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From: Heather Lockleer; Star League Ambassador to Mandrill Collective (Rim Collection)

Date: 1st February, 3118 22:37 LPT

Subject: Mandrill Collective

Flag: URGENT!


First Lord and Exarch and other parties,

I’ll get to the meat of things, ladies and gentlemen. The reformed Mandrill Collective has “returned” nearly all primary and much of the secondary intelligence assets we had scattered throughout the Mandrill Collective at just after midnight this morning. Furthermore, President Redburn has confirmed our civilians within the Rim Collection have been flagged by the Mandrill Collective’s security services and warned not to violate Collective law or they will be detained and depending on their charges, either sent to the embassy or into the Collective’s legal system. Something he did note is that he confirmed his government won’t hold the civilians as potential hostiles or hostages, merely flagged in case of being sleeper agents. So long as they act as proper civilians, the Mandrill Collective will as well.

This doesn’t seem to be one of their “practice runs” involving the removal of intelligence assets as we come to know it, either. Most times they only grab a third to half our primary assets and only a token of our secondary assets, and return them to the embassy twice yearly, often with only a token amount of interrogation, if any. This time, this appears to be the real thing. All our agents have been found with signs showing they underwent full and intensive interrogation. We are still combing through our agents, but have confirmed FedSuns and Lyran Commonwealth agents were also grabbed.

FedSuns Ambassador Keith Malrieux confirmed their agents were returned this morning as well with a warning advising no more “games” until the end of the current conflict is over. Lyran Commonwealth Ambassador Margarette Killner passed on a note informing me of their agent’s executions this morning. This is not, and I must stress this, NOT the usual concerning the Collective. This time they mean business.

What do we know?

Not as much as I would like, but much more than the Lyrans at the moment. My cultural attaches on staff have worked around the clock since the 29th of last month to get this, but as with anything concerning our monitoring of the now-Mandrill Collective, the below is just a juxtipulation of what they saw or have heard and may or may not be fully correct. Please pass on our appreciation to the Federated Suns as I and my staff could not complete this without information they politely and enthusiastically disclosed to us.

And another note…Lyrans are behind the 8 ball…again.


Mandrill Collective

Government: The reformed Mandrill Collective is not a new formation, but rather what appears to be the final evolution of the Rim Collection and Clan Fire Mandrill into one formalized government, with three separate branches of government as the former Rim Collection. Unlike the Rim Collection, the Mandrill Collective seems to now have Clan Caste leanings at all levels within government and society. More on this recent development below.

Castes: The Rim Collection originally kept the Clan Caste system to the Fire Mandrills and Sphinx Raptors during their existence. Unfortunately, the death of Khan Natasha Faraday and the rise of Khan Jordan Truscott has pushed this effort across all levels of government and into mainstream society. Unlike most other Clans, however, the Mandrill Collective allows members to move between the Castes at their leisure and has laws ensuring the rights of the Five Castes are guaranteed and to always be equal among each other. Whether or not that will actually happen is unknown at this time.

Mandrill Collective Senate: The Mandrill Collective Senate is a small council of fifteen members that operate as an oversight council within the Mandrill Collective and is made up of the two senior leaders of each Caste, The Chancellor of the Congress, the Supreme Justice of the Supreme Court, The President of the Mandrill Collective, the Mandrill Collective’s Loremaster, and finally the Sovereign of the Mandrill Collective or their Regent.

Interestingly, the President of the Mandrill Collective serves as the Chairperson of the Senate and the Loremaster and Sovereign (or Regent) serve merely as advisors on the council unless a tie happens. Should a tie happen, the Sovereign acts as the deciding vote.

While the Senate is a powerful institution, it is ultimately held subordinate to the Caste Councils, Congress, President’s Council, and Supreme Court.

Executive Authority: The President’s Council serves as the primary day to day executive authority within the Mandrill Collective. The President is elected every five years and outside the five leaders of each caste, decides the vice-president positions on the Council, subject to Congressional and Senate approval.

Legislative Authority: Congress operates as the supreme legislative authority. Each member sends fifteen members to Congress. Two from each Caste and the final five serving as the popular-elected members.

Judicial Authority: Judicial Authority is divided between the Five Caste Councils and the Supreme Court. If a crime is ascertained to have happened between two members of the same Caste, a judge and jury is assigned by said Caste. In case of a crime happening between members of separate Castes, the Jury is made up from two of each Caste. If the decision of conviction between four and eight, a Trial of Refusal is allowed, in which case ten members (usually Warriors) are selected to fight according to the votes.

Each Supreme Justice of each member and Caste sits on the Council and the presiding Supreme Justice of the Court is elected internally with Senatorial consent.

Caste Councils: Caste Councils serve as elected oversight bodies within the Mandrill Collective, each having investigative and inquisitorial powers. Importantly, they share authority with one another at all levels of government. They delegate local governance to Adjutants who altogether exercises executive authority at the Member and Provincial levels and who act as liaisons to their Caste Councils.

Voting: The decision of how voting would be decided was of predominant importance in the restructuring of the Rim Collection into the Mandrill Collective, as Fire Mandrill Warriors were concerned the reformed Warrior Caste, even enlarged to include the Freeborns of the former Collection, was still the smallest of the Castes. It was ultimately decided the Mandrill Collective would allow a priority-based voting system contingent on assigned Castes (i.e. Warriors had a Priority 5 for their fellow Warriors, but a Priority 1 for voting a Labourer) and vice versa for a Labourer. As citizens are allowed to freely move between the Castes, each is allowed to vote for Electors in each of the Caste Councils.

Uniquely, to be a citizen, a member of the Mandrill Collective must agree to serve at least five years as a service member (i.e. in any one of the myriad services the Mandrill Collective allows) and can be called up if ever needed until becoming a solahma (50 years of age). If not, a civilian is still permitted to vote for their Caste officials, but not outside their Castes. This allows civilians a degree of freedom and say within the Collective, but ultimately ensures the citizens have more power. Members of the Warrior Caste and any member that could theoretically be called up for emergency services are uniquely afforded immediate citizenship within the Mandrill Collective.

Military: The Mandrill Collective has inherited the Rim Collection Touman, already confirmed to be reformed as the Mandrill Collective Touman. Inheriting a strong inclination for combined arms, with heavy use of vehicles, aerospace, and infantry, the lack of contracted amounts of ‘Mechs was not seen as a deterrent, yet reforms in the last two years have strengthened the normal amounts of ‘Mechs found in the touman, targeted within the Regulars, Sentinels, Lancers, Battle, Assault, and the new Hussar Clusters. Thirty to forty-five ‘Mechs are now assigned to each of the units. These units easily make up the bulk of the MCT.

Organizationally, the Rim Collection Touman historically each of the same units usually assigned to a galaxy, with smaller Cluster Combat Teams formed around 2-3 clusters from said galaxy. While this allowed a degree of uniformity with equipment, it made the Cluster Combat Teams predictable on the battlefield. Reforms in the last two years have distributed the type of units found to each galaxy and Cluster Combat Teams reformed into Arms. Instead of the permanent Cluster Combat Teams, the new Arms are designed to be task-related, with clusters rolled in and out dependent on need, granting the Mandrill Collective Touman much-needed flexibility. What we know about the formation of additional clusters for the current conflict is the First and Second Hussars seem to be formed from former Ender’s Cluster militia members, while the 3rd Hussars is made from Kindraa Stewart’s protection detail. With the reform into the Mandrill Collective, the names of many clusters will likely change as well and we will forward them as that information becomes available.

The Mandrill Collective Navy is technically a subordinate of the Mandrill Collective Touman, but is often treated as its own separate branch since before Natasha Faraday’s death. The Mandrill Collective Navy has proven to be a match to any other navy in the Inner Sphere in terms of training and combat preparedness, if not outright numbers, even with the combat losses it has sustained in the last month. It still remains a carrier and dropship-oriented force, but the presence of the Warrior-class battlecarriers in decent numbers now allow the Mandrill Collective the hard-hitting strength it truly needed. The beginning of January saw the full activation of the battlecarriers MCS All Dawn and MCS Fire Mandrill into the Mandrill Collective Touman, though their location is unknown at this time. Currently, Viborg Fleetyards is completing construction of two as-yet unnamed Cassandra-class support cruisers.

The Mandrill Collective Security Forces operate the many militia clusters of the Mandrill Collective and are not officially part of the Mandrill Collective Touman, but rather fall under the authority of the Loremaster. National militia clusters are easily identified from member clusters due to member clusters being named after the member (i.e. First All Dawn Militia, Second Timbuktu Militia). Interesting note is that member clusters cannot be activated for military operations without the approval of the member in question. All but one of the militia clusters seen during the recent conflict have been national clusters, though member clusters have all been reported as being activated for the duration of the recent hostilities.

Current strength:
9 Galaxies (39 clusters, separated into 13 current Arms)
8 Warships (with 2 more expected to be available by 3120)
MCS Warrior (Warrior-class battlecarrier)
MCS All Dawn (Warrior-class battlecarrier)
MCS Fire Mandrill (Warrior-class battlecarrier)
MCS Cassandra (Cassandra-class support cruiser)
MCS Ashstorm (York-class destroyer-carrier)
MCS Firebrand (Hakaze-class escort-destroyer)
MCS Firetender (Isis-class scout-carrier)
MCS Eye of Providence (Fox-III -class yardship)

12 Questions the Recent Star League Informational Didn’t Answer (And their answers!)
Author: Matthew Davion, Sovereign Regent of Mandrill Collective

1: Are the Fire Mandrills subordinate within the reformed Mandrill Collective or now the dominant power?

Tricky question to answer. With the former Rim Collection, the Mandrills were subordinate to the Rim Collection and was merely an important member. The new Mandrill Collective still affirms them as a subordinate member, but largely identifies them as the dominant military power within the new government. Thus, the introduction of the Clan Caste system across the Mandrill Collective in return for said Castes to be seen as equals (This will definitely chafe the other Clans), allowing for social mobility across the Castes, and allowing other members critical input into government decisions.

Quick answer: Dominant, but not decisive control of the Mandrill Collective. Forced to share internal power within the Collective and be mindful about other members' attitudes concerning military and foreign affairs.


2: What is the current position of Khan in relations with other senior Mandrill Collective government members?

The Fire Mandrill Khan oversees the Mandrill Collective Touman (their military) and is the senior member of the Warrior Caste in the Mandrill Collective Senate. They are in charge of all military operations and the foreign affairs of the Mandrill Collective, though the Senate, the Warrior Caste Council, or Congress itself can override the Khan. Through the control of those Bloodnamed who have either not named their Elector or those who selected the Khan to vote in their stead, the Khan wields great political influence within the Mandrill Collective.

Within the Collective, the Fire Mandrill Khan shares power with the Mandrill Collective President, Chancellor of the Mandrill Collective Congress, Supreme Justice of the Supreme Court, and lastly the Sovereign of the Mandrill Collective. The Khan has large degrees of political influence.

Quick Answer: Senior military and political official within the Mandrill Collective. Primary military leader of the Mandrill Collective. Shares power with other leaders, but political power has largely been rising since Clan Fire Mandrill became a member of the Rim Collection, as shown by the Collection reforming into the Mandrill Collective and this is expected to continue until a relationship between the military and civilian is largely consistent with established liberal Clan norms.


3: Nutshell answer of what each of the five senior leaders of the Mandrill Collective do? And who are they?

The President oversees the civilian executive government, the Chancellor oversees the legislative apparatus, the Supreme Justice the judiciary and oversight of the Watch, the Sovereign acts as the spiritual leader of the Mandrill Collective and Kindraa Leader of Kindraa Able, the Khan leads the military and foreign affairs. Each branch has input into the other via the Caste Councils and the Mandrill Collective Senate.

President: Damian Redburn
Khan: Jordan Truscott
Chancellor: Elizabeth Becker
Supreme Justice: Miguel Tomata
Sovereign: Victoria Able (Currently represented by Regent Matthew Davion)


4: What is the status of Clan Fire Mandrill's Clan Council with the currently seen political makeup? How politically powerful are Bloodnamed members and the Bloodhouses?

The Fire Mandrill Clan Council has largely been absorbed into the separate Caste Councils. Due to the recent reformation of Clan Fire Mandrill and the Rim Collection into the Mandrill Collective, voting power among members was especially important. Not wanting to potentially incite infighting and conscientious of Clan Fire Mandrill's growing influence within the military, it was ultimately decided in a quiet general referendum late last year to allow each Caste a vote on the national level and to reform the Mandrill Collective Congress.

The recent return of the Kindraa system and the importance of the Bloodnamed Warriors and Bloodhouses to said system means the Bloodnamed and Bloodhouses remain an integral part of the Mandrill Collective. The Bloodnamed Warriors and Bloodhouses assert their political control through the Kindraa and their unique vote in regards with the Caste Councils.

Quick Answer: Highly influential politically. It is expected their influence will continue to expand as the reformed Kindraa system stabilizes.


5: What are the Kindraa and their current status? Why are they important to the Mandrill Collective?

The Kindraa are a by-product of Clan Fire Mandrill from its time as a power in Clan Space. Formerly political-military organizations built around one or two dominant and numerous subordinate bloodhouses, the Kindraa save Kindraa Faraday-Tanaga were all but wiped out as Clan Fire Mandrill fought its way into the Inner Sphere. Later, the integration of House Stewart, the Sphinx Raptors absorption, and the recent joining of Ender's Cluster all helped prompt the reintegration of the Kindraa into Mandrill Collective society.

The Kindraa of the reformed Mandrill Collective are political-merchant entities for the most part. They help to centralize the many disparate political and merchant groups and provide them representation within the new government. Unlike Kindraa of old, the new Kindraa are disallowed from being or becoming military entities, though are permitted shared control over genetic legacies with that of the Scientist Caste. This allows the Kindraa a large, but overall indirect say, in society and government, and are expected to become the economic lifeblood of the Collective.

Essentially, the Freeborn of the Mandrill Collective form a Kindraa using a volunteering Bloodnamed Warrior or group of Warriors to provide genetic legacies in return for material and political return. Per established Fire Mandrill custom, the "father" DNA is allowed to be Freeborn. While Clan Laws does allow for this, it is safe to assume the Mandrills are easily the most liberal of this.

Quick Answer: Think of the Kindraa as a combination of the Noble Houses found within the Inner Sphere and the mercantile aspects of the Sea Fox Khanates who use the Bloodhouses and Bloodnamed to represent them in politics. Notable difference from prior Kindraa and those recently reformed is the clear disallowance of military assets and threat of Annihilation should this ever happen.



6: What are the names of the Kindraa? And are there Freeborn Kindraa?

Already in the dozens, but likely to begin coalescing around traditional Clan Bloodhouses within the next two years. There are Freeborn Kindraa, but as they lack control of Bloodnames, their political power will likely wane once the coalescing begins unless they either negotiate with a Bloodnamed to join them or one of their members win a Trial of Founding. Currently, only the Freeborn Kindraa Able, Redburn, and Sereal are certain to continue once this expected coalescence happens, though Kindraa Stewart's survival is likely.

Kindraa Able will continue due to its national name identity associated with the Rim Collection and now to the Mandrill Collective as their continued survival is needed to continue stabilizing the nation. Kindraa Sereal has already secured a coalition of minor Bloodnamed to join them and continues to ensure its political and mercantile dominance in the Ender's Cluster, so its survival is confirmed. As to Kindraa Redburn, President Redburn and his daughter have both already declared their intent on their respective Trials of Founding, each having the capability to likely win them, and Brienne Redburn has been confirmed to having a shared sibko with the legacy of Natasha Faraday. As to Kindraa Stewart, its survival is likely due to its continued political and mercantile support to Timbuktu and its protective detail being absorbed into the 3rd Rim Hussars.

Quick Answer: Yes

Clan Examples: Faraday-Tanaga, Truscott, Banacek, Nevversan, Showers, Matilla-Carrol, Goulet, Izumi-Quong.
Freeborn Examples: Able, Redburn, Sereal, Hall, Stewart, Howlett, Summers, Sisko


7: Explain the Mandrill Collective Congress and the Councils, specifically the allotment of each vote and how Clan Fire Mandrill and the Kindraa play into it? And is Congress and the Councils one or separate entities?

Altogether, each Caste Council forms a subordinate Council within Congress. Each Mandrill Collective member including Clan Fire Mandrill has 15 votes total set aside in the Rim Congress and the Bloodnamed the remainder. Within that allotment, each member has 1 vote dedicated to each of the Caste Councils. The remaining 10 are divided among each Caste depending on which Caste said Elector is from. (i.e. a Laborer Elector will join the Laborer Caste Council, a Warrior Elector to the Warrior Caste Council, etc). Voting is done by popular priority-selection.

Those Bloodnamed and thus the Bloodhouses and the newly formed Kindraa crucially control the Bloodnamed votes. Each Bloodnamed has a vote allocated to them dependent on Caste (usually Warrior Caste). Bloodnamed either vote in person or their Elector, someone entrusted to vote on their behalf. And most importantly, the votes of those Bloodnamed who are unable to sit in person, nor have entrusted their vote to an Elector, or are a Bondsman, are entrusted to the sitting Khan or the Khan's Elector when unable to vote. And finally, only the Bloodnamed can vote for the Khan and saKhan of the Mandrill Collective, ensuring that while both need not necessarily be Bloodnamed, they nearly always will be.

Quick Answer: Caste Councils are subordinate entities of Congress. Voting is convoluted and ensures Bloodnamed representation and firm control over who becomes the Khan and saKhan of the Mandrill Collective. Khn exercises vast political and military influence in the reformed nation.


8: What are the Adjutants and what do they do?

Adjutants are local leaders voted by the citizens and civilians of each world to act together as their local executive authority at the Membership level and a senior member from each Caste Council is delegated the authority at the Provincial level. While they wield broad executive authority over matters at the day to day level, they are subordinate to the will of the national government.


9: What are provinces and what are their names?

Provinces are an intermediate level of governance within the Mandrill Collective, in between the Member and National levels. Provinces are usually made up of nearby worlds and systems that often share regional issues with one another. Special Provinces (currently only Clan Fire Mandrill Enclaves) can be assigned if the national government deems necessary. The former Lyran systems taken in the recent conflict are likely to form their own Province once the recent conflict ends.

Provinces: 5 Official, 1 To Be Confirmed
Clan Fire Mandrill Enclaves (Special Province)
All Dawn Province
Ender’s Province
Caldarium Province
Erdvynn Province
Florida Province (Awaiting Confirmation)


10: What is the current status of the Clan Fire Mandrill Watch and is it active? If it is active, is its status to the other listed services in the informational? And if active, what is its strength in comparison to other powers and Clans?

Active. The Criminal Investigative Service, National Intelligence Service, Mandrill Collective Militia, Mandrill Collective Security Services, and select military units all combine to represent different aspects of the Watch in total. Additionally, the Watch counts each member's police, emergency services, and public medical services as subordinate elements. The Mandrill Collective Watch is led by the Loremaster and is a member of the Mandrill Collective Senate.

The Mandrill Collective Watch is noted for being strong in analytical and signal intelligence and has a heavy presence in counter-intelligence and domestic security operations. It is average in propaganda, espionage, and psychological warfare operations and is considered especially weak in on-the-ground direct foreign operations, forced to use allied and Clan-shared foreign intelligence assets. Overall, it is considered a respectable intelligence power.


11: Why is the Mandrill Collective expanding?

Two-fold answer. One is to safeguard the precious shipyards at Viborg. The other is to allow some breathing space so the Mandrill Collective can actively begin recolonizing abandoned systems. Once control over the former Lyran worlds have been solidified and the recent conflict has ended, the newly formed Kindraa will likely begin extending the number of Iron Wombs gifted to them by Clan Fire Mandrill and then continue the efforts to economically allow the recolonization to take place.

Quick Answer: Living space without the need to constantly keep an eye on their border as the Mandrill Collective is likely about to start a population boom and rather not have to worry about safeguarding one of their most important assets.


12: What is the Mandrill Collective's relations with the other Clans? Are they a member of the Tukayyid Grand Council? If so, why were they accepted? And how are they viewed?

Another tricky question to answer. They are Clan, but their acceptance among their brethren is mixed and tentative at best. So I will need to break this down.

Clan Status: As Kindraa Farday-Tanaga, they fought their way into the Inner Sphere with barely a galaxy-worth of Warriors. Claimed the Fire Mandrill mantle as their own soon thereafter. Tukayyid Clans grudgingly accepted their resumption as Clan Fire Mandrill once a successful Trial of Absorption took place against Clan Sphinx Raptor due to a technicality of some sort and warning them of the Society. This was publicly accepted via Grand Council decree. Clan status grudgingly confirmed.

Grand Council Membership: They do have a seat on the Grand Council. However, due to their subordinate role within the Rim Collection and arguable Mandrill Collective, said technicality, and their habitual disregard over certain Grand Council agreements concerning technology trading, their membership is tentative, and the Mandrills remain classified as a provisional member. Due to this provisional status, the Mandrills are known as neutral-minded in the affairs of the Grand Council and follow zellbrigen of their opponents, less they fall in favor.

Relations with other Clans: Due in large part to how they came to the Inner Sphere, the Fire Mandrills lack allies. Clans Sea Fox and Ghost Bear have created strong ties with them, the former due to the Mandrills bringing the last of their Clansmen in the Homeworlds along with them to the Inner Sphere and the latter both sharing a close bond of family with their lower Castes. The other Clans respect them for their continued survival yet animosity over their separate ejections from the Homeworlds and the Mandrills part in them and the Mandrills’ continued subordinate role and ultra-liberal attitude among the Clans make them unfit to sit on the Grand Council. Clans Hell’s Horses and Coyote in particular continue their historical rivalry with intense Trials of Possession against the Mandrills. Only the ultra-conservative Falcons remain their true enemies, their disgust of the Mandrills apparent in their Trials.

Quick answer: Murky at best. Clans Sea Fox and Ghost Bear are their allies. The others have a grudging respect for them and will deal with them honorably, but do not want them on the Grand Council. The Falcons hate them. The Grand Council as a whole is undecided but lacks the will to officially welcome or denounce them and instead favors them as a provisional member until the Fire Mandrills show their resolve to finally become an equal. The Grand Council is back to keeping an uncomfortably close eye on the Mandrills since Damian Redburn's announcement of the reforming of the Rim Collection and Clan Fire Mandrill into the Mandrill Collective.