Clan Grand Council #3: The Great Refusal
Clan Staff Meeting Shelton*
* According to the Uniform Naming Protocols, all Clan Meeting numbers were replaced with names of townships in the ancient North American nation of the United States. From 2930 to 2965, all clan meetings were named Springfield
<recording begins>
ilKhan Lincoln Osis: Trothkin, I stand before you today humbled by the events that have occured this past year. Truly, Clan Smoke Jaguar has suffered at the hands of the Inner Sphere barbarians. This "Hollywood Writers' Strike" has totally ruined my weeknights.
Khan Vlad Ward (Wolf): ...wait, what? What about your entire Clan getting routed from the Inner Sphere somehow faster than their JumpShips could've travelled?
Khan Marthe Pryde (Jade Falcon): But not as fast as we kicked the Steel Vipers out!
Khan Bjorn Jorgensonssonsson (Ghost Bear): Boo-yah! In your face, Snakes! <to Khan Din Steiner> No offense.
Khan Din Steiner (Cloud Cobra): None taken.
Khan Asa Taney (Ice Hellion): <shouted gibberish; he is ignored>
Khan Carianna Schmitt (Blood Spirit): By Blake, we must act!
Khan Barbara Sennet (Diamond Shark): <suspiciously> What did you say?
Schmitt: ...nothing. I'm not secretly a Blakist.
Sennet: Riiiight.
Steiner: No, really. She isn't. <winks at Schmitt> Why, the idea is preposterous. Ha ha ha.
Khan Cassius N'Buta (Star Adder): <raucously> Ha ha ha!
Steiner: Shut up, Cassie.
N'Buta: Shutting up, sir.
Khan Sevren Leroux (Nova Cat): I have a vision! The Smoke Jaguar passes through the flames! Will he emerge again?
<silence>
Leroux: I asked a damn question! Answer me, you whippersnappers!
Osis: Okay, thank you for your insight, Khan Leroux. Yes, Khan Ward, my clan has conducted a remarkably well-ordered advance to the rear, preserving nearly all of our touman's unit names.
Pryde: So they all ran away.
Osis: No, they redeployed to secondary phase lines. We have stopped the sham Star League's advance and fully expect to crush them soon.
<the sound of a 'Mech's footsteps can be heard>
Osis: Ah, that would be my messenger from the front, come to deliver the news of the Inner Sphere's defeat.
Pryde: <incredulous> ilKhan, your secondary battle lines are on Strana Mechty?
Sennet: <looking out the window> It's a Daishi...I mean, a Dire Wolf, my ilKhan.
Osis: See? One of my faster machines.
Sennet: You paint your recon forces in the colors of the Tenth Lyran?
Osis: Wait, what?
<the door opens, then closes again; all wait>
Unknown voice: Hello?
Leroux: It's the revenoo! Hide the hooch, Lucien!
Osis: <clears throat> Um...hello?
Voice: Greetings from the Star League, honored Khans!
Ward: <peering around> That sounds familiar...
Voice: It's me!
Osis: Who?
Voice: Victor Steiner-Davion!
Osis: Um...where?
First Prince Victor Steiner-Davion (Federated Commonwealth): <sighs> Down here.
Osis: Oh, there you are! Awwww, aren't you precious?
Steiner-Davion: I'm going to ***** kill you for that. With a sword.
Pryde: Want me to fetch you a stepladder so you can reach?
Steiner-Davion: Sure, Marthe. Actually, never mind, I've got one already. You left it behind on Coventry.
Pryde: <crying> Why do you have to say things you know will hurt me?
Sennet: I have got a better stepladder. It is filled with...um...secret Clan ultratech!
Jogensonssonsson: Really!?! Can I buy one?
Sennet: Sure. <murmured> Sucker.
Steiner-Davion: Anyway. Honored Khans, I have come to deliver a message.
Osis: Very well. We accept your surrender.
Steiner-Davion: ...wait, what? No! I've come to challenge you all to end the Invasion!
Khan Sullivan Koga (Coyote): <confused> Wait...did we not already invade?
Steiner-Davion: Yes.
Koga: And we were already stopped once?
Steiner-Davion: Yes.
Koga: And we have not passed the Truce Line for ten years?
Steiner-Davion: Yes.
Koga: A truce that is not set to expire for another five years?
Steiner-Davion: Yes.
Koga: Five years in which you could place an assault BattleMech on the border for each man, woman, and child in our entire society and still have plenty leftover to fight each other?
Steiner-Davion: Yes.
Koga: So...why are you here again?
Steiner-Davion: I'm not following you.
Ward: Victor, if you're here, then who's ruling the Federated Suns...I mean, Commonwealth?
Steiner-Davion: I left it in the fully capable hands of my youngest sister, Yvonne. She needed wordcount. I'm absolutely positive that won't bite me on the ass later.
Leroux: We defect!
Osis: Wait, what? You can't do that! I forbid it!
Leroux: Yeah? You and what Touman?
Osis: The grand Clan Smoke Jaguar, the most fearsome fighting force among all the Clans!
Steiner-Davion: Oh, should we release some of your troops?
Osis: What do you mean?
Schmidt: He means that you are the Smoke Jaguar touman, Lincoln.
Osis: ...oh.
Leroux: <cackles> Can't stop me now! <to Victor> Quick, boy: The Jaguar passes through the flames. Will he emerge again?
Steiner-Davion: Um...no?
Leroux: Really? That sucks. Can you promise that this new Star League is the real deal and will last?
Steiner-Davion: Of course! We are all committed to this alliance, no matter what happens. I'm sure it'll last centuries, at the least.
<an uncomfortable silence falls over the room>
Osis: <sighing> Very well. We could simply overpower and destroy all of your forces, but we'll play a stupid little game instead. Say...a company of troops from your forces against a Binary from each of our Clans.
Steiner-Davion: That sounds fair. Wait...you mean a company per Binary, right?
Osis: <innocently> Yes, yes, of course. Why, trying to trick you into bidding twelve Inner Sphere machines against a hundred Clan warriors would be dishonorable. Ha ha ha.
N'Buta: <raucously> Ha ha ha!
Osis: Shut up, Cassius.
N'Buta: Shutting up, sir.
Taney: <shouts gibberish; is ignored>
Osis: Okay, so the defending Clans will be Wolf, Jade Falcon, Ghost Bear...
Jorgensonssonsson: <clears throat> Nah, we do not want to fight. We abstain.
Pryde: What!?! Have you gone Warden on us, Bear?
Jorgensonssonsson: Sure, whatever. Yeah, we're totally Wardens now.
Osis: Dude, not cool. You are totally kicked out.
Jorgensonssonsson: Man. Hey, Lynn, can you help us move?
Khan Lynn McKenna (Snow Raven): Sure. <to Osis> Sorry, we can't fight either. Gotta help the Bears move.
Osis: FINE.
Koga: Well, if they don't have to fight, then I don't see why we have to, either.
Osis: Dammit, fine! None of the damn coward Wardens have to fight, you big sissies!
Khan Perigard Zalman (Steel Viper): Sounds good to me.
Sennet: Me too.
Osis: Dammit, we don't need your help anyway! We whupped them once, we can do it again, with or without you!
Zalman: Okay, dude, two things. One, they beat us the first time. Two, I have a really stupid name.
Steiner-Davion: <to Koga> Is this really how you do things around here?
Koga: Oh, yes. Then we go back later and rewrite everything for no reason whatsoever. You should see how many times we have rewritten the story of the Not-Named.
Steiner-Davion: ...Not-Named?
Koga: <evasively> Yes, the Clan That Is No More And Was Not The Widowmakers, Mongooses, Or Burrocks.
Steiner-Davion: Oh, you mean the Wolv...
Koga: <interrupting> Say not the name!
Steiner-Davion: I...see. Can't say it all, huh?
Koga: No. It is taboo.
Steiner-Davion: Of course. Hey, Vlad, who was that X-Man from Canada?
Ward: Mystique.
Steiner-Davion: No...
Ward: I do not have time for this. Who will Clan Wolf be facing?
Steiner-Davion: Um...the St. Ives contingent. Kai's fiat should balance yours.
Ward: Excellent.
Steiner-Davion: Hey, Marthe, what would you call a medium-sized rodent-like mammalian predator?
Pryde: A badger.
Steiner-Davion: Try again.
Pryde: A manatee. Who will be driven before Clan Jade Falcon?
Steiner-Davion: A what? Never mind, you're fighting ComStar.
Pryde: Thank you. I'll have my technicians begin mounting extra small lasers immediately.
Schmitt: And who will Clan Blood Spirit face?
Steiner-Davion: The Kuritans, and they'll meet you in the woods.
Schmitt: Very nice! We'll bring plenty of extra-long-ranged weapons.
Steiner-Davion: ...in the woods?
Schmitt: Yes, of course. I see absolutely no flaw in this plan. Blake will provide.
Steiner-Davion: What did you say?
Schmitt: Nothing. I'm not secretly a Blakist.
Steiner-Davion: Riiiiight. Say, do you remember the name of the rebel group from Red Dawn?
Schmitt: No. Entertainment is for the weak. I relax by trying to control my breathing so that I do not use more oxygen than absolutely needed.
Steiner-Davion: I...see. Anyone here from Clan Star Adder?
N'Buta: Oooo! Ooooo! That's me! That's me! Over here! Over here! Pick me! Ooo! Oooooo! Victor! Over here! Me! I know! Ooooooo!
Steiner-Davion: First, answer me this: name three iconic 55-ton Star League BattleMechs.
N'Buta: Oooo! I know! Shadow Hawk, Griffin, and...and...
Steiner-Davion: Go on...
N'Buta: ...and Scorpion! Oooo! I'm a big smart boy now! What do I win?
Steiner-Davion: <sighs> You get to fight the Mariks. Have fun.
N'Buta: Yay!
Khan Amanda Carrol: I represent Clan Fire Mandrill. Who will we be facing?
saKahn Garret Sainze: I represent Clan Fire Mandrill. Who will we be facing?
Steiner-Davion: Uh...Liao. What is the first animal you can think of whose name starts with the letter "W"?
Carrol: Wombat.
Sainze: Wabbit.
Carrol: You idiot, that's "rabbit."
Sainze: You call me an idiot again, and I'll cut you.
Carrol: I'll see you on the field of battle! Tomorrow, while we're fighting the Capellans!
Sainze: It's a date!
Steiner-Davion: <crosses "Liao" off his list"> Hrm...still gotta figure out who the FRR will battle...
Khan Malavai Fletcher (Hell's Horses): Hey, we're technically an Invading Crusader Clan!
Osis: Of course you are.
Fletcher: Dammit, Lincoln, stop belittling me in front of the Spheroid!
Osis: Oh, go play with your trucks.
Fletcher: <sputters>
Steiner-Davion: Oh, you guys would be perfect against the Rasalhagians. They're like Ghost Bears, only with nuts.
Fletcher: FINE.
Steiner-Davion: Hey, what's...ah, damn, he left. So...Clan Ice Hellion is all that's left. Hey, Taney, what was the original name of the Not-Named?
Taney: The ***** Wolverines, *****!
<all gasp>
Taney: What?
Leroux: You dared intone the name of those we do not name! There is no graver breach of honor!
Taney: ...worse than using contractions because you're too lazy to go back and fix them all when posting?
Leroux: Yes.
Taney: ...worse than actually defecting?
Leroux: Yes.
Steiner-Davion: They're yours if you want them, Nova Cats.
Leroux: Yes.
Steiner-Davion: <aside, to Vlad Ward> Maybe they'll kill each other in the process...
Ward: Oh, Aff. Say, how is your sister?
<transmission terminated>