Editing Kerensky Cluster

The '''Kerensky Cluster''' (also known as the '''Stars of the Protector''') is a globular cluster over 175 light-years from the [[Pentagon Worlds]].<ref name=explore>''Historical: Operation Klondike'', p. 19: "Exploration"</ref> Along with the Pentagon Worlds, the Kerensky Cluster was the core of [[Clans|Clan]] civilization. This region of space is also called the [[Clan Homeworlds]].

Exploration and colonization of the Kerensky Cluster began by the [[Star League-in-Exile]] under [[Aleksandr Kerensky]] in [[2793]]. The first and best of these early colonies was [[Strana Mechty]], a world more promising than any of the five Pentagon worlds. By the end of the first year of colonization, the Star League-in-Exile had three nascent colonies. By the end of [[2795]], five worlds had been colonized. By [[2800]], 23 worlds had been identified, 13 had stable colonies with rapidly expanding infrastructure, 7 had just been settled, and another 3 were being prepared for colonization.<ref name=explore/>

The Kerensky Cluster became the home of [[Nicholas Kerensky]]'s Star League-in-Exile after the [[Second Exodus]] in [[2802]].<ref>''Historical: Operation Klondike'', p. 24</ref> When Kerensky announced the formation of the Clans on 11 June [[2807]], there were 20 established colonies within the Kerensky Cluster.<ref>''Historical: Operation Klondike'', p. 27</ref> Terra-sciences surveys continued as the primary mission of the both the Star League-in-Exile, and later Clan, navy in the years before [[Operation SABLE SUN]], identifying even more potential colonies.<ref>''Historical: Operation Klondike'', p. 25</ref> However, most of these were settled after [[Operation KLONDIKE]]; by the start of KLONDIKE in [[2821]], the Kerensky Cluster contained 21 viable colonies.<ref name=PAKC>''Historical: Operation Klondike'', p. 133: "Pentagon and Kerensky Cluster (2821)"</ref> Most of the remaining worlds were settled in the 2830s,<ref>''Historical: Operation Klondike'', p. 101: "Death and Rebirth"</ref> and nearly all by [[2900]]{{cn}}. An additional system, named [[Colleen]] for [[Clan Blood Spirit]] founder [[Colleen Schmitt]] and containing two habitable worlds, [[Haven]] and [[Honor (planet)|Honor]], was discovered just anti-spinward of the Kerensky Cluster by the [[Coral Gulf|CBS ''Coral Gulf'']] in [[3067]].<ref>''The Wars of Reaving'', p. 14: "Voyage of Desperate Discovery"</ref>

Compared to the worlds of the [[Inner Sphere]], most of the Kerensky Cluster's planets are only marginally habitable or outright hostile towards human life, and often require [[Star League]]-era terraforming equipment to maintain habitability. Only two planets are self-sufficient, [[Vinton]] and [[York (Clan System)|York]].<ref>''The Wars of Reaving'', p. 26: "Life on the Knife Edge"</ref>

The Kerensky Cluster remained isolated from the Inner Sphere until the appearance of the ''[[Outbound Light]]'' over [[Huntress]] in [[3048]]. The latter event prompted an [[Operation REVIVAL|invasion of the Inner Sphere]] by the Clans, which in turn created a rift between [[Invader Clans|Invading Clans]] and [[Home Clans]]. The result was the [[Wars of Reaving]] which saw many of the cluster's worlds abandoned or razed, and the Kerensky Cluster returning to isolation by [[3075]].

During a meeting of the Council of Six in 3087 a Clan Diamond Shark report spanning 17 years of data was the source of the last up to date info and status on the Cluster and those within it to the rest of human space outside of it.{{cn}}

As of [[3151]], the current status of the Kerensky Cluster and its inhabitants is completely unknown.

==Known Worlds==
[[File:Kerensky Cluster.jpg|right|thumb|Kerensky Cluster Map 3062<ref name=CWOK>''The Clans: Warriors of Kerensky'', p. 114</ref>]]

===Colonies (2821)===
Source<ref name=PAKC/>
* [[Albion (Clan)|Albion]]
* [[Barcella]]
* [[Bearclaw]]
* [[Brim]]
* [[Delios]]
* [[Gatekeeper]]
* [[Hector (planet)|Hector]]
* [[Ironhold]]
* [[Kirin]]
* [[Londerholm]]
* [[Lum]]
* [[Marshall]]
* [[Roche]]
* [[Shadow]]
* [[Sheridan (Clan planet)|Sheridan]]
* [[Strana Mechty]]
* [[Tamaron]]
* [[Tathis]]
* [[Tokasha]]
* [[Vinton]]
* [[York (Clan planet)|York]]

===Colonies (3067)===
Source<ref name=CHW>''The Wars of Reaving'', p. 227: "Clan Homeworlds (3067)"</ref>
* [[Albion (Clan)|Albion]] (abandoned by 3085)<ref name=WOR249>''The Wars of Reaving'', p. 249: "Political Balance Table, 3085"</ref>
* [[Atreus (Clan planet)|Atreus]] (abandoned by 3075)<ref name=WOR248>''The Wars of Reaving'', p. 248: "Political Balance Table, 3075"</ref>
* [[Barcella]]
* [[Bearclaw]]
* [[Brim]]
* [[Colleen]] - ''Haven'' (all inhabitants believed Annihilated by Clan Star Adder by mid-December [[3084]]) and ''Honor'' (nearly destroyed by tectonic activity on 19 March [[3083]], survivors Annihilated by Clan Star Adder by mid-December [[3084]])<ref>''The Wars of Reaving'', pp. 155–156</ref>)
* [[Delios]] (abandoned by 3085)<ref name=WOR249>''The Wars of Reaving'', p. 249: "Political Balance Table, 3085"</ref>
* [[Foster]]
* [[Gatekeeper]]
* [[Glory (planet)|Glory]]
* [[Grants Station]]
* [[Hector (planet)|Hector]]
* [[Hellgate]]
* [[Hoard]]
* [[Homer (Clan planet)|Homer]]
* [[Huntress]] 
* [[Ironhold]] (abandoned by 3075)<ref name=WOR248/>
* [[Kirin]]
* [[Londerholm]]
* [[Lum]] (abandoned by 3075)<ref name=WOR248/>
* [[Marshall]] (abandoned by 3075)<ref name=WOR248/>
* [[New Kent]] (abandoned by 3075)<ref name=WOR248/>
* [[Niles (Clan planet)|Niles]]
* [[Paxon]] (abandoned by 3075)<ref name=WOR248/>
* [[Priori]] (abandoned by 3075)<ref name=WOR248/>
* [[Roche]]
* [[Shadow]] (abandoned by 3075)<ref name=WOR248/>
* [[Sheridan (Clan planet)|Sheridan]]
* [[Strana Mechty]]
* [[Strato Domingo]]
* [[Tamaron]]
* [[Tathis]]
* [[Tiber (Clan planet)|Tiber]]
* [[Tokasha]]
* [[Tranquil]] (abandoned by 3075)<ref name=WOR248/>
* [[Vinton]] (abandoned by 3075)<ref name=WOR248/>
* [[York (Clan planet)|York]] (abandoned by 3075)<ref name=WOR248/>

===Colonies (3085)===
Source<ref name=PAKC/>
Source<ref name=CHW>''The Wars of Reaving'', p. 227: "Clan Homeworlds (3067)"</ref>
* [[Barcella]]
* [[Bearclaw]]
* [[Brim]]
* [[Foster]]
* [[Gatekeeper]]
* [[Glory (planet)|Glory]]
* [[Grants Station]]
* [[Hector (planet)|Hector]]
* [[Hellgate]]
* [[Hoard]]
* [[Homer (Clan planet)|Homer]]
* [[Huntress]] 
* [[Kirin]]
* [[Londerholm]]
* [[Niles (Clan planet)|Niles]]
* [[Roche]]
* [[Sheridan (Clan planet)|Sheridan]]
* [[Strana Mechty]]
* [[Strato Domingo]]
* [[Tamaron]]
* [[Tathis]]
* [[Tiber (Clan planet)|Tiber]]
* [[Tokasha]]

==Notes==
According to author [[Blaine Lee Pardoe]] in a [https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2019/07/21/original-map-of-clanspace-a-bit-of-battletech-history/ blog posting], he created the first map of Clan space when he wrote the ''[[Wolf Clan Sourcebook]]'' (published in 1991). Regarding the names of various systems, he said that:
*Marshall, Albion, Niles, and Homer were named after small towns in Michigan where he was raised
*Lum was named after a nickname his father had, a throwback to the old radio program [[w:Lum and Abner|Lum and Abner]]
*Grant's Station was named after the antique shop his parents owned in Galesburg, Michigan (Grant's Antique Market)
*Roche was named for a great manager he had when working at Ford Truck Operations
*Foster was named after [[w:Foster Brooks|Foster Brooks]]

==References==
<references/>

==Bibliography==
* ''[[The Clans: Warriors of Kerensky]]''
* ''[[Historical: Operation Klondike]]''
* ''[[The Wars of Reaving]]''

[[Category: Special Astronomical Features|Kerensky Cluster]]