History of Clan Smoke Jaguar

Clan Smoke Jaguar
Faction Profile
Time period:	2807 – 3060 3151 (re-formed) - Present
Classification:	Clan
Capital world:	Huntress (formerly)
Ruler title:	Khan
Military:	Clan Smoke Jaguar Touman
Secret Service:	Clan Smoke Jaguar Watch

Founding

Franklin Osis, the first Khan of the Smoke Jaguar Clan, was born in the Federated Suns to parents who served in the SLDF 238th Armored Division. They followed Aleksandr Kerensky in his exodus from the Inner Sphere and over the years instilled in young Franklin the same blind trust in General Kerensky as they had. When the Exodus Fleet reached the Pentagon Worlds, the Osis family settled on Eden and turned to a life of farming. But before long ancient prejudices and hatreds began to resurface and caused dissension among the colonists. Franklin's brother Simon joined a pro-Suns gang and eventually Franklin himself was forced to join for protection, though he always tried to avoid confrontations or end them bloodlessly. However, in 2800, he was arrested and forced to perform hard labor on Circe. When he returned to Eden he was all but broken in spirit and the first battles of the Exodus Civil War had begun. The final straw for him came when General Kerensky ordered his troops to summarily execute all rebels in a final attempt to put down the revolt. Franklin lost all faith in his former idol and became convinced humanity could never escape the taint of war without rebuilding society from the ground up. When Nicholas Kerensky called for a Second Exodus, Franklin jumped at the chance, bringing with him his parents and brother.

Rise of the Smoke Jaguars

When they reached Strana Mechty Franklin found a measure of peace wandering the planet's lush jungles, taking an interest in the wildlife and particularly the smoke jaguar as a means to heal the mental wounds he had suffered. Unfortunately in the spring of 2809, while Franklin and Simon were observing a pack of smoke jaguars, one of them leaped down from a tree branch and knocked Simon to the ground. Franklin was frozen in terror and could do nothing as the animal savaged his brother. Finally, his brother's dying screams cut short as the animal tore out his throat. A berserk fury overcame Franklin; he leaped onto the beast, armed only with a small hunting knife, and slew it in a brief, frenzied butchery. As the smoke jaguar lay dead at his feet, for the first time in his life Franklin took pleasure in the violence, seemingly wiping away the stain of cowardice which had cost Simon his life.

At Nicholas Kerensky's urging, Franklin went on to train as a MechWarrior, taking every opportunity to face danger and conquer it through combat. Soon he began to outmatch his trainers in both the ferocity and tenacity of his attacks which, while impressive, also worried Nicholas with the thought that he might become nothing more than a mindless killing machine. Thus Nicholas designated Franklin for officer training, hoping to temper his rage so that it may be controlled during battle. Within two years Franklin won command of a Trinary in the newly-formed Clan Smoke Jaguar. The ferocity and skill with which Franklin Osis displayed eventually won the admiration of the other Smoke Jaguar members, who elected him their Khan.

Golden Century

Khan Franklin Osis had always acknowledged the value of the civilian castes, insofar as their efforts supported the warrior caste, and towards the end of his rule began to see the need for peaceful pursuits, if only so that warriors had some breathing space between battles. Unfortunately he was followed by a succession of short-sighted Khans who continued to glorify war and only war. While other Clans were taking advantage of the potential wealth gained through colonization and trade during what became known as the Golden Century, the Smoke Jaguars found themselves economically sidelined during these relatively peaceful years. They colonized fewer worlds than most other Clans, and what few worlds they did colonize were dedicated to military pursuits rather than resource extraction; ironically this deprived them not only of wealth but the military advantages they should have gained by exploiting it.

Instead the Clan used their military assets to seize what they needed from others, fighting countless Trials of Possession over everything from Brian Caches to genetic bloodlines, winning enough to support themselves and maintain their prominence. In this manner the Smoke Jaguars were one of the first Clans to gain possession of OmniMech technology from Clan Coyote. They were also one of only two Clans, the other being Clan Hell's Horses, to win possession of Battle Armor technology from Clan Diamond Shark without resorting to bartering. This had come after several unsuccessful attempts to win the technology from Clan Wolf, and though they had seemingly accomplished this task without much of a fight the Smoke Jaguars ended up paying a hefty premium for HarJel.

Mongoose Absorption

This effort to take what they could from others became pronounced during their Absorption of Clan Mongoose. Despite being well-known for their casual brutality, surprisingly the Smoke Jaguars were not the most aggressive Clan during the Golden Century. That distinction belonged to Clan Mongoose, driven by Khans who mortally feared showing any martial weakness to their competitors; they were almost as infamous for their incessant attacks on many of their neighbors as they were for their constant political maneuvering, which had over the years earned for their Clan the nickname "the Weasels". The result of this raiding and politicking meant the Mongoose Clan had made many enemies, and in 2868 as they launched an attack on the Smoke Jaguar world of Atreus, their bitter rivals Clan Star Adder simultaneously launched their own multi-world assault on Clan Mongoose. In the Grand Council the Mongoose Khans pleaded for censure of the Smoke Jaguars, but their effort backfired and Khan Theodore Osis successfully won the right to Absorb them. The resulting conflict saw the Smoke Jaguars win nearly all Mongoose planets and matériel, though they refused to make use of the captured genetic legacies, instead preferring to let them fade into obscurity; Clan Cloud Cobra would end up fighting Trials of Possession for many of these bloodlines and utilize them, much to the chagrin of the Smoke Jaguars.

Khan Theodore Osis' rage would not be easily abated, and it would next be directed at the Star Adders. Though some sources claim the Jaguars were mollified about the Adders' independent assault just before the Trial's initial engagement in space above Circe, other sources indicate that it was not fully resolved until some time after the Absorption had ended. Either way, Khan Osis would next bring somewhat dubious charges against the Star Adders in the Grand Council. In these charges, Osis claimed that the Star Adder's reconquest of multiple planets previously taken from them by Clan Mongoose robbed his warriors of their "full measure of victory", charges that the Star Adder's Khan Banacek would seem rather indifferent toward. The fact that Khan Osis had known of the Adder attacks before he asked for the rights to Absorption did not seem to matter. He would go so far as to call for punishment of the Star Adders. These charges would be brushed aside by the Grand Council, with acknowledgement of the Star Adders' right to revenge in the matter. But the subsequent feud would not end between these two Clans for a long time to come.

Londerholm Revolt

The success of the Smoke Jaguars' military endeavors only furthered the discrimination the ruling warrior caste directed towards not only their own civilians but freeborns as well, until even their very existence was scorned. Though all Clans valued the warrior caste above others and directed some measure of contempt towards freebirths, the Smoke Jaguar Clan took this to an entirely new level, leading to much greater resentment among those ostensibly meant to support the warriors' ability to fight. The merchant caste in particular found their treatment vexing, as the warrior's disdain for economic activity saw countless opportunities for profit wasted and their control of the Clan Council left little chance for a fair hearing. The merchants' response was to skim profits from those ventures they were allowed to pursue, an decision which resulted in the Londerholm Revolt. In the wake of that bloody massacre Khan Ian Moon formally removed what little measure of self-governance the civilian castes had, placing absolute authority in the hands of the warriors.

Operation Revival

Battle of Tukayyid

In the bidding for the Battle of Tukayyid the Smoke Jaguars won the honor of being the first Clan to land and having to capture the most prestigious targets, simultaneously successfully conspiring to have Clan Wolf land last and capture the least prestigious targets. Unfortunately they had done so while bidding away an entire Galaxy, leaving them with the least amount of forces, and took little note of their supplies or the supposedly weak Com Guards. In the disaster that resulted both Khan Osis and saKhan Sarah Weaver were defeated, leaving the Clan leaderless, while both Alpha and Beta Galaxy were savagely mauled, many refusing ilKhan Kerensky's order to retreat in order to go down fighting. The losses suffered at Tukayyid would not be easily repaired and, eventually, proved to be the downfall of Clan Smoke Jaguar.

Operation Bulldog

In 3059, Khan Lincoln Osis was elected ilKhan and he immediately began planning the continuation of the invasion of the Inner Sphere. Wolf Khan Vladimir Ward and Jade Falcon Khan Marthe Pryde foiled this plan by forcing him to give the other Clans nine months to earn slots in the invasion force. Although deeply angered by their ploy, Osis had little choice but to accede to their demands. IlKhan Osis also used this time to order the formation of several new front-line Clusters as well as increasing the flow of supplies to the Clusters already in position in the occupation zone.

In May of that year, the Smoke Jaguars were shocked to find that the Inner Sphere, under the banner of the Second Star League, launched an offensive into their occupation zone. The first wave targeted only five worlds, but all fell quickly under the Second Star League Defense Force's enormous firepower. The Jaguars fared little better in the second wave, losing eleven worlds but managing to cripple two SLDF regiments on Luzerne.

During the short lull between the second and third waves, the Jaguars launched a counteroffensive aimed at weakening the SLDF support structure and forcing it to pull units back to deal with the counteroffensive. The plan quickly fell apart when it became apparent that the targeted worlds were more than capable of defending themselves. Again, the Jaguars sustained heavy losses with little to show for the effort.

The third wave signaled the end of the Smoke Jaguar presence in the Inner Sphere. What few units that remained retreated after putting up token resistance. The fourth wave finished the Jaguars as those garrison Clusters stranded fought until forced to surrender or, in some cases, fought to the death. By the end of August, the Jaguars were beaten and in retreat.

Great Refusal and Destruction

Following the battle for Huntress, Prince Victor led the SLDF troops to Strana Mechty for a final battle with the Clans, a Trial of Refusal against invasion of the Inner Sphere. The Grand Council accepted his challenge, though due to politicking the challenge would be met only by the eight Crusader Clans, which agreed to each send a Binary of troops to face off against an equivalent SLDF company.

IlKhan Lincoln Osis led his remaining troops (9 OmniMech Points and an Elemental Point) in battle against Prince Victor and the Tenth Lyran Guards. The Jaguars fought with all the ferocity of their namesake, but were ultimately crushed by the Guards. In the end ilKhan Osis challenged Prince Victor to a personal duel, taking off his Elemental battle armor. Victor climbed out of his 'Mech with his katana at his side, but declined the challenge. Instead he declared that Clan Smoke Jaguar was destroyed and that none of his warriors had to die anymore, announcing that any survivors would be welcomed to the Star League. Realizing that his Crusader beliefs had been wrong Lincoln Osis broke down and muttered, "What in the name of Kerensky have we done?" Not wishing to outlive his Clan or be a bondsman he asked Victor to kill him, but the Prince refused and turned his back on the ilKhan, saying that the last Smoke Jaguar warrior had died today. When Osis attacked him anyways Victor instinctively drew his sword and beheaded the warrior. With a tear in his eye he spoke, "The invasion started with a Smoke Jaguar, and now it has ended with one. The last Smoke Jaguar warrior did die here today. May he rest in peace."

With the death of Lincoln Osis, the Smoke Jaguar Clan effectively ceased to exist. Its holdings on Huntress were either destroyed or under Star League control and its entire fighting arm crushed by the SLDF. The SLDF declared Lootera, the capital of Huntress, a neutral zone and Victor Steiner-Davion appointed Colonel Paul Masters, commander of the Knights of the Inner Sphere, as the Inner Sphere's first ambassador to the Clans. An attempt was made by Galaxy Commander Brendon Corbett to resurrect the Clan, but Operation DAMOCLES put an end to that effort.

The Smoke Jaguars' possessions and enclaves on Huntress, Londerholm, Vinton, Homer, Kirin, and Tranquil were seized by the other Clans.

Survivors

While Clan Smoke Jaguar ceased to exist as an entity following the Great Refusal, a small number of Jaguar warriors remained alive and escaped to various parts of known space. Turning to banditry some Jaguars scavenged what they could from isolated planets, while others made their way to Port Krin on Antallos and set about destroying small pirate bands. Rumors arose of some Jaguars establishing themselves on Astrokaszy, perhaps due to that world's status as a former SLDF supply base, and fighting between them and dezgra units from other Clans over the caches.

Solaris Gladiators

One of these groups end, somehow, as gladiators in Solaris VII. They were almost a binary, lead by Garret, obsessed to avenge his clan, focusing in fighting against Combine gladiators. They fought as a unit, allied with the pro-Davion stables, during the Solaris Riots, where Garret was killed by another Davion gladiator.

Dark

Around 3067 a group of Jaguar renegades calling themselves "Dark" were one party suspected of mounting a covert attack upon a Diamond Shark trading flotilla to the Mica Majority. They were later destroyed by Clan Snow Raven who treated them like the bandits they were.

Smoke Jaguar Prisoners

Smoke Jaguar warriors were discovered on the world of Yorii during the Jihad. Discovered by members of Devlin Stone's allied coalition in November 3076, the warriors had evidently been captured by the Draconis Combine, either during Operation BULLDOG or on Huntress, and interned on Yorii. When the Word of Blake incorporated Yorii into the Word of Blake Protectorate, reeducation camps were established on the planet, and it was from two of these camps that the Smoke Jaguar warriors had liberated themselves when found by the allies.

"The Jaguar" and his Bandits

In Clan Space, Russou Howell reappeared in 3063 leading a brutal bandit raid on the Diamond Shark enclave on Vinton. Howell - known only as 'The Jaguar' to Clan society at large - and other ex-Jaguars formed the core of an unusually large and well-organized bandit caste force that included two Clusters' worth of warriors plus the rundown but functional WarShip Streaking Mist. "The Jaguar" and his group allied with The Society and preyed upon numerous Clan enclaves during the Wars of Reaving and after. In 3079 "The Jaguar" was finally cornered and slain on Ghent by Clan Star Adder solahma.

The Fidelis

After the fall of the Smoke Jaguars, Paul Moon struggled with the consequences of his actions and sought to preserve what was left of his clan's legacy. Soon afterwards, he would work with Baldur and Inanna of the Nova Cats to evacuate restless Smoke Jaguar civilians and former warriors to Wayside V to form a hidden colony. They would later be formed as the core members of The Fidelis, lead by the Custos.

As the Fidelis

The Fidelis
Faction Profile
Time period:	3062 - Present
Classification:	Inner Sphere
Capital world:	New Earth
Ruler title:	Custos
Military:	Century
Secret Service:	Unknown

Jihad Era

In November 3076 forces from Devlin Stone's allied coalition on Yorii discovered two Blakist reeducation camps from which previously interred Clan Smoke Jaguar warriors had already freed themselves from their captors. The Clansmen were presumed to have originally been prisoners captured by the Draconis Combine during either the battle for Huntress or Operation Bulldog. Evidence suggested that the Word had purposefully abandoned the Jaguars in the hope that Stone would destroy them. The Jaguar warriors had armed themselves with a mixture of Word of Blake 'Mechs and there was a short bout of fighting between them and Coalition forces who mistook them for Blakist defenders before Stone somehow brought it to an end.

Dark Age Era

Even after their evolution into the Fidelis, all were bound by this oath, with their lives forfeit if necessary to fulfil their (unspecified) destiny. Those few in the Republic that knew about them felt that Stone had struck a dangerous bargain with them.

Only a little was known about them, prior to their joining with Stone, although it seems that they were betrayed by an unspecified individual at some point which caused them to turn to Stone for mutual aid. Unbeknownst to most, Stone and Prince Victor were secretly invited to Wayside V to meet what would be the core of the Fidelis by Paul Moon in August 3077 after their colony had repelled a Blakist incursion. Paul, as acting Custos, bargained his people's fighting strength in exchange for moving the colony into the Inner Sphere.

Fulfilling their Pledge

The Fidelis were based on land gifted to them on New Earth after the Jihad, where they remained a potent military force, but weren't deployed until the crisis that started with the fall of the HPG network and the instigation of the Fortress Republic protocol. The Fidelis supplied Andrew Redburn with Battle Group Venator under the leadership of Group Commander Adamans for special operations outside the fortress.

First unveiled in action around 3135, their forces were in the thick of every major action that the Republic Remnant engaged in, proving crucial to success time and time again. The Fidelis were praised not only for their military prowess but also for the proficiency and aptitude of the technical staff they provided to assist the efforts of the Republic Remnant; those techs were being credited with not only being capable of repair equipment seemingly regardless of the level of damage but to incorporate improvements to the equipment in the process.

Fortress Republic

Under Redburn orders, the Fidelis became one of the key units of the Republic Remnant, based on planet Callison, their capital. They fought against the Clan Wolf invasion of the Remnant in 3149, losing their sole WarShip, the Flatus, in the defense of planet Dubhe. However, the same year, after The Wall of the Fortress was raised, and Stone sent forces to Callison to reunite Remnant and Fortress, Redburn chose to resist them. Initially, the Fidelis stood with Redburn, but after the fight broke out, they changed sides and concentrated their fire on Redburn's Black Knight 'Mech, downing it and forcing the Remnant forces to surrender.

By 3150, when Wolf Empire's forces attacked New Earth, the Fidelis home, they surrendered the planet without firing a single shot, for unknown reasons.

The same year, the Fidelis were released from their oath pledged to the Republic.

Service to the Republic

During the Jihad, Paul manages to organize survivors of Smoke Jaguar into a warrior-people simply known as the Fidelis. During this time, he works a deal with Devlin Stone where his people would act as special forces. Elements fighting the conflict would come to know these mysterious soldiers as "Stone's Shadows". As part of the deal with Stone, they must pledge themselves to service of Stone and the Republic until they pay the debt owed.

Revealing their Origins

When Alaric landed on the planet where Paul Moon and his Fidelis had resided, Paul would reveal secrets to Alaric about him and his people. The first bit of knowledge that he revealed to Alaric was that the reason his people were out of their pledge to Stone, was due to the sudden betrayal of the Republic. The second revelation that Paul told him was that he and his people were actually the survivors of Clan Smoke Jaguar, who fought for Stone during the Jihad and the Dark Ages. Paul Moon, seeking an opportunity to resurrect his clan would propose a deal to Alaric. It involved his people to help Alaric become ilClan by defeating the Jade Falcons and the Republic on Terra in order to become the new ilKhan. Paul Moon stated the reason for doing so was due to the past actions of his clan and wanting to redeem themselves. He even acknowledged that the destruction of Turtle Bay and the harsh rule of the Smoke Jaguars as prime examples of why they were chosen to be eliminated by the Second Star League. Seeing a chance at redemption and resurrecting his clan, Paul would make a deal with Alaric that would see his clan reconstituted. Alaric would agree to his terms stating that it would be done as long as he serves his people during the battle against the Jade Falcons for control of Terra. In agreement, Alaric would announce that every warrior of the Fidelis, including Paul were now declared as bondsman of Clan Wolf until they become ilClan.

ilClan Era and Reformation

After being released by the Republic of the Sphere, the Fidelis revealed their Smoke Jaguar origins to Khan Alaric Ward. The aging Custos known as Paul Moon, came to an agreement with Khan Ward that would allow for the eventual rebirth of Clan Smoke Jaguar upon Clan Wolf's ascension to ilClan. Following the total victory of Clan Wolf over the forces of Clan Jade Falcon in the ilClan Trials, Khan Ward honored his agreement and the Smoke Jaguars were born anew.