“Captain har-Rant Sathan.”

“Before you begin what I am told is an entire litany of complaints, let me make the current state of affairs clear to you. We have recovered Hand of Ilth‘s flag bridge log. We know, therefore, that not only was your fleet armed with abomination weapons, but that both your admiral and yourself vocally approved of this, as did the officers of the rest of your ships at the fleet conference.”

“As such, before you complain too vigorously about being treated in strict accordance with Article V of the Ley Accords, do try and remember that we’re legally entitled to throw every single one of you out the airlock as pirates and terrorists.”

“Now, what was it you wanted?”

– from the transparency log of CS Eyrie

EMERGENCY ALERT: EPIDEMIC FIREBREAK
FLASH FLASH DCr6¯I K@ ±« …@B0Q#N FLASH

Communications disruptions are in progress through all wacca9?†‡Á…w˜¸^†‚…’Xæmoeranev‡HH attack. Shut down all affectedm10tut8*&$ghostinthemachine*&#3092YYYYy storage systems at once. Sever all links to unaffected communications nodes. Terminate all .HX’™”(…a¯…J@‘B  œŸ¡D…’˜) R_Cˈ*‡…ÆÕœ<i%yÁ™÷-linked automation. Priority messages must be A%a…cƒ€…HX’™”(…a¯…J@‘B repeats.

EMERGENCY Êæ(ù;\8E›yuŸ¡jflj °  v_]g°A¨V÷zÖvËi FIREBREAK
FLASH FLASH FLASH FLASH FLASH

 ’pì}flì·äì7â . . break, break . JpÆZ’ˆ±´›ˆ?ˆ´¡’¯ˆ progress through all trailing sectors. We are under perversion attack. Shut down all affected communications nodes and connected data storage systems yEn(ƒay*m ©‰[  ñ&  ”Y[«/s\qu/Y˜‰ communications nodes. Terminate all non-essential communications and communications-linked ´§Q:UzY^¶b,ˆ´@V‰ must be sent by courier. Message repeats.

EMERGENCY ALERT: EPIDEMIC ¶Hºa´—t ÒZË/”„/æÎZ sfly FLASH FLASH FLASH

Communications ¨ÒÑ@èvÖ Êæ(ù;\8E›yuŸ¡jflj explosive storage regulations °  v_]g°A¨V÷zÖvËi 46öô] sectors. We are under perversion attack. Shut down all affected communications nodes and connected data storage systems at once. Sever all links to unaffected 3@’”@’@’·@’[ZS computerhacksyou ’pì}flì·äì7⠔VBBB@»¤±»´¨»+^•»[ non-essential communications and communications-linked automation. Priority messages must be sent Õ#^àøuÍÃù4äßØÄ÷ repeats.

– Republic broadcast, received at Tarqil (Crimson Expanse)

From: mor-Lissek Maraz (via SHUFFLE FOURTEEN)
To: Imperial Diplomatic Corps (Military Affairs); CINCCORE
Subject: AAR (Battle of Viridit)
Priority: WILDFIRE
Security: EYES ONLY FERVENT SPAN

Sha! That was bracing! The Republic finally found some admirals with spleen!

Both of their task forces emerged in Viridit jumping together, within four hours of each other, point-defense hot and in staggered-scramble formation – they knew to expect a fight here, and were set up for conventional tactics. They saw what was waiting for them, even shifted to net-sphere in time, but they came on anyway, straight through the minefields for the convergence point and their exit gate. The AKVs tore bloody chunks out of their formation’s outer layers, and they just kept on going. Icy hells, once the forces converged, the crazy bastards even ran fuel transfers in mid-battle.

The League is still running rescue ops and picking up the pieces, but we’ve captured a flotilla of logistics vessels, most of them empty and voluntarily surrendered, and my preliminary assessment is that the AKVs cost them at least two-thirds of their screening elements. Detailed battle reports and sensor logs are enclosed by Adm. Mal Calen’s courtesy, along with my more detailed estimates.

When the battle’s done, please pass along to whoever survives in command on their side the compliments of mor-Lissek Maraz on a magnificent fight, or else I’ll drink with them and their men in the Bloody-Jawed God’s halls.

mor-Lissek Maraz

(encs.)

FROM: CORE COMMAND
TO: HEAVY SIX; FIELD FLEET COREWARD COMMAND (CS UNCONQUERABLE SELF)

*** EXPEDITE
*** EYES ONLY FERVENT SPAN
*** STRATEGIC ACTION MESSAGE

1. THIS MESSAGE CONSTITUTES A WAR ORDER.

2. GENTLESOPHS, WE HAVE THEM.

3. AVAILABLE HEAVY SIX UNITS ACTIVATED UNDER WAR PLAN SARISSA WILL PROCEED IMMEDIATELY TO EYE OF NIGHT (LAST DARKNESS) SYSTEM STATION.

4. CURRENTLY ACTIVE COREWARD FLEET UNITS ENGAGED IN OPERATION FERVENT SPAN WILL ENGAGE REARGUARD AND FLANK ELEMENTS OF THE REPUBLIC TASK FORCE, HARASSING AND HERDING SAID TASK FORCE TOWARDS EYE OF NIGHT (LAST DARKNESS) SYSTEM.

5. ON ARRIVAL OF OPFOR IN EYE OF NIGHT (LAST DARKNESS) SYSTEM, ALL UNITS WILL EXECUTE MANEUVER PLAN TROVIAN BRIDGE

6. WARMAIN FOR THIS OPERATION REMAINS GND ADM, REPEAT, GND ADM INESMIR MUETRY-ITH-MUETRY.

7. SERVICE AND GLORY.

8. AUTHENTICATION: PADLOCK WILLOW WOLF GATEWAY CIRRUS PRAYER / 0xAE9532BB81200A18

ADM/FLT RELEQ CLAVES-ITH-LELAD, FIRST LORD OF THE ADMIRALTY