Editing Spirit Cats

{{refimprove}}
{{InfoBoxFactions
| crest = [[Image:Spirit Cats logo.png|center|200px]]
| factionname = Spirit Cats
| year = 3130s
| timeperiod = Early 3130s - present
| classification = Splinter Faction
| systems = ?
| capital = [[Marik]]
| rulertitle = [[Galaxy Commander]]
| military = [[FWLM]], Clan Protectorate Military
| secretservice = [[SAFE]]
}}
Under the leadership of former [[The Republic of the Sphere#Senate|Senator]] [[Kev Rosse]] the '''Spirit Cats''' were one of the factions to break away from the [[Republic of the Sphere]] in the early 3130s following the widespread collapse of the [[HPG]] network. Some followers were later absorbed into [[Clan Nova Cat]] while others made a home for themselves on the world of [[Marik]].

==History==

===Formation===
Galaxy Commander [[Kev Rosse]] was a Senator of the [[Republic of the Sphere]], but in his heart he had always been a Nova Cat. As the interstellar silence fell, he declared that only one thing mattered: the preservation of the Nova Cat. The Nova Cat Clan has always been capable of transforming itself to ensure survival, as when Rosse's ancestors joined the Republic, but Rosse actually wanted to lead his local Clan members back to a "purer" form of Cat.

Though torn by his loyalties to both The Republic and [[House Kurita]], where the rest of the Nova Cats reside, he announced that a vision had shown him that neither of those paths would allow his warriors to survive. Instead, they had to separate themselves from what the Nova Cats had become, hence the Spirit Cats name, and draw closer to what the Nova Cats once were. He argued that this meant making no alliances with or joining [[Inner Sphere]] governments.<ref>''Era Report: 3145'', p. 14</ref>

Furthermore, his vision had shown him a place they must find to secure the survival and independence of his Clan. If that required that he surrender all previous allegiances, then so be it. He was convinced that through his visions and leadership, he would guide the Spirit Cats down the path to survival.

===Actions in the Republic===
Between [[3132]] and [[3134]], following the Great Blackout the Spirit Cats engaged in combat with several other splinter factions over the planets of [[Ozawa]], [[Addicks]], [[Ruchbah]], [[Tybalt]], [[Outreach]], and [[Nanking]].  To their credit, the Spirit Cats were able to defeat and establish a base of operations on each of these planets.  As the Spirit Cats explored for a sanctuary for their Clan however, their control of these planets was only temporary, at best. (During this time they fought several battles with the [[III Principes Guards]].<ref>''Era Report: 3145'', p. 41</ref>) One world they evaluated as their new homeworld was [[Irian]], where they fought against the [[Dragon's Fury]], [[Steel Wolves]], and [[Swordsworn]]. Later they fought alongside the Steel Wolves, but suffered losses at the hands of the [[Bounty Hunter]] and so left the world.<ref>''Turning Points: Irian'', p. 9</ref>

In February of 3134, Star Captain [[Cox Devalis]] led a Trinary of Spirit Cat warriors to [[Wyatt]] in search of sanctuary, only to engage in a running battle with the Republic Militia, [[Bannson's Raiders]], and the [[Oriente Protectorate]]'s elite [[Eagle’s Talons]] battalion for control of the world.  By the end of the series of battle, Cox was convinced that Wyatt was not the world he was seeking.

A [[Trial of Annihilation]] against the Spirit Cats was announced by [[Mystic Caste|Mystic]] [[Kisho Nova Cat|Kisho]] in December of [[3136]] after a number of mystics were murdered. Immediately thereafter, the Nova Cats attacked the Spirit Cats on [[Addicks]]. There, [[Kev Rosse]] fought Kisho and defeated him in battle, proving to his people that he was not responsible for the deaths of the mystics. However, as Rosse was speaking to Kisho after the battle, he was assassinated by an unknown party.

===Post–Kev Rosse Era===
After Galaxy Commander Kev Rosse was assassinated, Kisho took Rosse's vision as his own, and demonstrated his sincerity by absorbing the Trinary of warriors Rosse had with him, making each a bondsman before releasing them immediately into the Warrior Caste.

Before his death, Galaxy Commander Rosse had dispatched a [[Cluster]]-size task force to Prefecture VII to seek out a sanctuary for the rest of the Spirit Cats. This task force, led by Star Colonel [[Rikkard Nova Cat|Rikkard]], invaded the world of [[Marik]] by October 3136 to see if it was their sanctuary. There, they engaged [[Marik-Stewart Commonwealth]] forces defending the planet in a nine-month campaign. When the Commonwealth led the Spirit Cat forces into the metropolis of Dormuth late in the campaign, the fighting bogged down.

In February, [[3137]], Rikkard learned of Rosse's assassination, and immediately realized that no reinforcements from his Clan would be able to come to his aid. It was then [[Julietta Halas-Hughes Marik|Lady Julietta Marik]] convinced Rikkard to join in an alliance with the [[Oriente Protectorate]] against the Commonwealth forces, rather than returning to the rest of the Nova Cats.

As the Spirit Cats continued their battle, the alliance quickly proved to be only a mutual understanding and not an immediate military intervention. Rikkard then decided that the alliance, with so few Clan Warriors remaining, was not enough to ensure their survival, and therefore contacted [[Clan Sea Fox]] for military aid in exchange for trade items. With the Sea Fox forces on hand, the Spirit Cats defeated the last Commonwealth forces by June, securing Marik as a sanctuary for both the Spirit Cats and Sea Foxes alike.

After being grievously wounded by an assassination attempt, Rikkard had Julietta retrieved from Oriente so she could be on-planet for medical rehabilitation. She later joined the Spirit Cats as their political guide.

In June of [[3138]], Captain-General [[Jessica Halas-Hughes Marik|Jessica Marik]] requested the Sea Foxes and Spirit Cats garrison [[Abadan]] and [[Avellaneda]]. Lady Julietta decided to lead the Clan forces, and convinced nearby worlds into forming the [[Clan Protectorate]], with the Spirit Cats and Sea Foxes being mutual partners in administering and protecting the people of those worlds.

In February of [[3139]], Jessica Marik asked the Clan Protectorate to help take [[Atreus (FWL)|Atreus]] from the [[Regulan Fiefs]]. The Protectorate accepted, and in April they joined the invasion of Atreus in [[Operation HOMECOMING]] and secured the world for the formation of a new Free Worlds League.

As part of the Clan Protectorate, the conclave of Spirit Cats and Sea Foxes are given a voice in the newly formed Free Worlds League.

After Clan Nova Cat was destroyed in [[3143]], the Spirit Cats who joined the [[Clan Protectorate]] and Nova Cat refugees who seek asylum there became the only remnants of that once mighty Clan. They formed their own [[Cluster]], the ''First Nova Cat Provisionals'', though integration between them and the Spirit Cats became difficult.<ref>''Era Report: 3145'', p. 183</ref>

===IlClan Era===
The dawn of [[IlClan Era]] brought radical changes for the Spirit Cats. The creation of the [[IlClan]] left the [[Wolf Empire]] critically undefended, and the Sea Fox SaKhan [[Petr Kalasa]] forced the Spirit Khans' leaders to help defend the Empire against outside attacks, including Free World League's factions.<ref>''Empire Alone'', p. 11-12</ref>

==Units of the Spirit Cats==
* [[File:Shiva Keshik (Spirit Cats) logo.png|50px]] [[Shiva Keshik (Clan Protectorate)|Shiva Keshik]] (2 Trinaries / Elite)<ref name=EDDA>''Era Digest: Dark Age'', p. 16-17 "SPIRIT CATS"</ref>

* [[File:Purifier Cluster (Spirit Cats) logo.png|50px]] [[Purifier Cluster (Clan Protectorate)|Purifier Cluster]] (3 Trinaries / Regular)<ref name=EDDA/>

* [[File:Omicron Cluster (Spirit Cats) logo.png|50px]] [[Omicron Cluster (Clan Protectorate)|Omicron Cluster]] (3 Trinaries / Regular)<ref name=EDDA/>

* [[First Nova Cat Provisionals (Clan Protectorate)]] (3 Trinaries / Regular)<ref>Field Manual: 3145 - Free Worlds League Military, p.109</ref>

* [[Kara's Scorchers (Clan Protectorate)]] (1 reinforced Trinary)<ref> ''Unit Digest: Kara's Scorchers'' in ''Shrapnel#10''</ref>

==Color Scheme==
The Spirit Cats paint their equipment and machines gray, representing their impurity. However, they employ the use of white as a sign of their purity. The more kills the warrior makes, the more white is added to mark their purity and dedication to the Spirit Cats' goal.<ref name="MWDAMiniatures">MWDA: Miniatures</ref>

==Bloodnames==
Despite the destruction of their parent Clan in 3143, the Spirit Cats still carried these bloodnames after their creation and departure from the Republic.<ref name="MWDAMiniatures"/>

{|class="wikitable" width="800" style="text-align:center; border: 1px solid black"
! colspan="5" | Exclusive Bloodnames (Dark Age Era)
|-
! General
! MechWarriors
! Elementals
! Aerospace Pilots
! ProtoMech Pilots
|-
| Deleportas
| Drummond
| 
| Bavros
|
|-
| Devalis
| Nostra
| 
| Leroux
| 
|-
| 
| Lossey
| 
| 
| 
|-
| 
| Rosse
|
| 
|
|}

==References==
<references />

==Bibliography==
* ''[[Empire Alone]]'' (sourcebook)
* ''[[Era Report: 3145]]''
* ''[[Era Digest: Dark Age]]''
* ''[[MechWarrior: Dark Age Collectable Miniatures Game]]''
* ''[[Pandora's Gambit]]'' (novel)
* ''[[Target of Opportunity]]'' (novel)
* ''[[To Ride the Chimera]]'' (novel)
* ''[[Turning Points: Irian]]''

[[Category:Spirit Cats]]