Captain’s Log, Zu
[SD 207, 0.3ly off Grand Rastaban Staging Zone]
As we embark on this high-risk mission, I feel it is important to preserve our tactical logs for future captains. I genuinely do not know if we will survive this incursion into heavily guarded enemy territory. But before I discuss this, I should probably explain how we got here.
I am the proud captain of Zu, the very first and only volunteered fleet in the mighty Fresh Empire. Our initial mission was to go ahead into the void, and quickly colonize the barren outworlds that lay close to the magnificent Zu capital. seven sister fleets were created in our image, and with great precision and coordination we quickly set out. Three new clusters came into view, and we ached to enter them and send home more treasure to the empire. However, High Command had other ideas, however.
A bargain was struck with two of our neighbors, freeing us up to combat the third enemy. We went home to pick up reinforcements, and proceeded to meet the enemy in the field. They were a pathetic race.
When we arrived on the scene, Fort Algenib was already established in their space, and our sister fleets were running amok in their space. We were dispatched to liberate the industrial world of Muliphein, and did so with ease. Confident, we pushed onwards to the planet of Grafias. We overcame their defenses, but suffered heavy losses. Reinforcements were called in, but they came too late. A counter attack from the green slithering people had moved on us, and we saw ourselves forced to leave everyone behind and watch the reinforcements get intercepted and slaughtered to a man as we left to save our Carrier. My cowardice will haunt me for the rest of my days.
We headed back to the staging planet of Alkurah, to collect more troops and avenge our fallen brethren. However, as we arrived, the critical stage in the conflict was already underway. We took small solace in hearing about a perfectly sprung trap close and seeing the green slimey folk wiped from the galaxy, with Grafias as the main battleground. I feel I failed my people by not being part of the revenge exercise. I never did get a chance to go back and pay my respects.
We did visit the new worlds afterwards, as part of the post-war logistical nightmare of moving everything to a new front.
We visited many new sprawling outposts such as Mulipein and Bellatrix, moving ultimately to Segin, a planet to rival Zu in it’s industrial might.
A secret cable came in from HC. We were to report to the far west front, where a new, much more dangerous enemy had emerged. With friendly carriers on parallel vectors, we moved a veritable armada to the west, engaging the full industrial might of our new and old assets combined. It was a sight to behold, and morale was soaring.
On our brief stop in Septen, we learned the initial war efforts by Zu II and Zu VII were highly succesful, capturing no less than 5 planets between them.
We decided to make haste and skip the port of Alkurah, going straight for Zu. Upon arrival we heard the dire news. II and VII had perished, and the new worlds were under counter attack. Heavy losses across the entire fleet. Zu was a frantic nexus of activity. I was told to report to HC in person to receive a special assignment that was to change the momentum of the war, still many lightyears to our west.
As it turned out, HC had been working on new technology that would throw us further and faster than any ship had ever gone before. I was to bring over 100 troops and test the new technology, dropping me directly in the forward staging planet Grand Rastaban. I accepted, and with great trepidation steered my Carrier into the anomaly hanging in open space.
We emerged, alive. twelve vast lightyears were spanned in a blur, and we find ourselves at the very spearhead of the war effort. twohundred brave veterans of war held the base, facing down the vast hordes of a red-bannered enemy. Their forward staging area lay directly opposite to ours. we performed some scans…
And that is where we find ourselves today. In the current circumstances, we should be able to just overcome their defenses. HC did not hesitate, and gave the go-ahead. A seriously dangerous and hard battle awaits us on arrival. Should everything go our way, we will find ourselves deep in enemy territory, heavily outnumbered and utterly exposed. The new quantum tunnel to Grand Rastaban is reportedly brimming with our sister fleets, rushing to our aid, but for the immediate future, we are alone. I do not fear death. I fear a repeat of the Grafias Denial. I do not know if I can live with leaving another crew to fend for themselves…
However, all that remains an uncertain future, overshadowed by our uncertain lunge into enemy territory. At times I admire HC’s incredible aggression, at times I curse their willingness to send us all to the deep chasms of history. If you do not hear from me again, one of five different things has gone wrong. Forgive me.
Captain Szu, 1st war group.