CMDR Log 2: War, and a Call for Help
19 Oct 2019Bingo Bango
Growing up I remember hearing stories of war. There were stories of heroes; stories of valour and sacrifice. Stories of underdogs holding fast against insurmountable forces.They sure do make for good stories.
I was resting on my cot, watching the headlines scroll by on Galnet but too exhausted to actually read them. The gentle hum of Binghzen Hub's systems and the soft clicking of my meal prepper combined to create a soothing melody. Occasionally a ship would pass by my window, their lights and thrusters briefly illuminating my room in soft shades of red and blue. This symphony of light and sound was slowly draining the exhaustion from my body, and I felt my eyes getting heavier. I had spent the last 3 days running various missions for several factions and chasing leads on engineers. The mission was a success, and I was permitted a rest stop before I began the journey home.
I woke to the jarring sound of my comms device. In a half asleep stupor I started to fiddle with It, trying to figure out why it was playing that infernal message tone despite the fact that it was set to silent. My eyes finally adjusted to the brightness of my screen and the message on my screen came into focus:
-- MESSAGE PRIORITY: URGENT --
-- WAR HAS BEEN DECLARED --
FORTUNA LIFE COMPANY HAS CEASED DIPLOMATIC COMMUNICATIONS.
REPORTS OF FLC FLEETS MASSING IN NEARBY SYSTEMS.
REPORTS OF HOSTILE ENGAGEMENTS IN FORTUNA.
INITIAL REPORTS INDICATE SIGNIFICANT LOSSES FOR ORDER FORCES.
CURRENT ENEMY MISSION UNKNOWN.
THE FOLLOWING FACTIONS ARE TO BE KOS:
DO NOT ATTEMPT COMMUNICATION.
ALL AVAILABLE CMDRS ARE REQUESTED TO ASSIST.
ORDER OF ENBLACKENMENT FORCES ARE TO MEET IN
I stared at the words glowing in front of me. Images of my fellow brothers raced through my mind. I immediately reached out to CMDR Ronnie McDee, one of my wingmates, who had been assigned patrolling missions in Order space.
The news was dire. News was still coming in, but it seemed Fortuna Life Company forces had requested the aid of Federation Forces. Our pilots were fighting tooth and nail, but they were taking devastating losses against the more numerous and better armed Federation fleets. Within hours, war had consumed all of Fortuna, and Smith Terminal was blockaded.
Initial Galnet reports described it at as a heroic defense of Federation space and security. They see our mission as an affront to humanity, and we are being described as a violent terrorist group. They don't mention that the people of Fortuna were calling for our leadership. They were sick and tired of the opportunistic and exploitative ways of the FLC and it's supporting parties. They don't mention how hard we worked to improve the lives of everyone there, and how we were the ones keeping pirates and criminals at bay while the FLC got rich off the increased system stability. They take our vision and understanding of the universe and twist it into something evil and malignant.
Brave and honest pilots, like the ones from the stories, are real. They are civilian pilots and explorers who have taken up arms in hastily modified ships to protect their beliefs and way of life. These soldiers are fighting for the Order, and they are being overwhelmed.
As I type this I am waiting for flight control to clear me. I am 200 light years from home, but not for long. If you are reading this, hear my plea. We are up against some of the best pilots humanity has ever known, and we are dying. The Order of Enblackenment needs your help. Take a stand with us against the tyranny of the Federation and the propaganda machine of the Earth Defense Force.
If this is my last message, then I hope I have fulfilled my purpose. The Void Beckons.
-- CMDR Bingo Bango, signing off