Eclipse of a Clan

“If the Council assembles the Ri’Tachi and the legions at once, the decision has already been made. The fighting is merely the paperwork.”

When a clan on Va'nu is marked for elimination, nothing can save them. None know they are Marked until it is too late. It is not an action taken lightly, but once decided upon by the Council of Elders, it cannot be stopped. The reason is always of utmost seriousness: betrayal of the planet and its people, risking peace with K'lais or another planet, or similar. Elimination involves all, down to the last surviving member, regardless of age.

Overview

The Eclipse of a Clan is the standardized protocol used by the Council of Elders to erase a clan from Va’nu society.
While the military provides containment and order, the actual eliminations are carried out exclusively by the Specters, a unique group within the Ri’Tachi. They are those who are the most ruthless and cold, willing to do anything and follow any order.

The doctrine emphasizes that the streets must remain calm and the targeted clan eradicated completely. In Va’nu society, a successful operation is measured by the absence of noise, resistance, and witnesses.

Authorization and Command

Clan eliminations are initiated solely by unanimous or near-unanimous decree of the Council of Elders. The operation becomes legally binding the moment the decree—called Total Eclipse—is transmitted.

Key Protocols:

• Marked: The clan selected for elimination.
• Bound Silence: All communications outside cleared channels are prohibited.
• Irreversible: Once enacted, the operation cannot be halted.

Upon authorization, Specter command activates independently.
The military is informed, placed on reserve status, and restricted to containment only.

The Specters

The Specters are a permanent, named cadre within the Ri’Tachi, maintained solely for clan eliminations.

• They do not conduct ordinary assassinations.
• They are never deployed piecemeal.
• If Specters are activated, extinction—not punishment—is the objective.

Among the Ri’Tachi, it is said:
“Others kill people. Specters end names.”

Operational Phases

1. Perimeter and Military Containment

• The military establishes a Held Line, sealing streets, plazas, and approach routes surrounding the clan home.
• Forces maintain a Calm Posture, redirecting civilians without confrontation.
• The military does not enter the clan compound unless ordered under emergency conditions.

Military Commands (Ri’Tachi terminology):

• Street Lock: Roads sealed around the target area.
• Flow Control: Civilians redirected.
• Stand Iron: Hold position; do not advance.

2. Specter Internal Deployment

Once the perimeter is secure, Specter cells begin the eclipse.

• First Quiet: Specters already embedded within the clan home or adjacent structures assume control points.
• Wake: Sleeper Specters and long-seeded assets activate simultaneously.
• The Cut: Coordinated elimination of leadership, guards, communications, and continuity nodes.
• Deep Quiet: Internal resistance collapses; escape routes are denied.
• Final Still: All designated bloodlines are eliminated; Specters prepare withdrawal.

No warnings are issued.
No negotiations occur.

3. Perimeter Interaction

• The Hard Edge defines the absolute boundary between Specter operations and military forces.
• Specters do not push targets beyond this boundary.
• The military does not intervene unless containment fails.

Emergency Conditions:

• Spill Condition / Break Glass: Only invoked if targets breach the perimeter or Specter control is compromised.

Specter Roles and Terminology

Roles:

• Knife: Direct elimination specialist.
• Veil: Intelligence, impersonation, sabotage.
• Anchor: Interior security and denial of interference.
• Shade Lead: Specter commander; final authority on-site.
• Silent One: Assigned to off-site clan members or external locations.

Commands:

• Still Hands: Silent kill, no alert.
• No Breath: Leave no survivors.
• Close Lanes: Deny internal movement.
• Break Pattern: Immediate tactical deviation.
• Fade: Withdraw without trace.

Target Designations:

• Head: Clan leader.
• Spine: Ri’Tachi or politically significant members.
• Bloodline: Family members as defined by the Council.
• Seed: Individuals capable of rebuilding the clan.

Confirmation and Closure:

• Seen Cold: Visual confirmation of death.
• Ledger Closed: Removed from Council records.
• No Echo: No surviving members remain.
• Clean Hands: Operation deemed flawless.
• Stand Clear: Specters disengaged; military maintains perimeter briefly.

Cultural Notes

• The presence of Specters is never acknowledged publicly.
• Ri’Tachi prestige is measured by how little the military is required to act.
• To the people of Va’nu, an Eclipse appears as an inconvenience—blocked streets, quiet tension, and then nothing.
• Within clan politics, the activation of Specters is understood as final judgment, not war.

Phrases Used

• “The file is heavy.” — Elimination imminent
• “Ink is drying.” — Specters deployed
• “Nothing left to sign.” — All members confirmed dead
• “Close the book.” — Cleanup and withdrawal begin