The thunder cat reigns in the tropical forests of Strana Mechty's Northern Hemisphere. Closely resembling the cheetahs on Terra, the thunder cat carries a thin frame on it's hardened bones. Hunting prey twice it's own size, the cat is severely out-weighed. However, it's thunderous speeds and indomitable ferocity easily compensates for it1s small structure.
Nicholas Kerensky was fascinated by the thunder cat and admired it's attributes. The cat only killed out of necessity; never would it's prey be wasted or left to rot. It adapted to the jungle environment after the attrition of it1s natural habitat, the Savannah. Kerensky especially adored it's majestic but subversive nature. He decided to honor the animal by giving it's namesake for a new clan. But with Nicholas Kerensky1s death at the hands of Khan Cal Jorgensson of Clan Widowmaker in 2823, the thought of a Clan Thunder Cat quickly dissolved.
Internal strife consumed the Clans in debate over the issue of an Inner Sphere invasion. The Clans suffered a humiliating loss at Tukayyid in 3052, preventing a future invasion for at least 15 more years. However, the Crusader Clans yearned for the right to return to the Inner Sphere and reestablish the Star League. The Wardens, on the other hand, believed Terra to be a jewel not to be plundered. Protection of this paradise from outside forces was of the upmost priority and concern. However, the overwhelming wave of excitement to reclaim the Inner Sphere prevailed over the Wardens. Clan Wolf, the most stalwart of the Warden Clans, declared a Trial of Refusal. Clan Jade Falcon won the right to face Clan Wolf in battle. The Wolves prepared their forces for quick deployment, realizing the potent strength of Clan Jade Falcon. Natasha Kerensky, Khan of Clan Wolf, found few allies to support her, for the other Warden Clans had abandoned the Wolves long before.
During the preparations for the Refusal War, Clan Wolf scientist searched for genetic material to reinforce their Eugenetic program. I was at this time that an important discovery was made. A Wolf reconnaissance star came upon the charred remains of Wolf mechs. The 50 or so mechs littered the bank of a small, hidden stream. Blood that had long dried, was collected and brought back to the Clan headquarters. Personal logs were also retrieved to uncover the identities of the dead clan warriors. Clan Wolf technicians discovered a rare writing composed by Nicholas Kerensky himself while downloading some files. It spoke of an encounter with a thunder cat, an animal that was rarely seen. Seizing the opportunity to obtain more honor and power amongst the Clans, Khan Natasha Kerensky put together the pieces of her famous ancestor1s puzzle. She immediately ordered the birth of Sibko children encoded with the genetic makeup of the fallen mechwarriors.
Khan Kerensky realized that the Refusal War was going to be a brutal and bloody struggle. If her Wolves won, it would be a costly victory. Although refusing to admit it, she needed another force to aid Clan Wolf should another clan intervene after the Refusal War. By then, she realized, Clan Wolf would be too weak to muster any serious force to fight. Along with present clan warriors, Sibko children and workers of lower castes, the Wolf Khan sent the chosen few to a remote planet in the Clan Wolf occupational zone in 3058. Thus dawned the birth of Clan Thunder Cat!
Once on the desolate planet, the mechwarriors quickly established a colony. Those in command, Star Captain Alex Eng and Sean St. Cin, guided the other warriors in the honorable ways of the Clans. The mechwarriors raised the Sibko children as their own, teaching the youngsters to be future warriors. Never to evoke as much as a stir, the colony grew covertly. As the Refusal War raged on, Clan Thunder Cat prospered through strict management of their resources. The precious minerals and metals were harvested with superior efficiency. This allowed Clan Thunder Cat to slowly build it's military force that would be so crucial in the future. Clan technicians and engineers developed innovative technologies and improved upon the existing ones. The merchant and working castes also thrive with clan laws granting them rights that their ancestors had never enjoyed. The first generation of Sibko children matured into fighting men and women; their combat skill fine tuned by years of harsh training. This all occurred without notice by other clans.
Perhaps the most important treasure the Thunder Cats found came 3 months after their landing. A freebirth named Derrick Hag was mining in a group of caves in the Eastern Continent of Batna. During a routine detonation of mining explosives, he discovered a natural passage leading to a underground lake. With careful exploration, Hag located a chain of massive islands one kilometer below the surface. The largest being 40 miles in diameter. He returned to tell newly selected saKhan St. Cin of his findings. SaKhan St. Cin quickly informed Khan Eng of the discovery of the underground world. After the colonization of the subterranean world, the new khan regarded this discovery so great that he believed that the man who found this underground paradise should be rewarded. Thus it was seen proper to allow Derrick Hag to enter the warrior caste.
It took Clan Thunder Cat two years to retrofit and inhabit the underground realm. The realm was named Kayless by Khan Eng in 3059. The colony experienced the trials and tribulations of a growing city. Now the city is a flourishing land, providing the fledgling clan with important raw materials to build it1s touman with. Rich mines and minerals of the surrounding fresh waters played a major role of the clan's resources also. Growing in a subterranean environment, the Thunder Cats easily hid themselves from attention. To make Kayless more accessable to the surface, the Thunder Cats drilled large vent holes and massive opennings into solid rock for traffic to pass into and out of the capital.
Two decades languidly past to mark the end of the Refusal War in the year 3078. Clan Wolf finally claimed victory but a heavy cost. Many of the Wolves' warriors died in death marches, slaughtering even the best Clan Wolf had to offer. Clan Jade Falcon faired even worse. Their clan had been virtually annihilated, with a few surviving binaries hobbling home. It was one of the most atrocious conflicts in clan history. Never would Clan Wolf and Clan Jade Falcon be the same.
With both Clan Jade Falcon and Clan Wolf on the brink of extinction, the mercenary Clan Ghost Bear saw it1s chance to strike. They had waited for this moment of glory to humiliate the weakened clans and claim their property. For Clan Ghost Bear was now the most powerful of the Clans and went unopposed. Realizing the new threat, the Wolf Khans knew the hour was at hand. They had doubts about contacting the Clan Thunder Cat in hiding. However, the impeding Ghost Bears ready to invade, Clan Wolf had no other option. The Khans successfully communicated with the Clan Thunder Cat, asking for aid in their upcoming conflict with Clan Ghost Bear. Now ready to repay their brethren for giving them life, Clan Thunder Cat now stood ready to defend their Warden brothers.
Those who dare to threaten the way of the warden clans shall perish. Ghost Bear shall live to its name, and become a ghost in time. Spoken by Alan Draeger after Ghost Bears1 Call to trial of absorbtion of Clan Wolf.
Supported by saKhan Sean St. Cin, Khan Alex Eng bid two entire galaxies of his finest mechs and omnifighters to defend the Clan Wolf homeworld. The young mechwarriors of Clan Thunder Cat yearned for the cries of battle. Meeting Clan Ghost Bear1s veteran mechwarriors head on, they feared no one. Clan Ghost Bear and Clan Thunder Cat exchanged brutal strikes against on another, with newly-formed Clan Thunder Cat matching everything Clan Ghost Bear managed to muster. The fierce fighting allowed Clan Wolf to recuperate enough to attack. The Wolf Khans were angered by Clan Ghost Bears dishonorable actions of attempting to obtain weakened clans1 possessions. "This Clan Ghost Bear is a treacherous scavenger who will now pay for their cowardice!", said Wolf ilKhan Ulric Kerensky before the Kurultai. With the blood of vengeance, Clan Wolf unleashed it1s revamped Alpha and Beta Galaxies against Clan Ghost Bear. Already suffocating at the hands of Clan Thunder Cat mechwarriors, Clan Ghost Bear tried desperately to call upon their reserves to no avail. The might of the combined forces of Clans Wolf and Thunder Cat crushed the remaining elite units of Clan Ghost Bear. Admitting defeat, Khan Bjorn Jorgensson ordered the retreat and withdrawal of his tattered forces.
With overwhelming success on the battlefield,
Clan Thunder Cat was praised by Khans of fellow clans for their courageous
effort against the superior numbers of Clan Ghost Bear. Upon discovering
the formation of Clan Thunder Cat, Diamond Shark Khan Karen Nagasawa commented,
"Who are These Thunder Cats? By which means did they unite so quickly to
form such a fierce force? IlKhan Kerensky, how could this be that Clan
Thunder Cat exist for a mere 20 years yet amass such powerful Touman?"
Thunder Cat Khan Alex Eng and saKhan Sean St. Cin were surprised but welcomed
their new found honor and respect. "We will be THE clan amongst clans!",
declared Khan Eng. "The best of the best!", added his saKhan. Now Clan
Thunder Cat awaits for the time to reclaim Terra to come......
Copyright © 1997 Mek Tek Productions
The Remembrances is an ongoing heroic saga detailing Clan history from the time of the Exodus from the Inner Sphere to the present day. The Remembrances is continually expanded to include contemporary events. Each Clan has a slightly different version reflecting their own opinions and experiences. All Clan warriors can quote whole verses of this marvelous epic from memory, and its common to see passages from the book lovingly painted on the sides of Omnimechs, fighters, and Battle Armor.
Willing is not enough, we must do. Knowing is not enough we must apply.
