Clan Steel Viper Clan Council

[GreyJaeger]

Mercer Building
Sparta, New Kent
2 October, 3069

 The BloodNamed Warriors of Clan Steel Viper were all in the clan's council chamber, some in person, but many in holographic icons from across the galaxy. When the technician signaled that all links were active and fully functional, Khan Perigard Zalman began speaking in a strong, clear voice.

 "This meeting of Clan Steel Viper has been called for a vote on an important matter. Many have wondered how this "Scientist Conspiracy" could have taken such root in so many Clans, including ours. Many of you will remember the attempted coup nearly two years ago." Zalman watched as many warriors nodded their heads, then continued. "At the time, the Clan Watch said it was a coup d' etat backed by the Bandit Caste, but recent analysis has confirmed it was the Scientist Cabal." Many of the Warrior's faces became grim as murmuring began. Clan LoreMaster Arthur Stoklas pounded his heavy gavel on his massive desk, indicating silence.

 Once silence had settled back upon the meeting, Zalman continued. "The crushing of these traitorous elements was thorough, but not thorough enough. A few conspirators slipped the dragnet, and had been patient. They waited to strike. On Foster, the Star Admiral led our Delta Naval Star to its destruction, paving the way to New Kent. From reports, the Black Mandrills received assistance from the dezgra. Most of the conspirators seen were members of the warrior Caste, but there were far more lower-castemen."

 At this angry shouting began, carried through the holographic images and into the council chamber. Most of the shouts were epithets against the lower-castes. Zalman held high the arms of his hologram avatar, while furious pounding from LareMaster Stoklas bid silence. Zalman's voice became hard. "You are angry at our lower-caste brethren, but not at the warriors who sided with the Black Mandrills and Scientist Cabal? Have any of you asked why they did? I have, and I have received an extensive report starting from the initial aborted junta. Disaffection. Many of our lower-caste feel disaffected with their lot in life. This is a wound that can become infected and fester. The Scientists used and exploited this weakness."

 Khan Zalman took a moment to study his audience. Some nodded in agreement, some shook their head in anger, while yet more sat stone-faced, weighing his words, their leanings hidden from detection.

 Continuing, "In the past, the Steel Viper has been very harsh towards our lower-castes, this was a mistake. Fear may keep many in line, but those who would rebel, will do so with more conviction than a thousand fearful souls. Whether you wish to admit it, we need our brethren in the lower-castes. How many of you can replace the engine in your BattleMechs? How many of you Elementals can get into your armor without assistance? Do any of you know how to produce our rations? Or grow wheat? Or ensure that supplies get to where they are needed, when they are needed? No, the Warriors need the laborers, merchants, and scientist castes. Without them, the Warriors will die."

 "The proposal I have to present to a vote is this. Every two years, an individual has the right to attempt to test into another caste. The criteria for such a change is rigorous, but is it not the Clan way for the best to make their way to the top? Competition makes the Warrior caste strive, so should it be amongst the lower-castes. A Warrior who feels trapped in his position may be driven to desperation, and we are surprised that our Laborer and Merchant brothers will as well? When a laborer wishes to test to become a Merchant, and they test in the top ten percentile, they are elevated to the Merchant Caste. If they test higher than their last test for position, they are promoted to an appropriate level. If they fail, they will be demoted. And if they fail in the bottom ten percentile, they are demoted to a lower caste. In the case of the laborer, he will then be cast into the Bandit caste. That individual is not fit to be a Steel Viper."

 "I did not come to this measure easily. This issue has been haunting me for years, ever since the problems we experienced with our Inner Sphere holdings. The Scientist Conspiracy only brought the problem to the fore, and this is an issue we must deal with. So, what say you Warriors of Clan Steel Viper?"

 With that, Arthur Stoklas stands as a graphic comes up on a large screen. "The measure is whether to allow lower-castes to test into other castes. The vote is simple. A vote for 'Aff' supports the measure, a vote of 'Neg' is against the measure. Vote now."

*OOC- So, the issue is simple. I would like for the board members to act as the Steel Viper Clan Council. A percentage will be added to each category, which will be PM'ed to Dave and Little. If you wish to make a statement, please feel free. The poll will be open for 5 days. They end result may also be used to determine any Trial of Refusal. Any questions, ask. 

[Dave Baughman]

Star Captain Lisette Masters: "Trothkin, is this not the same madness that set the not-named Clan on their path to destruction? Are we now to believe the lies of the Ghost Bear Freeminders and forget the teachings of the Founder? I say Neg, for destroying the basis of our society is too high a price to pay."

[tassa_kay]

Star Captain Tess Mercer: "If disaffection is what instigated this threat to our way of life, will we make the situation any better by allowing our lessers to test into a position where they can do even greater harm to us?  Our laws and redes are clear, and we cannot allow ourselves to walk the path of the Ghost Bears, or the Star Adders, or the Ice Hellions... or the Not-Named.  I vote neg."

[Daemonknight]

Star Colonel Daniel Mercer: "While I see merit in the course you describe ovKhan, I must ask a question. Is it necessary to automatically demote the lowest 10th percentile? And especially to voluntarily move clansmen into the Bandit Caste? Would it not be better to provide a hard and fast lower limit, and so long as a caste-member is able to score higher, they will retain their place?

I see the issue being that there will be a constant flux at the bottom 10%: if we are pushing for excellence, those at the bottom could still be fully competent, but simply unlucky enough to not be as gifted as their peers. In that instance, we could potentially sour an otherwise productive member of the Clan, and in turn cause the very unhappiness that you attribute the Conspiracy with." The Star Colonel is barely able to keep the anger from his face as he mentions the traitors.

"Other than that, I see your plan as an excellent method to prevent further unrest among the lower castes, my Khan."
((OOC: Holding my vote untill I hear Zalman's response, if he makes one.))

[tassa_kay]

Star Colonel Tess Mercer: "It is not the Way of the Clans, and especially not the way of Clan Steel Viper, to coddle those who cannot perform to the standards by which we all live.  That would be a waste of resources and a waste of time.  And then, we would be no better than the Ghost Bears, who apparently give their lower castes... what is the filthy Spheroid concept?  'Retirement plans', that is it.  If we do not draw the line here and now, we will surely leap into the abyss on our own will, and that is unthinkable.

"Moreover, you are mistaken in that expelling those members who cannot perform their functions to the best of their abilities would be a threat to the Clan.  It was not the Dark Caste, who live on the fringes of our society and eke out an existence, who brought us so low.  It was those members who remained in the Clan that were so well-placed to cause us such grievous harm.  And your suggestion would simply enable those who do not give their all to the Clan to remain within and wreak yet more havoc. 

"Only out of respect to the Khan and the Loremaster do I not call you out right now for such stupidity."

[GreyJaeger]

 "Keep in mind, no one is forced to test. If a Merchant is happy in the position he is in, when two years are up, he does not have to take the option. So if a technician decides to attempt to enter the scientist caste, and fails utterly, they should fall. It is not much different than a Warrior who challenges a superior for their position. If the Warrior succeeds, he gets the position. If he utterly fails, he is usually cast into the ranks of the Solohma. This is the price one pays for ambition."

 "As to whether this makes us like the Not-Named, or the Ghost Bears, this is false. The Not-Named allowed their lower-castes to choose for themselves where they wish to be, and the Ghost Bears seem to allow their members to choose whether they are even going to be in the caste system. Neg, the Steel Vipers shall still have a caste system, as set out by the Founder. Is it not in the best interest of the Clan to make sure the best are in the right position. Is it not waste to have an individual with all the skills and abilities of a technician be stuck in the laborer caste? And do not ever forget... it was the Warrior caste of the Dark Mandrills who came to New Kent. It was Steel Viper [Warriors] who were plotting a revolt." Taking the time to look right at Star Colonel Tess Mercer in the "eyes", "What is keeping these dangerous elements from gaining the positions to do us harm now? What do you propose?? More crackdowns? Acting more like the Inner Sphere Annihilated Smoke Jaguars? Or the Abjured Coyotes? Neg Star Colonel... You are afraid. Afraid a lowly freeborn may be able to be more effective than you. You are afraid of your position, and your status. Have you learned nothing from our failures during our first occupation in the Inner Sphere? A failure only is when one learns nothing from it."

 "As to the question of our redes and laws, there is nothing from the Founder stating once in a caste, there is no means to elevate oneself. If this was the case, then the Warrior caste would be overflowing. Think on this, if an aspirant fails both their Trials of position, do we not send them to the lower castes? Is this not violating the caste system?"

[Aleksandr]

Star Captain Garth Andrews:

"So long as they may not test into the Warrior Caste, my vote is aff."

[tassa_kay]

The Star Colonel's answering smile was venomous.  "I do not fear that which I can kill, my Khan.  And if you truly think otherwise, then perhaps we should settle such a matter in a Circle of Equals.  For as I said, I do not fear that which I can kill."  She tossed him a surreptitious wink.

"You speak of ensuring that each individual is in the correct position, the position for which he has the skills to perform to his potential, for the good of the Clan.  Is that not already the case, as we train our people from their youth according to their caste?  And if they fail to perform their duties or live up to their skill set, do we not demote them accordingly for that failure?  Provisional retesting for those who have been demoted is one thing, despite the fact that they have already failed in their duties once to end up in their current caste, and there is precedent for such things... but to allow a mere laborer to ascend to the technician caste, or a scientist to ascend to the warrior caste, despite their lack of previous training?  That strikes me as rather shortsighted... perhaps dangerously so, if we allow an undiscovered conspirator to achieve a position of even greater power and influence!"

The Star Colonel shifts in her stance.  "Aff, Khan Zalman, I would suggest further investigation into our ranks, for I find it alarming that we would consider granting our lower castes more freedoms after we have seen firsthand what can be done when warriors coddle their lessers.  Have you learned nothing from the lessons that the Black Mandrills have taught us?  If it was indeed their warriors that instigated their arrival here at New Kent, as opposed to the scientists who had subjugated them, and if it was indeed our warriors who were conspiring to revolt, then the discontent lies with the warriors, and not with the lower castes as Star Colonel Daniel suggests."

"As I said, my Khan, the answer to the corruption that festers and corrupts us and the rest of the Clans is to draw a line and hold it at all costs.  We are, perhaps, one of the only Clans left who continues to hold true to the Way of the Clans.  If we take this course, where does the compromise and coddling of our lessers end?  How far must we go until we look in the mirror and do not recognize our own face anymore?  How long will it be before mere technicians and scientists and laborers, empowered and emboldened by the opportunity to rise above their place, are the ones dictacting our actions as they did the Black Mandrills, or the Goliath Scorpions, or the Cloud Cobras?"

[GreyJaeger]

 "What freedom is being granted? The freedom to better serve the Clan? And you are opposed to this? There is no coddling here Star Colonel. To attain a higher position, the testing is extremely rigorous, and the aspirant must attain the top ten percentile. As to a Merchant or Scientist attaining Warrior status, if an individual who has no military training was to succeed, then we should have to take a very hard look at our Warrior training, quaiff?"

[tassa_kay]

"It is the purpose of the warrior to fight and advance himself, his honor, and his Clan.  It is the purpose of the scientist, the technician, the merchant, and the laborer to ensure that the warrior and the Clan function at their full potential.  If the warrior is assigned to a lower caste for failure, that is the fault of none but the warrior, and I would think that he should be grateful that he does not find himself expelled from our number for his unworthiness altogether. 

"I do not see how it is wise or desirable to reward failure with a retest, or to give those individuals born into their castes the opportunity to move into a caste in which they have no training or experience.  It would be unwise and undesirable to suddenly turn our Clan into one where every caste competes against its members for positions that they have already proven by dint of birth, or their own failures in the case of former warriors, to be unworthy of."

[Marlin]

An older Warrior had given his vote and talked on the nod of the loremaster: "Star Commander Johann Zalman. I think if we want to start competing with bigger Clans, we should become more flexible in our approach. The fact that the Khan has put up this vote speaks for him. And if a Freeborn who still thinks he is fit as Warrior tests in from a lower caste, he has proven that he is able to be a Warrior." Under some laughter from his peers, he added: "This does not mean he will be able to compete with Trueborns, however."

[GraeGor]

A younger Warrior, nearly the spitting image of the one that spoke a few moments ago, gets to his feet, "As much as I dislike the concept, I must agree with my elder kin."

"The whole purpose to testing and Trials is to prove one is capable and worthy of one's desired position, it is as simple as that. Of the original Invading Clans, the ones that were flexible, or able to become so, have prospered, all others have fallen."

"Of the ones that gained Inner Sphere Holdings from and during the Oathkeeper War, the ones that were able to adapt remain, and only one has managed to expand."

"The Not-Named War has seen a turn of events. Clan Jade Falcon suffered serious loses at first, yet have managed to regain some of what was lost, part of which can be attributed to being more open."

"Clan Camel," he snorts in some mild disgust, "has little left to lose, so has had no choice but to alter its attitudes, and has managed to increase its presence."

"Clan Star Adder has done more than any other Clan since the beginning of Operation: Revival. Do I like it, no. Do I respect it, yes."

"Clan Wolf, or rather what was Clan Wolf was at one time the epitome of what it meant to be Clan. Yet now, they are virtually a memory. Why, because then Khan Ulric Kerensky split his own Clan, effectively crippling it, sending its best away to serve another, and the repercussions, in spite of the actions of all Wolf Khans since, of that decision have come back to haunt and finally kill the remainder."



"What all these events tell me is that if we do not loosen some restrictions, then we will be left behind, being fit only to scavenge off the more successful and forward thinking Khans and Clans."

[GreyJaeger]

"Warriors of Clan Steel Viper, there is a one final item that must be examined. When Khan Sanra Mercer told us of our mission as given to her by the Founder himself, we have all held to that. We have held that mission as sacred. But our first occupation zone in the Inner Sphere has shown that we have a conundrum. How are we to reform the Star League through co-operation with an entire galaxy of Freeborns, when we treat our own with such contempt? Do any of you who disagree actually believes it is probable, or even practical that not only will we be able to subjugate the entire Inner Sphere, but the other Clans as well? It will come to actually being able to treat with the barbarians through diplomacy, or is your idea of diplomacy limited to the barrel of a gun?"

"Neg.. I am not a dreamer. I am a realist. I see this issue as being a defining issue for Clan Steel Viper in our dealings with the Inner Sphere. If we do not resolve this matter, then we will always fail in our sacred mission!"


*OOC- I saw Aleksander made a comment about Freeborns being in the military. Keep in mind, their are a few Freeborn Sibkos in training now, with the first of them almost ready to graduate. This was done in canon, after Zalman's defeat on Waldorff. And yes, Zalman had to defend his decision quite a few times.

[GreyJaeger]

 saKhan Brett Andrews: "Again, we have Khan Zalman attempting to weaken our Clan and at the same time violating the will of the Founder. All TRUE Warriors of Clan Steel Viper should vote 'NEG'!"

Galaxy Commander Byron Breen: "Although it has been proven that the concept that Freeborn troops are inherently inferior to be false, it may be premature to make such a change now. Let us see how our own Freeborn troops conduct themselves before making any such further fundamental changes. I Abstain."

 Galaxy Commander Nicole Hoskins: Galaxy Commander Breen is partially correct, as are both Khans. But we are standing on the edge of a cliff. The wrong step will send us over to oblivion. I believe this will strengthen our Clan, and tie all the Castes together more tightly. I vote 'Aff'."


 Once all the votes had been cast and tallied, Clan Loremaster Arthur Stoklas spoke. "The final tally is Aff 55% of the vote, Neg 45%, and Abstain 5%. The motion passes. Does anyone wish to Refuse the decision of this body?"

 Several Warriors shot to their feet, voices raised...

 .. It will take some time to sort out the bidding.