by Tim Morrison
Chapter 6.1
Clan War Begins - Oxymax Nebula -17 BA
Eighteen Michelab missile frigates and corsairs had been assembled, and they waited for the arrival of the TGX-9 flagship so they could do the final jump through the nebula and loose their deadly cargoes against the planet.
The massive TGX battlecruiser dropped out of Vortex and moved into position to lead the smaller cruisers through the nebula when a sudden flash of light erupted ahead of them. The TGX-2 floated, side-on to them, mainframe cannon rotated and all charged, and their sensors could detect twenty-four N'Goura class cruisers, also in battle formation, spread around the TGX-2.
“Go back home.” Came the message from the TGX-2. “This is not your space. Return to your clan.”
The reply was expected. The missile frigates fired a volley of nuclear-tipped warheads as the corsairs opened up with laser lances. While the Camelin N'Gouras' moved in to deal with the smaller ships, the TGX-2 let loose with a full mainframe broadside. Eighteen cannon fired against the TGX-9.
Pale blue impressions stretched back from the TGX-9 as the hyperlight weapons discharged. Impacting against the other battlecruiser before the light of their firing reached it. Key places on the hull were targeted, and the TGX-9 was unable to return fire as it's gunnery control had been targeted and disabled in the first volley.
Without a means to return fire, the TGX-9 withdrew, along with about half it's force, the other ships burned in space.
Michelab's plans seemed insane. Ryo could see massive strategic holes through them and began to exploit simple errors that were being made. Errors that a proper Clan tactician would see in an instant and close. For whatever reason, Michelab continued to make glaring errors. The direct battles were one-sided and ended in Camelin victories, every time.
Indirectly, Michelab launched guerrilla attacks, relativistic projectiles rained down over Camelin worlds from afar, sometimes able to penetrate, mostly deflected or destroyed. But the fear still gripped the populace. Michelab was not playing according to the rules of Clan war.
Four long cycles of war. Planets burned, but Clan Camelin prevailed. Clan Michelab was prevented from deep penetrations into Camelin territory again. Punitive measures were taken, and clan borders shifted. Michelab pressed every advantage they had, but they began to slowly fall back. Superior strategy by Clan Camelin lost them their ally in Faniruf in one move. Clan Camelin happened to be in a position to blockade a critical shipment needed by the Clan, then allowed it to pass without condition. Faniruf realized that they had chosen the wrong side in the Clanwar, and quickly swore fealty to Camelin, thus earning them the enmity of Michelab, but also granting Camelin much wider sweep patterns and a route deep into Michelab space.
