors who had backed Sarah McEvedy's Mutiny as well as the warriors of the 13th Assault. Jasmine waved her hand to calm the shouting match and sooth the discord that was building. 
"I see you traveled to the Sphere,"
"Aye and we freed compatriots"
"You released the dregs of the Combine, what did you offer them Sarah? If they were to fight for you? Money? Power? Did you tell them who you really were? Did you make contact with Blake's men?"
"We only freed men and women falsely imprisoned on a Combine world," 
"From the very world were we General Kerensky placed the supporters of Amaris" Jasmine began to bite on her thumb. "Tell me Sarah, did you find the Star Charts?"
"What Star Charts?" 
"Dont lie to me Sarah, ill rip apart your 'Mechs, dropships and soldiers to get them. I know thats why you attacked those worlds, and I know thats what you were searching for. Did you give the information to Blake's men?"
"I don't know what you are"
"No, we were attacked before we could give them the information" interrupts Roselyn
"Dont Rose," McEvedy tried to lung at her underling.
"No Sarah, your plan felled, and now we may lost everything." Roselyn turned to Jasmine "Its not just the Blake's men, Sarah has the Star Charts leading to a New Inner Sphere. A cluster of worlds behind the great astroide barrier."
"The Rainbow Bridge?"
"Aye she has the Star Charts leading the way through the field, we were going to start a new Inner Sphere there." 
Shaking her head McEvedy, shared at Roselyn in discussed. 
"I should have left you on Circe, you little rat" 
"You should have not lied to us Sarah, you said Colonel Romanov had backed the Bloodhouse vote, and agreed to the return to the Inner Sphere."
"Enough of this, Sarah McEvedy, daughter of General Livingston McEvedy, Khan of the Clan Wolverine, I here by strip you of your title and rights of a Clan warrior. I hold you in contempt of your duties and the leadership of the Clan, you have only ever cared about your own well being and not of your Brothers, I hold you as the ringleader in the murder of twelve bloodnamed warriors and the three hundred and fifty-seven souls that perished along side them on Circe. How do you plead?" 
"You have no right." Sarah demands
"I have every right, as the acting Khan of the Clan Wolverine, elected by the remaining members of the Bloodhouses of the Clan, my word and rule is the law of this Clan. Those here that are found to not have been directly involved in the Treason brought on by McEvedy and her cohorts Franklyn Hallis, Hector Ebon, James Bremman, Mary-Ellen Wainwright and Henry Benedict, all those found not having any knowledge of McEvedy's actions shall be giving full pardons and shall be demoted to the rank of Star Commanders and MechWarriors, each shall be placed under detentional probation, and actions of these warriors not becoming of a Clan warrior will be excuted on sight under General Order 137." 
"YOU HAVE NO RIGHHH.." McEvedy's scream was cut short at the flash of a blade in the gleam of the Santiago sun. At first, no one saw the motion just the blur of the black leather-clad Jasmine. She had stopped her motion in a downward postion, her action having been flawless and direct. Sarah McEvedy tried to step forward but her body went limp, and now that her head was no longer connected to her body it fell forward and her body just seemed to drop backwards landing with a thud and a cloud of dust, a blood trail streamed away from the arch of the blade. 
Five more people under testimony of witnesses met the same fate as Sarah McEvedy. Their bodies left to rot in the sun of the Santiago system. Khan Jasmine Romanov ordered a gather of the Bloodnamed warriors left alive, they could not return to the clans, and they could not return to the Inner Sphere. They would travel into the darkness.
===317 years later....=== 
Onboard the "Ragnarok" 
Unmapped Recharge Point 
Midway, Deep Perphery 
11 August 3143 
Khan Nathan Johanssen looked with confusion as he watched the battlerom of the Warhammer IIIc and its actions on one of many holotank displays in the command center of the Carrier class ship Ragnarok. One of the largest star faring vessels in known space, it displaced nearly seven million tons, and could carry up to twelve dropships and a galaxy worth of aerofighters or OmniMechs. Power is the word the builders used to describe what it would be needed for. A small city within the darkness of space itself, with a crew over twelve thousand in number. Its design was not like any of the light bending capable ships of the day. With rounded edges and a very smooth silhouette. Instead of a solar cell screen used to gather the energy of a nearby star, the skin of the carrier ship was made of a light sensitive metal that was used to absorb the energy and store it in the ships batteries. 
	In the corner of his eyes, Nathan could see a figure walk up to the side of him and waited for him to acknowledge that they were there. He turned his head and waved off the salute. 'In the field salute me Rachel, not on the bridge.' Nathan wanted to say to his aide. Her neatly pressed uniform was light grey trimmed in darker grey. The Insignia of a Fearsome Lion above five ebony black stars adorned the upper right breast of her flight jacket, her rank insignia were pinned to the collars of her jacket. Star Colonel Rachel Maassen descended from a line of very wise and cunning warriors, and in her time as part of the Alpha Galaxy, she had seen many years of raiding in the Henseatic League and Pirate domains had made her into a battle harded commander. For the last fifteen years, she had been Nathan's aide, as well as acting X.O. of his personal Command, the 42nd Stone Lion Guards. Her curly brown hair fell over on to her shoulders like a thick wave of brown chocolate. 
"She is a warrior of some exceptional skill my Khan." Rachel said with a small grin. 
"And the fact you suggested her to Galaxy Commander Romanov, shines her pride, aye Star Colonel?" 
She looked down for a moment and then tried to formulate a response to his remark, but he just smiled and stopped her from having too. "Madalynn is uncanny and dangerous MechWarrior, her skill with a 'Mech is unhuman, but her leadership skills and ad-hoc tactics are very dangerous though she does get results now does she." 
He looked back at the holotank, and pondered the outcome of the fighting on the small world owned by the outcastes of the clans, They called themselves Clan Smoke Jaguar in exile, and where commanded by a wayward Khan Franis Howell. His bidding was horrible, and his actions on the planet where even worse. 'I hope these are not the clansmen that I will be forcing into a fight.' 
The Warhammer IIIc piloted by Star Colonel Madalynn tore apart a 'Mech that the technicians called a Striker, a 75 ton 'Mech that was filled with munitions style weapons, a true assault 'Mech, the pilot was not using his or her 'Mech to the advantage. Auto-cannon shells hit the ground before and after the Warhammer IIIc but never came close to hitting the 80 ton Warhammer. Madalynn's salvo of Particle Projection Cannons, filled the chest of the Striker with blinding white light and the Striker responded with a quick jaunt and then fell over forward, plowing into the soft brownish-orange covered hillside. The Smoke Jaguar would soon call no joy and yield the field to Madalynn before she would kill him. 
"She collected 7 kills in that engagement, my Khan." Maassen says with an arrogant tone. 
"Yes and three of there Omnifighters, Star Colonel Devereaux was a little annoyed that she took the kills before her star could get their to engage. I am sure I will hear an ear full from the Commanders of Beta Galaxy at the debriefing." 
	
Nathan hit the button that then changed the image on the display of another 'Mech in combat. The slender looking 'Mech had an almost alien look to the rest of the 'Mechs in the engagment. It's armor had a high polish giving it a bright silver glow, and it had the form of a female rather than the boxy image of a normal 'Mech. Standing just around twelve meters high, the shoulders of the 'Mech erupted as the extended-range large laser fired. And then the four arm mounted pulse lasers fired, and seem to countinue firing non-stop as the lasers peppered a Stormcrow until its leg joint gave way and sent the 'Mech tumbling sideways into a hillside. 
"I am glad Madalynn took Star Captain Date to be her X.O. I think she will be just the sort to balance out Madalynn's maverick approach." 
"It is a good match my Khan, both trained under Master Takeda, and both are very skilled with those swords of theirs." 
"Very good." Rachel watched as the Khan's eyes followed the female looking 'Mech of Star Captain Jillian Date. She had watched him for 15 years now, everytime while viewing the battle-roms of old, and the ones of battles of the day. "It looks like Tech Struas' 'Mech design is fairing pretty well, how many operational 'Mechs were brought along with us?" 
"30 fully operational Raven mark twos, and 50 with only base armor and no weapon configurations." 
"Have Captain Date and Hennessy reported on the new computer system that was developed for this 'Mech?" 
"The targeting and heat management systems work up to the ninety percentile. But the radar jamming system was only hitting 70%, the Techs have been working on it since this mornings battle, and have changed the wave variants and compressions. Looks like they have it up to par and will be ready for the assault of Dennison." 
"Very good, Colonel." 
"The Daughter reported in minutes ago, my Khan." 
Nathan snorted quietly at the use of the Honorname given to the holder of Jasmine Romanov's bloodlegacy, she was a Ristar of some reknown, and was the leash holder of Madalynn. Ivanova Romanov was only 
25 years of age but was a great leader of warriors. He would have liked to hold her back for a few years before unleashing her and her new Galaxy. The Zeta Galaxy was made up of green troops and the newest blooded warriors of their army. 
"And she reports?" 
"The Smoke Jaguars are done, it would seem they are not the powerhouse that was reported years ago by the spies that went to the clans and Inner Sphere. We have seen better showing from the defenders of the Hanseatic League troops." 
"These Smoke Jagaurs are whipped dogs, and hallow bonesmen." 
"What?" 
"Nothing, Star Colonel. What is the status of the planet?" 
"They only had three clusters my Khan, and it would seem that they may have only been clusters on paper but not in force. Their elementals carried the battle into their base but were no use against the 
Diarillium armored Elementals of the 13th Assault Cluster. Ivanova reports the capture of the head of the Smoke Jaguars and a number of bondsmen. Except for the 2nd Jaguar Dragoons, under the Star Captain Mercury Osis this was a token fight I believe, my Khan." 
"Have my shuttle ready I will meet with these leaders. Give me a full readout of the numbers of their troops and lower caste, and I want a report from Tribal Leader Gorrgus," 
"Are we to take them as orphans?" 
"We will take the worthy bloodnamed and add them to our forces, the rest will be bondsmen." 
----
The base that the Smoke Jaguar Khan Franis Howell used was a dug out cave in the limestone hillside in the northern tip of a continent named Dizzy's Dire Downs. Baked by the sun and covered in red and brown sand. Khan Nathan Johanssen looked like an oddity as he walked along with his honor guard and officers of the Stone Lions High Command. He was bred for size, one of the Stone Lions to be bred with stolen technology from the clans. The Loremaster of the Lions was a stark contrast and an elder female warrior of an elfin genome, She stood a little over a meter in height, her oriental features could be seen in her face. Long white hair was braided down her back, she wore a simple kimono and trousers. Looking more like a civilian than a warrior, Gia Miyamoto gave off the sense of great wisdom, and many of the high ranking officers of the Lions had come to her over the past 40 years of service in the role as Loremaster. Bred to pilot the ProtoMech, at a time she would have given any warrior their weight in trouble on the field. On Nathan's left was the petite MechWarrior, Galaxy Commander Ivanova Romanov. She wore a grey MechWarrior field jumpsuit zipped to the middle of her waist and then the sleeves tied around her waist. Her left hand and wrist were bandaged, a precaution the med-techs called it. The unit and rank insignia were adorn on the black beret atop her head. The t-shirt she wore had a picture of a winged-warrior woman carring a sword and spear. Her hair was jet black and her piercing green eyes scanned the cave as they entered. She curled her nose at the first scent of the Jaguar stronghold.
"The first star of Elementals reached this point when the Smoke Jaguars began to disregard their own safety and started shooting in all directions, Star Captain Freda lead the charge in and took down at least 2 of their star-points by herself my Khan." Ivanova states.
"Such valor, Commander Romanov," Nathan could see the expression of displeasure at his remark "I'm sure she will be able to recover from her wounds." responds Nathan
"Honor she has heaped apon the 13th my Khan, even with the Jaguars using 'Mech lasers in their final defense of the cave, she charged them regardless. She will make a brave warrior for the House of Johanssen my Khan."
"Aye, Star Captain Freda has spent the last 10 years, with the 2nd Rangers and their raids into the Hanseatic League, and Tortuga Dominion, and much honor she has won for herself, though I fear she is waiting on a select bloodlegacy, she had passed on 8 different bloodname trials in the last 10 years." 
"I'm sure she will have to settle soon, 35 years of age is getting long in the tooth for a non-bloodnamed warrior to stay in front-line duty." 
"Maybe when I'm dead she will honor me by taking mine, eh?" Nathan nudged her with his elbow. Ivanova gave him a small smile, and then folded her hands across her chest, finding it hard to hold them there with the bulky bandages. Nathan could see the look of displeasure on her face. She had not met the battle she wanted. 
"Your 13th did not face many 'Mechs in your battle Commander, I'm sorry you did not get to blood your warriors." 
"Maddie" Ivanova stopped herself seeing that she used the nickname for her friend "Star Colonel Madalynn won the bidding for the right to attack the 2nd Dragoons, it was her honor. I won the bidding to take down the Smoke Jaguar Head Quarters, I think I will need to find away to promote Star Captain Date. Madalynn is either learning or gaining the Date streak of luck I assume," 
"Yes and I see that she made a name for herself in that battle, Commander" he slowed his pace as they reached the frist door in the cave leading into a room carved right out of the limestone. "I received much grief for letting her test out of her sibko early so she could make this crusade into clan space." 
"I know her father was weary about letting one of the youngest of their line join the army for this Crusade. Though I think she would have just destroyed the sibko if she was left there, even at the age of 17 she is formidable my Khan, the Jaguars were stunned when it was she who addressed them as the Star Colonel that defeated them." 
"Madalynn is vicious, unabiding, and far too deadly to be let out of this war. From the battle-rom reports she and her star took on much of the fighting themselves. Her brother on the other hand, he is as cold and calculating as she is, but in him is the patient that wish Madalynn would develop." 
"I still think it will be hard for Richard to lead the Crusade without the Clans. Are you sure your friend within the Coyote can get the needed votes to bring us back into the clans?"
"My friend will get us the floor of the Hall of Khans, then we will need to win them over. Now the rest of your report?"
 
"Yes my Khan, when Madalynn's star took down the 1st of their scout 'Mechs the rest kept to the code, they met a force of two trinaries in strength, after the loss of the unit commanders the rest of the Jaguars called 'No Joy' and did not bother to even retreat."
 
"Honorable. And of this phantom elemental force?" 
"Damn devils in the flesh my Khan, their skill in their obsolete battle-armor is most impressive. And the leader was a hard man to bring down, he killed Star Commander Jimmerson before the rest of the elemental force could reinforce the position, if not for Colonel Madalynn's will and tactic he would have won the day for his Jaguars." 
"But not the war." Nathan smiled. 
"Aye, my Khan." 
-----
They continued into the room that was carved out of the limestone cave. Upon entering the room they met the gazes of many darkened faces. A large man of Elemental blood, stood as they came into the room. His left arm in a sling, he raised his hand to salute the Khan. But his hand was met by one of the much larger Neo-Elementals of the Lions breeding programs, and was told to place it back at his side. Making him scowl at the guard. The rest of the Smoke Jaguars in the room that could stand, soon stood as well to meet the leader of the military force that had came and conjured their little conclave of outcasts.
"Greetings warriors of the Smoke Jaguars, I am Khan of the Clan Stone Lion, who is the ranking officer here?"
A man of small build, and wrapped in bandages over his arms and shoulders. His drained face showed signs of life as he spoke. "I am Star Colonel Agustus Stiles, I was XO to saKhan Even Howell. I would be the ranking officer, Sir I am confused," the mans forehead curled as he asked his next question "Stone Lions? there is no Clan by that name, has a clan been renamed in the years we have been stuck on this world?"
"Stuck on this world? We have been monitoring this world for many years, and have our own people who have lived among the tribal people of these world for a long time. We known you have settled on three different worlds. And we know you have three operating jumpships that brings your raiding parties to and from known space. I am sure all of you have questions. How is it we knew how and where to attack you, if we have taken over the other four conclaves you have tried to build on Gilmore, Titus, Dennison and New Ivverson. But I prefer to be blunt about it. We are the Not-named Clan." 
A look of horror filled their faces as the Khans words hit home in their hearts. Almost three-hundred and fifty years ago, the Clan Wolverine was struck down as traitors to the new society that Nicholas Kerensky formed. 
"You lie." Agustus says with venom in his voice.
"Oh you would think that, but I do not lie." 
"The Ghost Bear Curse." a female in the group said. She had Alburn hair and wore a ratty looking MechWarrior jumpsuit. 
"You are," Nathan returns 
"Star Captain Samantha Wimmer, late of the Smoke Jaguar Iota Galaxy and last of the Wimmers in clan space." 
"You are correct Captain Wimmer, we are of the descendants of the Wolverines that escaped from clan space. From what I am told, the clans thought it was only a 2nd line cluster that left, truth be told there was a full Galaxy of warriors, and a troop transport 'Devenshire'. And a vessel owned by the Devereaux family given over to the SLDF for the Exodus, and claimed by the same Devereaux that became one of the 800."
"We should kill you where you stand." said the dark skinned elemental. 
"And I bet you could Star Captain Osis. Mercury Osis is it not?" 
"Yes false Khan, I descend from the lineage of Franklin Osis founder of Clan Smoke Jaguar, I am the holder of his bloodlegacy." 
"After the death of Lincoln Osis on Strana Mechty? Tell me Mercury, are you trueborn or freeborn?"
 
They looked puzzled, this man claiming to be of the Not-named Clan was full of information that did not seem possible for them to know. How is it they have so much knowledge, when the clans do not even know they exist. 
"I am the Freeborn son of Tibious Osis, who was produced from the genes of Lincoln Osis in 3072, You have a great deal of knowledge, false Khan," 
"False?" Nathan half chuckled, and then said in a stern tone "At least my clan can defend itself when a challenger comes calling, except for your show of great skill Captain Osis, the rest of your lot would have been destroyed, you gave in too quick, whipped dogs are you, not the great warriors of the Smoke Jaguar." 
An insult hit home of many of the warriors there, and it looked as if Mercury would jump out of his skin if he could get a chance to attack Nathan. Folding his hands across his chest, he paced before the table that was between him and the captured warriors. He lowered his head and then began to rub his chin, brushing the goatee he had freshly trimmed that morning, he looked to be pondering a decision, one that had kept him awake deep into the nights, leading up to this short battle with the defenders of Midway. 
"We have taken the 42nd Jaguar Fusiliers on Gilmore, the 22nd Fallen Dragoons on Titus, and the 2nd and 3rd Jaguar Guards on Dennison. We will be making a raid onto New Ivverson within the week. Of the Galaxy worth of 'Mechs and machines your so called clan owned we have taken. And I will give you the same speech I gave those captured Jaguars." Nathan turned so he could look straight into the eyes of the bondmen Jaguars. "A warrior once said that given a second chance in life a soldier may redeem themselves, and make a better showing, having learned from their mistakes and misguided theories. If beaten and broken, a warrior could stand and make the enemy learn next time to not leave the field of battle without making sure that his enemy could not make war again." he turned to Mercury. 
"Colonel Manford Clayborne of the Kentucky Regulars said that nearly four hundred years ago to General Aleksandr Kerensky on the eve of his final attack on the Amaris Compound. And is it true enough, for in the beginning of that war the Regulars where crushed, nearly killed to the last man, save for the Colonel and his lance of four 'Mechs." Nathan leaned down onto the table, looking into each one of the captives eyes. "My clan has a total of thirteen bloodname houses, being that 7 of those bloodnamed warriors were stationed in the 13th Assault Cluster. The command of Star Colonel Jasmine Romanov. Two other houses came to us by way of two bloodname warriors that commanded the one warship 'Bannickburn' and the jumpship 'Jocasta's Dream'. The rest of the bloodhouses are from the sibkos that Jasmine's people where able to save from the birthing labs on Circe before the attack by the wolves and those who were not apart of Khan Sarah McEvedy treason." 
"May she burn in hell." -whispers Ivanova. 
Nathan looks back at her, with a matter of fact look on his face. Knowing full well that it is the House Romanov's custom, when the name of the traitor is used. 
"But my clan needs you, though you are few. We are of the same ilk. Both of us live outside of the clans but we do live as a clan. We are on a pilgram's Crusade to rejoin them." 
"You wish to join the clans?" Osis says. 
"It is a honor debt that the Children of Romanov must fullfil and now is the time for us to do that. Long ago, at the onset of the trail held to bring the Traitor to justice, IlKhan Nicholas Kerensky sent Jasmine Romanov a coded message telling her what was to come and to get her loyal troops out of harms way." 
"You lie." 
"ENOUGH!!!!" Nathan screams slamming his hand down on the stone table breaking the table top in half. Sending a chill thought the captured warriors, even the bulky man of muscles Mercury Osis takes a step back at the inhuman display of strength. 
"I don't have time for your pitiful and blind hatred for me and mine, I understand it has been bred into you for your entire life, but we are not the enemy you presume we are. This will be explained to you when we indoctrinate you into our clan. Or, if you insist, you can die with the rest of your pathetic brethren. Each warrior will be made clear of the history of the Stone Lions, and then given the chance to become a warrior again, or you will be regulated to the lesser castes. Any warrior not wishing to be given this second chance at a warriors life and death will be offered a quick death. Do you understand this, warriors of the fallen clan?" 
A quiet resounding 'yes' came from the captured warriors. 
------
Onboard the Dropship Savanna 
Attached to the Carrier Ragnarok 
Pirate Recharge Point, The Dire End 
24th August, 3143 
Star Colonel Madalynn's dorm room on board the 'Savanna' was sparce. The floor was covered with fur-skin rugs of many different animals native to the cluster of worlds surrounding the Stone Lions home planet of Stonehaven. The main room had two metal seating chairs and a couch covered in black leather cushions. Madalynn sat in th dark, watching the position trials of the newly captured bondsmen, on a holodisplay unit that was on her table in the middle of the group of chairs. The short clip she watched was of the man called Mercury Osis, he was not the same size as the neo-elementals the Stone Lions could breed, but his skill with an Elemental battle armor was remarkable. The many years on the world of midway, fighting the bandits, and dark caste rogues honed him from a early age. She then hit a button that flipped over to the bio sheet of the elemental man.
 
'Born in the year 3103,' 
"Hmmmm" Madalynn thought in her head to count how many years of age he would be. 
'Ahhh he is old, but he was orphaned into a life as an outcast when he was 13. Yet he has come out of it shaped into a good warrior.' A chime came from the wall monitor letting Madalynn know that a person was outside her door requesting admittance. She hit the close button on the holo-display unit, and then stood up and started to head to the door. 
"Lights" she commanded. 
The lights came on slowly, and then burst into a blinding brightness. Letting her eyes adjust to the light she walks over to the door. Pushes the button that would activate the doors automatic hydraulics. The door slid up into the bulkhead of the dropship. Letting the light of her room flow into the dimly lit corridor. Waiting outside was her commanding officer Ivanova Romanov, Star Colonel Danetta De La Vega, and the X.O. of the her unit within the Clan Stone Lion, Star Captain Jillian Date. De La Vega was a small woman who show signs of genetic manipulation in her eyes and build. Bred to pilot the Omni-fighters and aero-fighters, her golden yellow eye color gave her an almost alien look. Jullian Date descended from a oriental bloodline, her jet black hair was braided down her back in a long pony-tail ending at the small of her back. Date carried two swords tucked into a sash she wore around her waist. One long about a meter in length, slightly curved the other smaller and about one third the length of the longer one. 
"Good evening Commander, come in. Colonel De La Vega, Captain Date"
As the three women came in, Madalynn directed them to the chairs and couches. Letting them sit first she then touched a button on the table, and a plate in the table slide over and a small kettle and group of four glasses slid up thought the whole in the table. The aroma of the tea in the kettle started to fill the room. Madalynn lifted the kettle and began to pure tea into the small cups and passed them to each of the fellow officers. She then sat on the couch which she shared with Date. 
"Commander, I want him." 
"To the point as always aren't you Maddie." Commander Romanov smiles and sips on the tea. 
"My unit did capture him commander, and I believe I can take him as ransom." 
"I know the customs Maddie, and I do believe you could use the Jaguar, many within the touman wish to take this Osis as Abtakha, and I have been giving some thought to adding him to your Pride." 
"The 'Mechs under his command were sheep, I plowed though them with little resolve, yet this one man and his tactics held up the star of elementals that faced him. Even with our advanced technology, my elementals face a hard target and the damage he inflicted with his obsolete weapons was quite stunning. I wish to parleyor him if I have too, I think I could use him as my field captain for my infantry, seeing that he killed the Star Commander of my elemental force." 
"I concede this fact Madalynn, Star Colonel Rebecca Jenkins and Donavon Turnbull also covet this warrior. And you know how much the Turnbulls insist on using infantry forces in their make of units. Actually using them as the main force and 'Mech and OmniFighters as the secondary units." "I can see Turnbull having a valid fact for wanting Osis, but Jenkins has yet to even win a bidding for an assault. The Jenkins are renowned for their caution in their bidding, and their fighting." 
"Don't renounce the Jenkins just yet Maddie, they may be cautious, but they are known as the bloodhouse of jackals, not striking unless sure of a kill." retorts De La Vega. 
"All of the captured Jaguars bloodnamed have been highly contested. And the ones that show true potential have already been taking genetic samples and are being shipped back to Stonehaven for breeding." adds Ivanova. 
"I have heard that you have won a pilot of some skill Danette," 
"A good fight with Colonel Takeda, he almost had me, and I believe he would have gotten me if not for the cloud cover I could turn the tide on him, I can see why they call him 'Rock' he is truely a hard fighter. But after this year of tormenting our scouting forces we have finally captured this Janson Chrisholm and he has choosen to join us, I think the wrath of Midway will fit in perfectly with my 2nd Lion Panzers." 
"As of now Madalynn, you and three others will be vying for the warrior Mercury Osis. Do you know what you will do to challenge the others." 
"A trial of possession for one warrior, I suspect this will be how it is for many more to come in the near future." 
"I do not see it as that," responds Jillian 
"How so Captain?" 
"The fighting will soon be ten fold what it had been for the last hundred and fifty years. The raids into the Hanseatic league, the raids into the Inner Sphere. All against forces of little numbers, and 
never a full forced assault. From what we have gathered about the clans from the agents in the Coyotes, and from these Jaguars. The clans will come at us full force and with bloodrage in their hearts." 
"Then let it be, I was not bred to hide in a hole and wait my fate," 
"Nor I Colonel Madalynn, but we should not make light of the clans. Until now we have faced sub-par warriors, in sub-par machines. But the clans are not sub-par." 
"Yes they are mighty, they are well trained, and they are what stands in out way to fulfill the Great Mother's dream, but we will crush them to boot, and burn our name into their memory. Not Named Clans be damned. Jasmine chased down McEvedy into the darkness of space and crushed her rebellion, now it is time for us to return and show the clans they were wrong." 
The four warriors talked deep into the night over the matters of what will be coming to light in the next couple of months. Many of the captured Isoria from the battle with the refugee Jaguars, were talked about and many of them were dismissed from the minds of some of the warriors. While none knew of the meeting of the Khan Johanssen and the bondsmen Mercury Osis. A trial of wits the elder man put him too and soon won over the younger man's respect not as just a captured foe and the leader of the people that captured him. But as a warrior to warrior, both bred to be the ultimate warriors in hand to hand combat. It was here that the Khan confided in the young warrior of who Madalynn descended from and why she and her bloodkin would be the most important beings in clan space in time. 
"I think she sees the same drive in you she has Mercury, that is not to say you could rise up within this clan and even one day lead it. I have learned of the Wolf and of the man they took in as a bondsmen and what he did to their clan. Do not think you will be able to split this clan. For if there was a faith that we follow and believe in is this. Nicholas created the ultimate war machine in the clans, to return to the Inner Sphere and proclaim a Star League again. And Madalynn and her Kinsmen will be the beacon of that return. We of the Stone Lions have been the guard." 
Nathan was interrupted when the door of the room opened and a elderly looking man walked into the room, cane in hand. Electric Blue eyes staring out from underneath the hood of the mans cape. 
"My Lord, you should not be here." 
"Oh great Khan of the Lion, ever the protector you are." The man smiled as his body guards soon surround the table where the old man took a seat. A young aid stood behind his chair, dressed in the uniform of a Black and gold. 
"So you are the Jaguar that is spoken so highly of by the members of the High Council. I am told that you are the blood descendant of Osis, Founder of the Clan Smoke Jaguar." 
"Yes I hold the bloodlegacy of Franklyn Osis."
 
"Good, good, I too hold a famous bloodname." 
"Lord?" Nathan questioned. 
"Do not worry your mind my old friend, my bloodline has been hidden long enough in the darkness only whispered in darkened halls, and rooms. To say my name is to do a crime, when it should be blessing. Mercury Osis, late of the Clan Smoke Jaguar," 
"And who are you that your name would be a blessing to the Clans," 
"Oh not just the Clans, to the whole Inner Sphere, I am Quilliam Ian Cameron, p[First Lord]] of the Star League-in-Exile." 
"Impossible,"
Quilliam laughs. 
"Surely you who have seen so much that is impossible is possible, Captain Osis." 
"The Camerons died on Terra at the hands of the Usurper." 
"Not everything in history is how it is written down in books and datapads bondsmen Osis. Elizabeth Jocasta Cameron only 3 years old at the time and was the child of Richard Cameron II and his secret mistress Dame Elreika Orlov. And when the Camerons where gathered and slaughtered it was a Handmaiden who found the wounded child of Richard. A handmaiden who smuggled the child to safety, and then who gave the child to the only person she could trust at the time. Jasmine Romanov, the thirteen year old cadet and child of Valek Romanov." 
"The Hammer,," 
"Oh you know his story do you," 
"It was a story told to us as children, we all were. The Tales of the Liberation, and the death of the Star League. The Hammer of the Highlands was one of my favorite legends, but it's just another story of the Battle of Terra, He and his sister lead the guerilla war of Terra against the Red Police."
"And if not for that man and his kin I would not be alive today. At the end of the War, Elizabeth was hidden within the Exodus, Sister of Jasmine she was called. During the rise of the Clans she worked as a Medical Physican and was hidden further in the Clans, for only Aleksandr and Jasmine knew what would happen if ever her bloodline could be traced and the death-squads that would hunt for her. Even the beloved Nicholas would not have allowed her to live, for her blood would degrade his in the eyes of the clans. So she lived with Jasmine as a doctor and when Jasmine fled along with the loyal warriors of the Clan Wolverine, Elizabeth followed. When Jasmine formed the Children of Romanov, she brought Elizabeth before the bloodnamed warriors, and told them of who she was, and in turn each swore a bloodoath to defend the Bloodline of the Camerons. When the Stone Lions have taken their place among the clans, the Camerons will return to the Inner Sphere and this Republic of the Sphere, and take back what is rightfully ours. For the House Lords have made a mess of things far too long enough. And when the time is right, my Grandson Arthur here, will lead the Knights of Cameron back to Terra and return our line to the Throne"
Mercury looked at the young man he thought was an aid behind the 1st Lord, Bright electric blue eyes gleam in the rooms light. A stern and emotionless face was cut out of stone. A scar covered the left side of his face from hairline to the bottom of his chin. 
Bowing his head, Mercury Osis looked at his hand, and the white cord around it. He then made his hands into fists. 
"How old are you boy?" 
"I am fourteen years old, Captain"
"And you are the Cameron?"
"I am Prince Arthur Cameron, heir to the First Lord." 
"Freeborn?"
"Yes."
"You take me to Terra Prince, and I will use every bit of my ability to crush your enemies and fulfill your cause. My brethren are wrong about you, for the last seventy years we have toiled at the notion that the clans would come and save us. That we would rise up out of the ashes of the Clan Smoke Jaguar and take the fight to the very people that destroyed us. I was bred to hate the Not-Named Clan, that all of you were corrupt, but in the week I have been among you and yours, I see they are not the evil people the clans have made you to be, for even as outcasts you have kept to the ideals of Nicholas and have even improved in the way of the clan. I am ashamed to have hated you, and I will use this second chance as you call it to show the clans their folly so many years ago. If I fail, may your Jasmine punish me for eternity." 
'The converts are always the most fanatical' thinks Khan Johanssen. 
"You fight for the Lions, Osis, and when they win their place among the clans I will call on you to help me win my place among the stars." the young Cameron states. 
"Bargin well and done Prince" Mercury nods to the young man. Who returns the nod.
-----
Pirate Jump Point Alpha 
Homer, Kerensky Cluster 
18th November 3143 
The Visigoth fighter of Star Captain Vander Cooper banked hard into the wake of the unknown fighter that had emerged from one of the 7 ships that had jumped into the Homer system. The Snow Raven warrior was stunned at the turning radius of the OmniFighter the unknown people piloted. They seemed to be able to out maneuver him and his star's fighters. 'How can this be, we are the greatest naval clan in the known space and our fighters are the best in any clan, even the Clan Cloud Cobra can not match us in the field of OmniFighter technology.' 
Vander cut his thrust as he pulled away from where the new warships where, looking at them, he started to take snapshots of the fighters, and the warships so his clan would have some kind of information on these new vessels. Vander clicked to the comm-channel of his command star.
"Star Colonel Sukhanov, to 7th's Claw Trinary." 
"Go Star Captain Cooper." 
"I have a small fleet of 7 unknown warships. Colonel." 
"Do you have an identifier on them Star Captain?" 
"Negative Star Colonel, they are not Inner Sphere or Clan responder beacons, and their radio signature is near void, whatever they are using its blocking out signals near completely." 
"Have they requested a batchall, Star Captain?" 
"Neg, they look to be recharging their batteries and have sent out a halo flight of their omnifighters to suppress any scouting of their vessels." 
"I will send a message to them at once. If you can try and contact them, I want a Batchall or I want them damned."
"Aye Star Colonel, we should send word to Arcadia, the Ghost Bears are expecting their shipments from the Inner Sphere."
Vander now switches his comm-link over to a broadband to be heard by all vessels in his area. 
"This is Star Captain Vander Cooper of the Clan Snow Raven. To the unknown force. I request communication with your highest ranking officer." The open comm-links did not sound, and just rolled with static. The unknown clan did not attack them but they made sure that he and his men could not get close to the the ships. 
'Kerensky's blood, look at the size of that warship.' Vander thought.
"Captain do you see the large vessel." 
"Aye Jaleece," answering his starmate "it has to over two even maybe five million tons, to take it would make us all a Star Admiral within the year, back to the Sphere and into a frontline cluster, Quiaff?" 
"Aff Captain are we to take it?" 
"If they do not send us a batchall, we shall send them one in return for that vessel." He hits the open comm-link again "I repeat, this is Star Captain Vander." 
The channel hissed, and then a voice came. 
"I read you Star Captain, I am Star Colonel Annalissa Devereaux of the 4th Lion Lancers. Honorguard for the flagship of the Clan Stone Lion, we are not here for this world Star Captain, we are on a pilgrimage to the world of Strana Mechty. We wish to address the Grand Council." 
"There is no Clan Stone Lion Annalissa, and if you wish to recharge at that point you will need to battle for it. I have a Trinary of fighters, and will offer you them and the recharge point for your largest warship." 
"We do not need your recharge point or your trinary Snow Raven, the scales are not in our favor, thirty fighters do not equal a warship, your small fleet of ships could not hope to match ours, how do you hope to contest a recharge point when you do not have ownership of the said recharge point." 
"I am a clan warrior, and I seek combat. If anything, give me the honor of taking your head to my commander, to show them a Clan Stone Lion exists," 
"Bravo Star Captain you have peaked my interest, I will consider your offer to battle us in fair combat is worth the risk quiaff?" 
"Aff, if I could offer you more for a battle I would, my Trinary of the Raven's best warriors will have to do." 
"Your bargain will be sufficient, I shall battle you with a Binary of the 4th Lion Lancers. Will you prefer space or atmospheric battle?" 
"We shall meet you over the northern Ice Caps Lion, the Star Adders do no have a base or claim on that area." 
"Roger that, we shall meet you there in sixty minutes" 
"Bargain well and done, Annalissa." 
The skies over the ice caps of Homer were soon filled with the smoke trails of missiles and laser blasts, auto-cannon shells ripped into armor as the Lions brought the fight to the Raven, the first wave seemed to be made up of light and medium fighters. Stunning was the skill of the unknown fighters. Their moves were crisp and they showed no signs of fear in their attack on the members of his command star. Vander banked his Visigoth Fighter to get a better line on one of the lead fighters, and then he could see the fighter bank harder than him, as they both made a corkscrew whirlwind descending downward. The harness straps of his ejection seat pull tight against his chest. He lines up his targeting reticule on the Omni-fighter that his computer labels a Fireball IV. A design that had not been used since the Star League was in its peak of technology. As the Fireball cuts to the left, Vander places a shot with two of his large pulse laser across its left fusilage. Sending smoke and armor chips into the air, the Fireball wained a little and then broke to the right and up. The g-forces on the pilot must have been enormous, but the pilot didn't panic or fail in his training, hitting the air brakes and flaps of his fighter, his fighter nearly stopped in midair it looked to Vander as he banked left to avoid hitting the fighter and then cutting again to try and stay behind it. As he lost the Fireball in the gleam of the sun, he broke again, looking back down his tail end he could see the Fireball break and get behind him. The trail of black smoke from the front of the Fireball erupted Vander shook in his seat as the high power auto-cannon shells ripped apart the armor on the right side of his fusilage. Sending his cockpit into a barrage of warning sirens and red lights. 
"Blast," Vander screams.
The next set of auto-cannon shells peeled of the tip of one of his wings, and then a triplet of three emerald green laser bolts peppered the ferro-fiberous glass of his canopy, cracking it just above where the canopy joined with the cockpit. Stunned for just a moment, Vander banks hard again, throwing his fighter into a violent spin. This time it wasn't the black smoke that let Vander know what was being fired at him as he heard the auto-cannon erupt again just over his left shoulder and his Visigoth seemed to fold under the fire of the Fireball's cannon fire. As he punched the ejection button just before his fighter erupted into a giant fireball in the sky. High above the battle, his command couch sour as he saw the vision of the air-battle raging on. 
"This is Star Commander Katatus Maassen, I have dispatched the Star Captain Cooper, Star Colonel." 
"Very well Commander Maassen, the rest of the Trinary is bugging out we will give them rights to flee." Annalissa switches over to the support channel, where the rescue and savage teams where waiting for the call. "Star Colonel Devereaux to Techician Syrus." 
The comm-link filled with static then the rusty voice filled the channel 
"Aye Star Colonel?" 
"Request Search and Rescue sweep of the Ice Cap, I believe we have seven fighters down and bondsmen to pick up." 
"Roger that Colonel, Swiftwing is enroute ETA 17 minutes. Knock some Ravens out of the sky did we Colonel?" 
"Save your babble for the peons Syrus,"
 
"You don't seem to mind my bable when I'm juicing up your bird." 
"I believe it's time to cut the 4th Lancers' technicians rations for the month" 
"Babble is now offline, Colonel Devereaux" 
Annalissa smiled, they would never be fighters. The dregs of the lower castes. But they gave the warriors of the Touman more than just their labor. 
"Star Commander Maassen, do you take the Star Captain as your Isoria?" 
"Neg, Star Colonel to the clan I give my spoils." A pause, "And congratulation on the four kills Colonel. You honor the House of Devereaux." Annalissa smirked, ever the politicians the house of Maassen were. The keepers of the knowledge of the Clan and warders of the scientist caste. In the time of the Star League when the Star League Defense Force battled the Usurper's armies in the battle for Terra. Thomas Maassen was the spymaster for General Aleksandr Kerensky himself. Intelligent and resourceful, the people who have descended from his bloodline have ever been the cleverest of warriors as well as politicians. If not for Thomas finding out the plans of the traitor Sarah McEvedy, the warriors loyal to Nickolas and the clans within the Clan Wolverine would have been killed along with the rest in the annihilation of that clan. 
"It is my duty Commander." 
Annalissa pushed the throttle of her Archangel OmniFighter forward, sending more power to the engines thrusting the fighter even faster as she started to lift up higher into the atmosphere. As she gain altitude, she could see the outer layer of the worlds atmosphere coming closer and closer to her fighter as it broker through the last layer and the gravity from the planet let loose its control over the fighter. The small thrusters of that were placed in points all over the fighter jetted out air to compensate for there being no atmosphere for the fighter wings to pull against, giving the fighter the ability to move. She then hears static from her headset and then a tone of three bells, letting her know a open comm-link was being used. 
"To the unknown fighters that have fought the Snow Ravens here on Homer, this is Galaxy Commander Melena Hutchinson of the Clan Star Adders Iota Galaxy. We have monitored your battle and transaction, we demand you stand down and explain yourself for violating Clan Star Adder space."
 
"This is Star Colonel Annalissa Devereaux of the Clan Stone Lion, we have fought a honorable Trial of Possession for the recharge point and have captured Isoria." 
After a few seconds the Galaxy Commander responds. 
"We do not recognize this Clan Stone Lion, you will heave too and prepare to have you ships boarded. I claim you in the name of Clan Star Adder." 
"You can claim all you want Galaxy Commander Hutchinson, but you will not step foot on our vessels without a fight or trial of possession." 
"Heave too or I will be forced to attack you will all of my forces, we will give you no quarter."
 
The open comm-link from the main vessel now blares with the voice of Khan Nathan Johanssen. 
"Star Adder commander this is Khan Nathan Johanssen of the Clan Stone Lion, we have come here to recharge before we continue our pilgrimage to the world of Strana Mechty, we are here to meet with the Grand Counsel." 
"You are not a recognized Clan or Khan, heave too intruder."
The direct channel from the flagship to Annalissa's fighter now opens.
"Star Colonel we are a few hours away from recharge, if they attack defend us with your full force, I will send in the 3rd Hussars' and 13th Assualt's fighter trinaries for support. Your Hammer Trinary is launching as we speak. Be aware we detect three warship patterns coming from around their moon on the other side of the world E.T.A. for ships to be in range of the Mjollnir and Frostgiant are 20 minutes."
"They will not reach the warships my Khan." Annalissa responds. Then clicking over to her command channel.
"Destroy them, Star Colonel, we must make it to Strana Mechty." 
----
The battle over Homer was a quick and bloody battle, costing the Stone Lions a Destroyer class Sanddwarf and a number of fighters. But in the end, the Star Adders lost most of their air support and both of their Potemkin class warships. Which were torn apart by the Dreadnaught-class Mjolnir battleship, forcing the third Star Adder ship to ram the Sanddwarf killing all of its commanding crew. Khan Johanssen ordered it abandoned until time would allow it to be retrieved and repaired, letting it orbit the Homer moon of Hillspar. With the warships engaging in the battle the Lions launched four of their dropships, after a 4 hour burn to the world, the Lion's Alpha Galaxy under the command of Galaxy Commander Donavon Turnbull, took control over the Star Adder's conclave on the world of Homer. Khan Johanssen orders the Alpha to stay and garrison the world, along side the Kappa Galaxy as the Delta, Zeta, and Gamma Galaxies continue on to the world of Strana Mechty. Word spread quickly on the Clan Diamond Shark's chatternet of an imposing force heading towards the capital world of the Clans. 
----
On Broad the Cameron class Turkina's Pride (Jade Falcon Flagship)
Strana Mechty, Kerensky Cluster Capital of the Clans. 
2nd December 3143
The Khan of the Clan Jade Falcon stared out one of the viewport windows in the command center of her clans flagship, into the darkness of space in the distance sat a monster of a warship. Surrounded by a fleet of smaller vessels, this one she stared at looked to be the size of a small moon then a warship, almost five times longer then any of largest clan warship. Beside it floating like a alein-looking hornet was a much smaller ship but in the 3 days it had been in the system the fleet of the unknown people calling themselves a clan had destroyed one of the Clan Ice Hellions warships the Fredasa-class Swift Bait and damaged their flagship the Mckenna-class Cage's Pride. Sending the Khan of the Clans Ice Hellions, Dana Taney into a fury. Demanding that the clans as a whole destroy these 'Threat to the Clans'. Loremaster of the Clans Denise Koga bargins a deal with the unknown people for them to have safcon to the surface and a meeting with the Grand Counsel. It would take another two weeks to get all of the Khans to the Capital world and only one of the Khans froms the Clans Snow Raven and Ghost Bear would be able to make it to this meeting. And the Khans of Clan Wolf had not been in the Kerensky cluster for nearly eight years.
 
"Its a pearl isnt it not my Khan?" Star Admiral Joseph Binetti says from behind her. "Yes is it, Star Admiral, but that smaller one, the one these people call Mjolnir, it as only been in clan space for a month and has destroyed 3 warships and nearly took out the Hellions flagship." "The weapons on it are quite heavy, we judge it to be at about five hundred thousand tons to six hundred." "An what looks to be pulse particule projection cannons." adds saKhan Samara Hazen. Who walks over to where Khan Hazen and Admiral Binetti were standing. "Did you say pulse cannons?" "Yes I have the readout from the techs just now. Head-Tech Raul will be here in a few moments to give a full read out of the technology." "That must be tremendous heat build up. two bolts in the same cannon, quiaff" "Aff, and the weapon does not take long to recycle. There is technology here that has not been seen in the clans and I know of none in the Sphere." 
'Kerensky's blood if the Inner does have these weapons then my border worlds might need to be made stronger. I shall try and take some of this new technology and push my clan toward Terra.' She press one hand against the twelve inch thick glass of the port window, it felt cold to the touch. She framed the big vessel in her hand and then closed it. 'i could crush your ship stranger, I could crush it and then work it to my will, I wonder stranger do you bring honor or do you bring war'
Head-tech Raul was a old man by clan standards. his bald shaved head would not show the grey hair a eighty seven year old man would have, but the lines on his face and the red splashes on his forehead, showed he was was beyond the years of a young pup. He slid a holo-disc into the holo display that the leaders of Clan Jade Falcon gathered around. The displayed hummed and then came to life before them displaying the large vessal. It jetted out of the holo-tank like a dark green and red cloud over the onlookers. "This my Khans is the Ragnarok, thanks to Star Commander Jan, who took the pictures of the ship upclose before their fighters would ward him off, he got a picture of what would be their command center, and the emblems on the side of their vessels, a number of 6 out of the 7 here, and I am told there is another fleet one jump away from here, assuming that this is a reinforcement fleet, the Raven's also send world that they have nother fleet larger then this one that has now taken up station in the Homer system." pushing the button on his hand remote, the holotank zoomed in on the insignias on the side of the large vessal. "This here is what we can tell is the insignia of this so called Clan," What displayed on the holo-tank now in full array of colors is a greyish looking Lion standing at the edge of a cliffs edge. It almost looked like it was serveying a feild of battle below, below the lion was a line of five black stars trimmed in white. Below that was three other smaller insignias each a roman numeral for Alpha, Beta, and Zeta. And then one last symbol of an old looking Star Leagua era unit symbol. Raul zooms the holo-tank onto the last of the symbols. "This here is an old star league symbol. from what we have gathered from the archives here on Strana Mechty. It is the symbol of the 13th Royal Highlander Battlion of the Blackwatch, S.L.D.F. which predates the Exodus. A famed unit of the time, commanded by a Colonl Valek Romanov, they were destroyed by the Usurpers armies save for the retired Valek, and his daughter Jasmine, who then took over the rebuilt unit during the exodus." 
"Did you say, Romanov?" questions the saKhan 
"Yes my Khan, if our data files are complete, then thats the same Romanov family that Katyusha Romanov the mother of the founder was of and the same that was destroyed in the desruction of the Not-Named clan."
 
"This cannot be." says Loremaster Mattlov. 
"It is only data loremaster, as I can present it." answers Raul "Loremaster Mattlov," 
"Yes Khan Hazen," 
"Do the Watch still control the sercert files of the Not-named clan, and the information about the missing touman and civilian castes?"
 
"Yes Khan Hazen but you dont think these could be the Not-named clan quineg?" 
"Aff, Loremaster, and if my assumption is right, then there is gonna be war." turing to the Head-tech "Continue" 
"Yes my Khan," pushes another button on the remote, a smaller vessal now apeared. Not shaped like any warship known to man, the small vessal had now become known to all who had faced it, covered in burn markings, showing sure signs of battle. "This is the Mjolnir, from the data history files, it states that the Mjollnir was the magical hammer of the thundergod Thor, and as the Star Adders and Ice Hellions can tell you it is a Hammer. From the battle footage we have obtained, we can safey say it is a formitible warship. Esimated 40 extra range particul projection cannons and 20 of these what we can tell is pulse particle projection cannons." 
"Is is really a pulse?" asks a short woman of a mutated fighter pilot bloodline. 
"Yes Star Colonel Von Jankmon, from this" Raul starts a video file on the holo-tank," you can see that there are two bolts that charge within the duel barreled cannon, and they fire within seconds of each other. The heat build up on this vessel has to be enormous but their heat exchanger systems are clearly state of the art, way beyond anything our scientist have been able to come up with." 
"And this?" the Star Colonel points to some little dark spots on the Mjollnir's sides. "The Scientist suggest its propulsion ports, which gives the ship remarkable maneuverability, we are now trying to figure if it's a gas prepulstion or a compressed air" 
Switching the holo-tank to another video feed of a cluster of omnifighters engaged in battle. 
"Through our contacts in the Ravens we were able to get this flight recorder data,"
Zooming in the video feed to a close up of one of the Lion's OmniFighters, and then pausing the feed.
The omnifighter we have labels LF-Alpha, is a medium to heavy fighter with estimated five to seven tons of armor, and quad fusion engines upper and lower engine cells. A center fusilage mounted autocannon, and six wing mounted medium or large lasers. We have labeled another fighter of the same make LF-Beta, but it is mounted with three particle projection cannons, and look like more armor."
Head-Tech Raul continued to rattle on about the information of the technologies they had been able to inspect since the Not-Name Clan had returned to the Clans, never in a thousand years did the Clans plan or expect that a threat would come from outside of their known space. And not the hated Not-Named Clan. Had the Clan Wolf stay true to their convictions then there would be no alien war machine at the very gates of the Clans. 
"My Khan?" Malvina's attention was drawn out of her daze. 
"What is it Colonel" she snapped back. 
Jankmon stated again, "Yes, I want my shuttle ready within the hour, Has there been word from the remaining, Khans?"
"Neg, no word from the Wolf, or Ravens, and Clan Ghost Bear can only muster up a Star Colonel as their highest ranking officer in the Cluster."
"And the Jackal?"
"Khan Truscott is on world and is already gathering support if we will have to try and break the blockade."
"BLOCKADE" Malvine snorts "This is no Blockade, Truscott has spent too many years trying to conqour York, he had no stomache for true war"
"The Blood Spirits have come out of their fortified world to make the trek here to see this Clan that has sacked Homer."
I am told they have two new young Khans as well."
"The Defenders of York, Adrienne Schmitt and Dean Campbell, both earned their ranks from the Adders Trial of last year, When the Khans were killed in the frist engagments, Colonel Schmitt showed a good resolve and brought the Spirits from the Brink."
"Valiant, but they will fall soon enough, they are not what was ment to be."
-----
Hall of Khans 
Strana Mechty, Kerensky Cluster 
15th December 3143 
The halls leading to the Hall of Khans, the great meeting place for the leaders of the clans, was a drab and empty corridor. In more the three hundred years, the warriors of the Not-named clan had not walked it's hallow grounds. Flanked by a cadre of Clan Stone Lion officers, and the Ebon Keshik of the clans, the guardians of the peace within the Hall of Khans and the defacto police force of the capital city of the Clans. 
Khan Nathan Johanssen lead the way into the Hall of Khans, saKhan Gorgina Hathcock walking slowly behind him. Side by side with Gia Miyamoto, the Loremaster of the Lions. Galaxy Commander Ivanova Romanov and Star Colonel Danetta De La Vega walked in behind them. As a honor gaurd, four of the Neo-Elementals walked in behind the leaders, with Star Colonel Madalynn coming in last behind them, hooded and draped in a black velvet robe trimmed with the fur of a Stone Lions. Her twin swords would not be visiable to the Clan gaurds.
The leader of the Ebon Keshik lead the Lions to the table and chairs set out for them in the center of the large egg shaped room. Nathan looked up at the empty rows in the seating hall. Many clans are now missing from this chamber. "Oh how they have fallen" Taking their seats, only Madalynn stayed standing, while the other Neo-elementals were guided to some seats in a gallery seating area but choose to stand near the edge of the room. When the chamber had became silent, with the hammering of the gavel by the Loremaster of the Clans, Denise Koga of the Clan Coyote. 
"My Khans of the Clans, and envoys of the Khans who could not be here before us. It is with grave matter that we gather here today. Out of the Darkness has come a enigma, a ghost thought dead for many years. I Denise Koga stand as Loremaster and Oathmaster of this Conclave until justice be done, and the Ture Star League prevail, I" 
"How dare you come here Traitors!" screams an unknown voice
Sending the Ebon Keshik into an alarmed state. Loremaster Koga's head snapped in the direction of the Voice, her hand poised to pound on the podium, it was only the giant of a man standing up in the middle of the room that softened the shouting and screaming that followed the voice.
"Traitor you say," raising his hands "Not-named Clan you say, I can see you have used all of your intelligence to come up with your vile threats and dishonorible names for us, so be it. But if you think you little names is an insult to us your wrong. We held the burden, we lived with the shame or our brethren and we are here to claim the right of Surkai."
You do not have the right to that," States a warrior wearing the totem of a Cobra.
"I have lived for fifty six years Khan Cloud Cobra, and I have been in battles the same as you, I think you of the clans can afford me and mine the right to explain our Surkai,"
"And why should we take the Surkai of a traitor?" retorts the Star Adder Khan "Traitors who ambush honorable warriors and take a world without trial of possession."
"We fought a trial of possession for the recharge point, a fair and just trial. Your officer engaged us and forced our hand above Homer."
"You are a liar and a traitor, false Khan." screams the Star Adder saKhan.
A warrior wearing the totem mask of a Snow Raven now stands. "Loremaster Koga, I Star Colonel Crishom McKenna can attest to the Not-Named clan's statement, and we do have the audio and video transactions between Commander Hutchinson and them." 
"We have all heard the recordings, and their has already been a vote on this matter Khan Truscott," sitting back down into his seat, Archibald Truscott waves off the Loremasters words "And it will be dealt with in do time."
"Your more then welcome to put forth your own trial to retain you world, Khan Truscott,"
"I dont make deals with traitors."
You try and retake Homer without Batchall Khan, you'll reap what you sow."
"How dare you threaten the us, you freebirth scum."
"Us?" interjects the Khan in a blood red mask. "He has not threaten us? he has threaten you, Khan Truscott"
"Ah the whelp clan speaks, now we see their true colors."
I believe Khan Schmitt was only stating a fact Khan Truscott, but if you wish you can settle this in a Circle of Equals," adds the lone Clan Wolf warrior among the clan leaders. 
 
Archibald snorts "Colonel Kerensky, if I were to fight Khan Schmitt it will be when I take her world of York from her clan, and send their warriors to the labor caste where they belong." turning to Nathan "and the same will be for you false Khan as soon as we finish this little dramatic show" 
Nathan laughs, "Are all Star Adders as full of piss and wind as you?" 
 
Jumping to his feet once again, Archibald screams "How dare you speak to me like that, Gaurds seize him." 
Five of the ebon Keshik move quickly once hearing the order but are met by a quick and blurry image of a black velvet figure, each reeling back in surprise and horror as the singing of the metal blade of Madalynn rang out in the Hall of Khans. Three leaped backwards in pain as another 4 tried to subdue the little figure that seemed to whirl around the room like a ghostly dervish. Only stopping their advance when they saw the blade hovering above the neck of the Star Adders senior Khan. Now only the hammering of the Loremasters gavel on her podium filled the room as she tried to bring order back to the room. Truscott thumbed the dagger he had his hand on that was tucked into his waist, but dared not draw the blade, save it cause the little figure to finish their assault. 
"False Khan you will order your underling to lower their blade and give it to the gaurds you are not alloud to carry those weopons within these halls."
Nathans smirks, he thought for sure the gaurds would have slaughtered all of them then and there, it was a big chance bringing her, unstable as she is. But he knew her blades would come in handy if they would have to make a battle of it. And she preformed just as Gia said she would. Flawless.
"I say again False Khan you will order your underling to lower their blade and give their weapons over to the gaurds, you are not."
"Colonel Madalynn would you be so kind as to give Khan Truscott his life back." remarks Ivanova "Im sure he has decided to recend his order for the gaurds to seize us." 
Madalynn slowly lowered the blade, shaking it quickly to clean the blade of blood her motion to return the blade to its scabbard was quick and effortless as if it was the natural motion. As the gaurds started to walk towards the tiny black velvet figure Ivanova waves her hand "I would not do that if wish to keep your heads, Loremaster, if you please, Madalynn will not draw her sword again unless prevoked by violence or in need to defend herself. But she was ordered to defend this cadre of Lion warriors by her leader so by chain of command she cannot relenquish her weapon." 
"And who are you warrior?" retorts Khan Malvina Hazen, secertly enjoying the little figures display of cunning and force.
"Khan Jade Falcon, I am Galaxy Commander Ivanova Romanov, holder of Jasmine Romanov's blood-heritage and legacy,"
"And why are you here?"
"We of the Clan Stone Lions, the decendants of the loyal warriors within the Clan Wolverine request a Trial of Refusal against the judgement to Trial of Annihilation against us three hundred years ago. We bring evidence that Khan Sarah McEvedy betrayed us and the clans and falsely proclaimed us Indepentant from the Clans, and denied the loyal warriors within Clan Wolverine the chance to stop her treason, by way of sabotage and murder." 
"In light of this Commander Romanov, we shall need time to review your evidence and vote on if we should accept your call for Refusal. You do know that by clan law Clan Wolf has the right to continue their Trial of Annihilation against you?"
"Loremaster, as the leader of the Clan Wolf in the Kerensky Cluster I Colonel Nicolai Kerensky here by halt the Clan Wolf's Trial of Annihilation of the Not-Named Clan until the Grand Council has made its judgement, I also bring word that both of the Wolf Khans are inroute to the Kerensky Cluster and should be here within a three months time. They also bring with them Khan of Clan Ghost Bear, and representives of the Nova Cats and Sea Fox." 
"Then we shall review the evidence and continue this Grand Council when a true Grand Council can meet."
------
===Feb 20 3144===
Hall of the Clan Wolverine 
Strana Mechty, Kerenksy Cluster
20th February, 3144 
Kneeling on a cushioned mat in the over grown Greathall of the Not-Named Clan, dressed in a red blackish layered kimoto, Madalynn held her right hand on the hilt of her katana. While kneeling beside Madalynn, Ivanova was not armed and she wore a simple Mechwarrior's jumpsuit. Jillian Date wore the same style of kimoto as Madalynn tho her colors matched the greenish colors of the Clan Jade Falcon. Jillian was seated three paces behind the two women and to the left, Mercry Osis in the worn leathers of a Smoke Jagaur but witht the emblems of the Clan Stone Lion he was kneeling on a cushion mat three paces to the right and behind Madalynn as well. A small group of Clan Khans sat in chairs before them in a half circle. The Star Adder saKhan sitting the closest at the edge of the half circle to the left of Ivanova Romanov, a small cache of each of the Khans elementals sat behind the Khans, a large poration of them lightly armed. 
Loremaster of the Clan Wolf, was a sevety-two year old woman, as well as loremaster to the Clan Wolf she was also the Kerensky Bloodhouse Leader. She scanned her data-pad formulating her response to the results of the testing of the Warriors kneeling before her and the rest of the other twelve Khans there to interview the Not-Named Clan. Mariska Kerensky had been working for many years to reunite her brothern in the clans with those of the Inner Sphere that had fled with the Khan Phelan Kell more then eighty years before. After taken in more then a galaxy worth of warriors from the world of Arc-Royal, it was by chance that she was returning to the Kerensky Cluster to deliver the genetic repository of the Arc-Royal wolves to Strana Mechty. 
"Commander Romanov, it would seem that the bloodtest and geneology of your claims is correct, you do share very close gene markers with my ancestor." 
"We are of thy blood, Loremaster Kerensky"
“How is it then the Founder would let the Clan Wolverine be destoryed then, if your ansestor is the Founders' blood?” interupts Khan Beckett of Clan Cloud Cobra.
“That would be something the founder would have to explain Khan Cloud Cobra.”
“What do the founders journals tell of this link to the Clan Wolverine?” adds the saKhan of the Clan Coyote. 
Mariska looked over the excert of the journals she had read though the night before. 
“Nicholas the Founder, states he regrets having to damn part of himself with the fall of the Wolverines, but says it is better to cut the wound out of his heart, but there is no mention of the Romanov line in the journals.” 
“Then there is no true proof of their claims” states a surly looking man with flame red hair. 
“In the Great Fathers journals it does, Khan Taney” Mariska scrolls to the writings of Aleksandr Kerensky on her datapad. 
“I am glad my Katyusha's niece could join us on the Exodus, Jasmine is as strong in will as Valek, I will miss my brother, I will miss his humor, and wisdom. I do not think Katyusha would be able to make this journey without Jasmine and Elizabeth.” she then scrolls the datapad forward.Jasmine has pushed forward the jump date for her scouting mission, Katyusha wept this morning, she has not slept well at night and I fear she is hunted by the horrors of the actions on Terra. I wish Jasmine would take up a station closer to her aunt, I dont believe Katyusha would live past the loss of her beloved niece. I could use the help with the spread of this strange sickness hitting the colony .” Mariska puts the data-pad down into her lap.There are many times Valek and Jasmine are mention in the Great Father and Mother's personl journals. Katyusha mentions a Elizabeth many times as well, but there is no record in the Exodus census or Pentagon census reports of an Elizabeth Romanov.”
“Her name was Elizabeth Meacron, she was the adopted sister of Jasmine Romanov, her family was killed during the frist attacks of the Usurpers Coup.”
“Then there should be a record of this woman within the Pentagon records and even the great repository.” states the saKhan of the Clan Coyote. 
“If your looking, them I think you shall need to review all of the Clan Wolverines bloodnames,”
"That we are cousin" Mariska's light blue eyes came now eye to eye with the young but now infamous warrior Madalynn " and are you of the Romanov line as well Star Colonel Madalynn?"
"I am freebirth Loremaster Kerensky,"
"But yet your codex shows you were born from a metal womb," interjects the Coyote Khan.
"I am a freeborn bloodline, my ansetor was honored with being added to the Lions gene pool."
“Then you will be the child of Elizabeth's Bloodline, quiaff?”
“Aff, Khan Hazen.” 
“Yet your skill with a BattleMech shows your have great skill, why was the Meacron not added to the names of the 800?” 
“My great-mother was not a MechWarrior, she was a Physician, it was not until later that her skills with a 'Mech where found and added to the Clan Stone Lion.” 
“You need to refrain from using that title, you are not a clan,” retorts the Star Adders saKhan Tamara Paik.
Madalynn's hand tighten around the handle of her sword, the motion only visible to Ivanova and Malvina. Turning her head to Madalynn. She was about to calm her friend when Madalynn spoke. 
“I am a warrior of the Clan Stone Lion, you refute it, then you can meet me in a circle of equals,”
“I am Khan, you are Not-named and have no rights,” Tamara now saw another slight motion of the hand holding the handle of the anicent blade Madalynn carried. And she placed her hand on the Pistol of her sidearm.When the Grand Council meets and refuses your claim that your ansestor were loyal, ill meet you and kill you on the field, your swords dont scare me whelp”
“Your very good at goating Khan Star Adder, we can see your kind are very skilled in the use of words, I applaud you.” Ivanova watches Madalynn slide the blade back into its scabbard,But then again there will a time when you cannot hide behind your rank and title,” 
And then me and you can have a dust up, and ill help loosen your head from those shoulders of yours, freebirth.” adds Madalynn.
 Tamara sprang up out of her seat the pistol she held came out of its holster as she brought the weapon to bare of the young woman, who reacted by drawing her sword with a flick of her wrist a small metal barb dug into the Khan's hand making her drop the pistol. She moved her other hand up to grab at the barb which was sticking out of her hand just between the 3rd and 4th knuckle. Blood was now dripping from the black glove that covered her hand. In a very short moment small group of the Star Adder Elementals came to help defend their wounded Khan. Each armed with a pistol or sub-machinegun. Only the Elementals of the Ebon Guards stop the attack from getting out of hand, getting between the Lions and Star Adder warriors. 
 Gaining control over herself Tamara pulled the barb from her hand, throwing the metal barb onto the ground at Madalynn's feet. Tighting her hand Tamara knew the wound would not hamper her in battle, she wrapped it with a piece of cloth one of the Wolf aides handed her. 
“Your very good with your blades, we shall see how good you are with a BattleMech. I'll meet you in a Circle of Equals, In three days time you shall meet me on the Dusshain Bastion,” 
“I would reconmend a different battlefield, Khan Paik” the Blood Spirit with golden blonde hair retorts.
“Do not mettle in matters that do not concern you Khan Schmitt”
Adrienne Schmitt stood just over two meters, a thin frame, and clad in the crismon red leathers of a Bloodspirit warrior. Curly golden blonde hair was pulled back into a thick and bulbous ponytail, the sides of her head and face showed off a celtic style of tattooing that many of the younger Blood Spirit clansmen had been prone to get in the last two to three decades, a form of Marking, when they had preformed well in battles defending their only conclave, the world of York. 
By clan law, any Circle of Equals, pretaining to Honor, shall be faught on nuetral ground.” retorts Adrienne.The Dusshain Bastion is within your domain Khan Paik, and there by in your favor.”
“Don't lecture me on Clan law,” 
“I offer the Unityfields as your arena for this Circle of Equals, it is not on your land or the lions land.” 
“So be it,” Tamara pointed with your good handIn three days ill make an example of you and your traitorous kind.” 
 Tamara starts to turn and make her way out of the hall when she is stopped by the cold venomous voice of Khan Schmitt. 
“Ofcourse you will also give the Loremaster of the Clans a full account of which BattleMech you will be piloting Khan Paik within twenty-four hours, quiaff?”
“Aff, Khan Schmitt.” 
Tamara storms out of the ruins of the Clan Wolverine's hall her honorgaurd in tow, a scowl of hatred and discuss on her face. The last of the elementals lowered his sub-machinegun as he turned to leave the hall. Slowly the cadre of Khans and warriors sat back down and the Loremaster Kerensky, motioned for the Ebon Guards to return to their guard positions. 
Madalynn returned to her kneeling position noticing that the eyes of Khan Hazen and Schmitt did not leave her hand, still clutching the handle of her sword. She pulled the blade out of her sash and handed it to Jullian who then placed it on the ground before her. Folding her arms, instinctively Madalynn placed her hands inside the sleaves of her kymoto as he glasped onto the hidden dagger inside the left sleave. 
Unnoticed was the lower caste laborers who placed drop clothes down over the blood puddle and trail of blood leading away from where the Star Adder had been seated. 
“You may continue, Colonel Madalynn.” Loremaster Kerensky said with a more stern voice. As she sat back down onto the hand carved rosewood chair, brought over from the Kerensky Bloodhouse's gathering hall. 
Are the Star Adders always so dramatic when they are trying to goat someone into a fight?” 
Regret and annoyance is their cornerstone, ever content to live with the shame of not being apart of the Crusade into the Inner Sphere on hundred years ago” responds the Khan of Clan Steel Viper. Valarie Mercer. A woman with colbalt eyes and jet black hair, cut short just under her ears. A scar running down the left side of her face and continued down under her freshly pressed uniform. 
You had stated that your bloodline is that of a freeborn warrior line Colonel Madalynn?” 
Yes Loremaster Kerenksy, it was added to the gene-pool and there have been sibkos bred everytime a warrior has shown signs of great skill, tho the Lions have choosen not to mingle my freeborn blood with that of their greatest bloodlines, I am from a sibko bred from Tatianna Mecaron and Karill Romanov, both esteemed warriors of the Clan Stone Lion.” 
Do the Lions claim the House Mecaron as a Bloodhouse? Do they just add a Bloodhouse without the ruling of the Grand Council?” asks Khan Zason Taney of the Ice Hellions. 
No Khan Taney, Mecaron is not a Bloodname within our clan, though we would petition the Grand Coucil the honor to us with that bloodname, I believe we have other matters to end before we can bring forth that.” resonds Ivanova. 
It may be a time before that may happen as well Commander Romanov, we are to elect a ILKhan to oversee the debate of the loyatly and retraction of the Trial of Annihilation of the Not-Named clan.” adds Khan Sainze of the Clan Fire Mandrill. 
The warriors and weapons we have to contest any trial set before us Khan Fire Mandrill, the will to stand here and take verbal taunts and threats from so called Clansmen who will not back up all their talk with battle we do not. I know the Star Adders hold ill will towards us for taken their world of Homer, though their Galaxy Commander forced our hand.” 
Do you think your technologies will win a trial Commander Romanov?” asks Malvina
Negative, Khan Hazen but are desire to fulfill the oath our ansesters took more then three hundred years ago will.” 
Ivanova could see the agreement of many of the leaders of the clans with the shaking of heads and salutes from some of them, Malvina Hazen smiled at the response and shook her head in approval. 
It was a small woman in a tan uniform of a strange orgin that then stood to ask the next question. 
My question is for your bondsmen turned warrior here,” she looked over at the ebony skinned Mercury Osis.the reports giving to us, is that you are Mercury Osis, late of the Clan Smoke Jaguar? How is it a Jaguar would be in the army of the Not-Named Clan?” 
You are, Colonel Drummond, a Inner Sphere captive yet you live along side the Clan Wolf? no?” 
I was captured from a Trial of Possession, by Clan Wolf three years ago but was alloud to keep my Nova Cat heritage.” 
I was born on a world in the Periphery, a conclave taken from the Dark Caste, and it became the new home of the Jagaur.” 
 
And you are trueborn?” asks the Ghost Bear loremaster. 
Neg, I was freeborn child of Grayson Osis, Star Colonel of the Forty-second Jagaur Assault Cluster. Midway Galaxy. I am forty one years old and I have had my bloodname since the age of twenty six.” 
You win your bloodname via trial?” asks Malvina
Trial of Possession, I killed my bloodfather to attain my name.”
----
=== Feb 23 3144 ===
“Unityfeilds” Clan Blood Spirit Domain. 
Strana Mechty, Kerenksy Cluster
23 February 3144
saKhan Tamara Paik's Timberwolf, crushed the rocks and sun baked grass as she moved the seventy-five ton BattleMech forward along the barren landscape of the area of Strana Mechty known only as 'Unityfeilds'. It was here that the Clan Blood Spirit trained before the 'Operation Klondike'. The battle that would liberate the Pentagon Worlds from their greedy enslavers and warlords. 
Tamara scanned the horizon for any signs of her enemy, a warrior child from the Not-named Clan. Her meeting earlier in the morning had not been pleasent, Khan Archibald Truscott's plan was to drive a pincer attack against the wayward clansmen and take their technologies to use in the Adders bid to be the premier clan and to take Terra in a renewed invasion of the Inner Sphere with the Clan Star Adder at the lead. Not to get into little squabbles with these traitors. 
'How dare he scold me,' Tamara's mind was in chaos with thoughts of killing Truscott. It was only shaken from her thoughts of murder when the computer chimed, letting her know the communication systems were getting a incoming transmission. 
“This is Khan Paik,” Tamara responded
You have a target on the long range sensor's my Khan,” the techician montioring the engagement from her dropship stated. 
What is she in?” Tamara asked
We cannot confirm the target, there is not a very large heat-bloom.” 
'She would not come in a small 'Mech, she is insane but she is not stupid' Tamara thought to herself. 
Tamara pushed the throttle control stick forward bringing more power to the fusion rector, which added more power to the engines, speeding up the 75-ton BattleMech. Tamara could hear the soft flush of air and steam go out one of the heat-exchanger ports, and the chemical smell of coolant. A spike in one of the sensors made the console cherp faintly. 
Looking into the distance she could see a cloud of dust in what looked like the departure of a small dropship, Madalynn must have touched down there and that was the dustoff of her transport. A three bells chime came from the computer. 
Greetings Khan Paik, I see you have honored the bargain and came in a reasonable size BattleMech.” 
Its not the size of the weapon child,”
Truely, the skill of the warrior makes it thus does in not?”
 
Affirmative, and when your dead, the clans will finish what the Clan Wolf failed to do 300 years ago.” 
You will need more the words to do that Khan Paik. Lets see how well you fair.”
Aflash of metal in the sun was soon followed by the slamming of a small one meter in radius ball into the left shoulder mounted missile launcher of Tamara's Timberwolf. Sprinkles of metal shards, littered the ground infront of her. And Tamara could see that much of the armor covering the canopy for the luancher had been damaged and splintered from the gauss-rifle shell. The assault was heavy and unexspected, but Tamara kept the heavy Timbe Wolf up right and moving.
 
She looked back and forth from the outside to the monitor of your scanners trying to see any signs of the warrior Madalynn's BattleMech, it wasnt until she came over the rise of a small hill that she could see the strange looking BattleMech. Not waiting until she got a lock-on tone from her computer she sent a flight of missiles streaking across the little valley at the enemy. Ending with a pummeling of dirt and rock, sending dark smoked and dust clouds into the air, the missiles had no effect on the BattleMech her computers labeled a 'Warhammer'. Having the same double barrel arm mounts, and humanoid chassis. The difference was the big fan like finn coming out of the top of the 'Mech, giving it the look of a ancient warrior only scene in video-roms of the 20th century. 
-----
Madalynn pressed on the left foot-petal turning her 'Praetorian' back in the direction of the awkwardly bouncing Timberwolf of Khan Paik. Placing the targeting recticule on the right side of the 75-ton BattleMech. Madalynn returned fire with both of the extra-range pulse particule projection cannons mounted in the left arm of her 'Mech. All four of the super heated plasma bolts met the 'Mech in the middle of a turn, one hitting the right mounted missile pod, one on the right torso, and the other two sailed off passed the Timberwolf. 
Black smoke was not trailing away from the Timberwolf, as the plasma bolt on the torso boiled away armor, and sending cherry red droplets of metal to the ground below. 
Two violet beams fired from both of the Timberwolf's arm mounted weapon pods hit the Praetorian's left torso and upper shoulder. Scarring the diarillium armor and peeling away the black paint. 
A high pitched tone from the computer let her know that one of the light-guass rifles in the right arm had recycled and was ready to be fired. Tabbing the controls of her control-stick she sent both of the Ferro-titanium shells in quick sesseion, one hitting the freash armor of the Timber wolf's right mounted missile pod, the other bouncing off the ground before the 'Mech, smasking into the lower bird like leg, dinting the leg armor and splintering off a large chunk of ferro-fiber armor.<b
The Timber Wolf stuttered a moment and then turned its torso at Madalynn, slowing for just a moment, then firing with both missile-pods. The air between the to 'Mechs filled with the pale white smoke as the more than forty meter length missiles burned their way across the field toward Madalynn. Trying to squat her 'Mech behind the ridgeline as best she could, the Praetorian took more then fifteen of the high power warheads to the left side of her 'Mech's torso and arm. Sounding like low pitched thuds, the armor on the left upper side of the Praetorian was not pocked marked and the armor was now showing signs of weakening. 
Looking at her monitor, the damage indication showed that only 15% of the armor was damaged on the torso and shoulder, and 8% of the armor on the arm was damaged, but there was a 10% weakening of the arm actuator. 
As the Praetorian walked out of the large cloud of dust
------
Out of the Darkness
Out of the Darkness