“An aimless, harmless Clan. This is what historian love to call our Steel Vipers. While we showed martial excellence, it never expressed itself into anything more than simple internal wars. When the Wolves called us to service during Operation REVIVAL, we did nothing more than reconquer lost worlds for the Falcons. Natalie Breen made us look like fools at Tukayyid. We then overstretched ourselves before the Falcons and Wolves destroyed each other again. Christopher Ahmed promised us glory, but rather than working towards excellence, he plotted and schemed before he died an ignoble death. Perigard Zalman sacrificed much of the Clan again when he invaded the Falcon’s territory only to lose it all to a freeborn. Finally, Brett Andrews tried to pretend he was a military genius by casting out brothers and sisters from the Homeworlds, before he led us to our destruction.

NEVER AGAIN!

The Steel Vipers were brought to this new land and given a new lease on life. We were given resources and technologies to rebuild ourselves. We took time to evaluate what was wrong with what we did. We saw the lower castes we had forgotten about and given them a chance to grow. Freeborn might not be our equals, but they have proven they can serve the Clan well. The lower Trueborns have made our
economy a powerhouse as well, thanks to the Wolverines and the Rim Worlds Republic. Our warriors show that they can lead the strikes against our foes, and we were given the opportunity to now!

BUT NO LONGER!

But no longer shall we overextend ourselves.

No longer shall we make sacrifices in the name of Zellbrigen.

War is a game you play for keeps. Our target might be a simple pirate state in the Periphery, but we must prove that we can defeat them. We must prove to the Union, and the Inner Sphere, that the Steel Vipers are not Clan Paper Tiger. Nothing is to be left to chance. While we can extend mercy to our enemies, we
are not here to play. Every world that we will bring into the fold will see the true might of the Viper. They will be made to see the role they will play in our future, and the future of our Union. We are not coming in as liberators. We are not coming in as conquerors. We are coming as the new order which will make them share in our glory. The Vipers will triumph because we know what it means to lose. This lesson will not be repeated!”