Earth stands!
28 Nov 2024Rawnu
When Cocijo made its move toward Sol, the choice was no longer mine to make. Mars High turned into chaos overnight—evacuation orders blared through the comms, docking bays flooded with civilians, and ships of all sizes scrambled to make room for refugees. I stood in the observation deck, staring down at Mars, and knew one thing with absolute clarity: I couldn’t run.The Federation hasn’t always deserved my loyalty, but Earth does. Its forests, its oceans, its history—those things matter. They mattered to my commune in the Alps, to my parent's defiance of the Federation’s greed, and to me. The thought of Cocijo’s shadow falling over the planet where humanity began was more than I could bear.
I’ve joined the AX combat wings preparing to defend Sol. The "Gallifrey" has been refitted for war—a task that didn’t come easily. She’s a ship built for exploration, not destruction, and every modification felt like chipping away at her purpose. But this isn’t about purpose. It’s about survival. The station’s air is heavy with tension. Pilots talk loudly to mask their fear, rattling off loadout configurations and Thargoid kill counts like they’re trying to convince themselves they’re invincible. I stay quiet. Words won’t stop Cocijo.
Triton still lingers in my thoughts. The strange lights, the memories that don’t fit—it all feels like a distant echo now, but I can’t ignore it. There’s something about the Thargoids I can’t put into words, a nagging sense that they’re not what we think they are. Seo Jin-ae’s warnings come back to me in pieces, her talk of the hive mind’s “tone” shifting. What does that even mean? Is this war their response to us, or are we responding to something we don’t fully understand?
I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t afraid. Not just of the Thargoids or Cocijo, but of myself. What if Triton wasn’t a fluke? What if my mind really has been touched by them, twisted in ways I can’t see? Every time I drop into hyperspace, I brace for something to break—a memory to unravel, a part of me to disappear. I can’t shake the feeling that this war isn’t just about ships and weapons. It’s about who we are, who we’ll be when it’s over.
Earth is calling. The AX operations lead says Cocijo’s trajectory has shifted slightly, bringing it closer to the homeworld. There’s no time to think, no time to question. I strap into the Gallifrey’s cockpit and feel the familiar hum of her systems come to life. She’s ready, even if I’m not.
I don’t know what will happen when we face Cocijo. Maybe this will be just another battle in a war that feels endless. Maybe it will be something more—something I’m not prepared for. But one thing is certain: I’ll fight. Not for the Federation, not for glory, but for the blue planet that gave us all a chance to reach for the stars.
Earth stands. And so will I.