The Blake-Class Warship is our finest achievement to date.  It will make us great amongst the Clans!

     In 3062, Clan Thunder Cat began a prosperous period of growth in all areas. The most visible growth took place within the merchant caste. Traders, barters, and suppliers gained mass wealth with newly-acquired worlds of Clan Widowmaker given to them by Clan Wolf. However, with economic growth, problems arose to undermine the clanıs effort. The most prominent threat presented to merchants of Clan Thunder Cat were the infamous Belt Pirates. The Belt Pirates repeatedly hijacked valuable convoys and harassed the economic partners of the clan merchants. Desperate pleas were made to saKhan Sean St. Cin in hopes of stopping the Belt Piratesı treacherous raids. In a display of power, saKhan St. Cin dispatched dropships and omnifighters to escort the convoys until their reached their destination. However, the Thunder Cat saKhan realized that this was self defeating. The dropships and omnifighters used to protected the convoys costed a fortune to fuel and maintain. Secondly, the omnifighters were being diverted from the clan fleet and homeworld defenses, seriously weakening the toumanıs forces. SaKhan St. Cin called a meeting with the Kurultai to discuss the dilemma. A decision was made to negotiate with the Belt Pirates rather than combat them in battle.

     With the aid of clan intelligence operatives, Khan Alex Eng and saKhan Sean St. Cin contacted Morgan Fletcher, the staunch leader of the Belt Pirates. Fueled by her hatred of men, Morgan Fletcher showed blatant disrespect towards the Thunder Cat Khans at their first meeting. The two khans nevertheless ignored her brazen attitude and continued the negotiations immediately. If the pirates ceased their raids, the clan promised them with old training mechs and other various military equipment. This offer never materialized because Morgan Fletcher had another offer in mind and one that Clan Thunder Cat could not resist.

     In 3064, the Belt Pirates intercepted an encrypted message being sent to Precentor Witoffa Ickx, Commander-In-Chief of ComStarıs Main Fleet. It contained the announcement and preliminary designs for a Blake-Class Warship. This new warship class was a carrier type and held versatile capabilities. The Blake-Class Warship far outsized anything the Clans could put into space. It also presented more firepower than one clanıs entire fleet. By now, Khan Alex Eng was clearly impressed but asked, "How are we to attain such a ship without the material to build it with?" Morgan Fletcher surprisingly replied, "With our rich sources of germanium of course!" This was shocking to the Kurultai in attendance. Novo Cresssidas, the Belt Piratesı homeworld, was believed to be a desolate planet with no valuable resources whatsoever. After weeks of intense negotiations, an offer was finally sealed. Clan Thunder Cat provided enough wealth and material to last the pirates an entire generation. In return, the Belt Pirates would cease the attacks upon merchant convoys permanently. They would also provide the rare germanium needed to construct the Blake-Class Warship.

     By 3067, the Blake-Class Warship was nearly completed. Word had broke out to other clans that Clan Thunder Cat had built a massive new ship capable of destroying a whole fleet. When Khan Alex Eng and saKhan Sean St. Cin unveiled the clanıs new flagship, mixed emotions spread throughout clan home worlds. Warden Clans rejoiced and were elated while Clan Jade Falcon and other Crusader Clans became infuriated. Clan Wolf was especially pleased at Clan Thunder Catıs resourcefulness. The Warden support was diminishing among the clans. With the emergence of Clan Thunder Cat and itıs expanded touman, Clan Wolfıs Warden brother would now be a powerful ally against the Crusader Clans. Khan Alex Eng vowed allegiance to Kerenskyıs word and his choice of Clan Wolf as ilclan. A shift in power was now at hand....

Copyright İ 1997 Mek Tek Productions

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