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Colettish Railgun “Esmeralda” Destroyed — San Colette Invaded! Act 4 Article 13 of the Amor Patriae arc The camera zooms in on, as always, Mariska van den Soeterik, the dedicated host of XNS’ foreign news segment. Behind her is an image of, distressingly, a ruined Colettish railgun station with a Front vessel next to it. A person familiar with the Solarian military may recognize this vessel as a Mississippi-class transport, a vessel commonly used by the Solarian Marine Corps to transport troops and heavy equipment. Its position in the orbit of San Colette likely only means one thing. “Good evening, and thank you for tuning into the Xanu News Service,” van den Soeterik begins. “Unsettling news has reached us from the besieged San Colette, where a loose alliance of pro-Solarian groups have been fighting against the extremist Solarian Restoration Front. We go now to our expert on the Front, Delphine Deschamps. Delphine?” The camera’s view splits into two, revealing a tired-looking Deschamps. She smiles and begins speaking, attempting to fight through an exhaustion she is feeling. “Thank you Mariska. While we didn’t expect for the Esmeralda to be destroyed, its destruction allows for the Front to menace Nueva Isabel and San Colette’s space elevator, assuming they’re able to fly transports that far. With that said, roughly fifteen minutes ago the Colettish government’s military sent out this message across the system. I’ll play it for you now.” Deschamps reaches for something offscreen and a recording of a voice identified as Admiral Emerico Tolentino, the overall commander of the Colettish Civil Guard, begins to play. “Citizens of San Colette,” the Admiral begins. “Know that this is our Republic’s darkest hour. The Front, which seeks to destroy us and our proud nation, has come to San Colette and now seeks to occupy it by force. This is a desperate effort by deserters who will be defeated, but it remains a dire threat to our nation. Just now, the crew of the railgun station Esmeralda gave their lives to destroy their station rather than see it fall into Front hands. As a result our proud capital, Nueva Isabela, and our space elevator in Nuevo Villaviciosa are now under direct threat. The coming days will not be easy, but our Republic will endure. All Civil Guard personnel, militia, and others willing to fight should report to their assigned stations across San Colette immediately. Those who cannot fight should report to appropriate bombardment shelters. Remain strong, and know we will survive and endure this.” The camera switches back to a view of Deschamps and van den Soeterik. “It sounds quite dire,” van den Soeterik says after a short pause. “It’s a very difficult situation, yes, but the Coletters are confident they can hold, and recent events at the Solarian border — and rumors of the Navy being directly involved in confrontations with the Front — have helped to keep morale high. However, we have received rumors — unconfirmed ones, mind you — of Front troops landing near Nueva Isabela.” “Thank you, Delphine.” “Of course!” Deschamps disconnects, leaving solely van den Soeterik. “The Xanu News Service will do its best to ensure you remain informed during these unfortunate times. Liao Qi, our reporter in the area, has advised he is safe and currently in Nuevo Villaviciosa, where he intends to capture the events as they unfold. For now, we will return shortly.” The broadcast fades out.

Front Forces Reach San Colette’s Last Orbital Defenses Act 4 Article 12 of the Amor Patriae arc The camera opens, as it typically does, to XNS analysts Delphine Deschamps and Ajit Gopal standing by a map of Nueva Patria — San Colette’s home system. Colettish and Pact forces, alongside FSF mercenaries, have held their ground near D’Anzin admirably, but the Front itself has pushed through Nueva Patria and is now almost at San Colette itself. Between it lies only a thin line representing the Spears of Saint Colette: a series of modern railgun stations which have inflicted grievous damage upon the Front so far, but now find themselves under siege. “These fourteen stations,” Deschamps begins as she clicks her PDA, causing the screen to shift into an image of San Colette proper with the Spears floating above it, “represent the last major obstacle for the Front before they reach San Colette itself. Their forces, after months of fighting, have been worn down, but remain capable of mounting serious assaults — and threatening San Colette itself.” “Do they have enough to reach San Colette and invade it?” Gopal asks. Deschamps considers the question for a brief moment. “They may be able to, but I doubt they can destroy every station. The Spears are, for the purpose of conveniently resupplying them via San Colette’s space elevator, placed in geosynchronous orbits above San Colette — they don’t change their positions while they orbit, so to speak.” “So in theory they’d only have to destroy or disable one or two stations in order to launch an invasion? Deschamps nods. “—that’s an alarming thought. Has your team thought about which one they might target?” “Of course!” Deschamps nods. “Two are fairly likely.” Deschamps taps at her PDA and causes two railguns to be highlighted. The first El Conquistador is in stable orbit above Nueva Isabela, the planetary capital. The second, Dedo do Destino, is in orbit above the industrial city of Nuevo Villaviciosa, home of the Castrejon Space Elevator. “If you had to pick one, which one is the most likely?” “Undoubtedly Dedo do Destino due to its position above Nuevo Villaviciosa,” Deschamps responds without hesitation. “If the Front can seize or disable the space elevator, they’ve effectively neutralized San Colette’s railguns. Currently, according to some reports, these are the most effective weapons the Coletters have. Multiple Front warships have been lost to them over the course of this week, and D’Anzin’s continued ability to hold the line is due to their continuous fire support.” “I suppose we must simply wait and see, then?” Deschamps nods, then speaks. “That we will — and we’ll be right back.”

XNS Exclusive: D’Anzin and San Colette Cut Off — San Colette Itself Threatened Act 4 Article 11 of the Amor Patriae arc The camera opens, as it typically does, to XNS analysts Delphine Deschamps and Ajit Gopal standing by a map of Nueva Patria — San Colette’s home system. D’Anzin, home to the Colettish phoron industry, has been cut off from San Colette proper. An odd, oval-shaped circle marked “Pact Forces” covers D’Anzin and area surrounding it, and this zone is marked as containing three fairly large warp gates — one of which is a type typically used by large freighters and tankers which would have often visited San Colette in more peaceful times. “As you can see by our map,” Delphine begins, “D’Anzin is now effectively cut off from San Colette itself, which is now at risk of a Front assault against Pact positions on the ground — assuming they can break through the Spears of San Colette. This line of railguns and defensive positions now, it seems, is all that stands between the Front and the heart of the system.” “To make matters worse on D’Anzin,” Gopal taps on his PDA and switches the screen to an image of D’Anzin’s surface. “Phoron fires have continued to burn at multiple facilities such as Valle Púrpura as fighting against the Front has continued and, in some areas, intensified. Gopal taps his PDA again and the screen switches to an image of Colettish troops — likely regular Civil Guard infantry judging by their modern equipment and winter camouflage — wearing gas masks standing in a snowy environment overlooking a burning facility nestled within a valley. Purple-black smoke rises from several holding tanks in the facility and destroyed vehicles, some still smoldering and some simply abandoned, are scattered in and around the facility. “This is Valle Púrpura as it now stands. It has, according to information provided by the Pact, been retaken following the recapture of hills surrounding it. The Front appears to have detonated all remaining phoron stores they could not evacuate before the Pact arrived. Supplies of cardox — one of the few things capable of stopping a phoron fire — are insufficient for the current fires across D’Anzin and more cardox can’t be acquired due to the ongoing conflict.” “That’s awful,” Deschamps comments. “It’s simply going to have to burn itself out?” “It will.” Deschamps taps her PDA again, causing the screen to switch back to a view of the entire system. The three gates are highlighted. “These three warp gates,” Deschamps points to the gates, “have been fiercely defended by the Pact and have remained in their hands during the assault. It’s currently unknown why they’ve made such an effort to hold them, but several theories have been put forward. The first is that these gates are estimated to be the most likely point of insertion for the SRF, should they successfully reactivate the warp gates near New Peoria. The second is that these gates will be used by a foreign power to transport their forces in, thus saving San Colette.” “I imagine most are hoping the Alliance will intervene?” “Most are, but we don’t know anything for sure at the moment regarding their plans. For now, it’s anybody’s guess as to what will happen. The XNS, however, will return after a short commercial break.”

After some internal discussion, and surviving the dreaded finals monster, the human lore team has decided to accept this application. Thank you for your contribution, and congratulations!

XNS Exclusive: Battle for D’Anzin Continues — Colettish Forces Hold Act 4 Article 9 of the Amor Patriae arc “Earlier today,” Deschamps starts as the screen behind herself and Gopal shows an image of Nueva Patria showing the SRF and Pact fighting over D’Anzin, home to San Colette’s major phoron facilities, “Colettish forces announced D’Anzin’s defensive line is stable, and there is no immediate risk of further breakthroughs by the Front." On the screen various units of the Front, Pact, Civil Guard, and FSF fight for control of D’Anzin and its surrounding areas as Deschamps talks. The defense, led by the renowned Caravaggio according to the map, is holding steady. “While scattered, reports have also reached us of new weapons utilized by the Civil Guard: phoron-tipped railgun rounds, a potential first for any non-Biesellite force.” Gopal clicks something on his PDA which causes the screen to switch to a blurry still image — likely signifying its origin as footage from a nearby ship — of a Front Taipei-class heavy cruiser which has been impacted by one of these alleged shells. The bow and much of the front of the vessel have been blown apart. The explosion is a brilliant purple-white color and has not yet totally faded. “That effectively confirms it,” Gopal says. “This makes San Colette the first government to use weaponized phoron after Biesel.” Deschamps nods. “Ajit, you’ve been looking into the interstellar response to these allegations of phoron-based weapons. Have you seen anything noteworthy?” “Nothing official as of now — these photos are only a few hours old, so most governments haven’t responded to their use. Chirper and other forms of social media are ecstatic throughout much of Sol outside of Mars, and concerned in many other locations — particularly Tau Ceti and Konyang. Reactions in Hang Tuah’s Rest, a planet on the edge of the Corporate Reconstruction Zone near the Alliance, have been particularly enthusiastic, with the local governor and the Solarian People’s Liberation Fleet hailing this as a clear example of Solarian greatness.” “We’ll have to see what else comes of it, won’t we.” “We will — and the XNS will be back after these messages from our sponsors.” The broadcast fades out.

XNS Exclusive: The Volunteer Tapes, Tape Four Act 4 Article 3 of the Amor Patriae arc The camera focuses on a short, wiry, and pale woman wearing a battered Solarian Army uniform with a red-and-white armband wrapped around one sleeve. A Tribunalist eye dangles from a necklace around her neck and her blue eyes have a piercing look despite her short stature. A Solarian Army marksman’s rifle, sans ammunition, sits across her thighs. The woman idly pulls the bolt back, snaps it back into place, and looks directly at the camera. “Do I begin speaking?” her Common is heavily-accented and absolutely, without a doubt, Dominian. “You can, yes. We’re recording,” Liao Qi says from offscreen. The woman nods. “I am Branka Buković, formerly of the Imperial Dominian Army and now a volunteer fighting for San Colette. I serve under Commander Forsythe and serve as one of the Battalion’s sharpshooters,” Buković pauses for a moment to clear her throat. Her accent is, to one familiar with the Empire, obviously Jadranic. “While the Empire may be too far to be interested in this struggle, I have taken a different perspective.” “What is that perspective?” “That the Goddess would not wish for us to stand idle while innocents suffer. You and the Coalition,” Buković leans towards slightly for emphasis, “may view us as simply Imperials. The matter is not so simple. Nearly one-hundred years ago the Empire saved my home from starvation. Is it not righteous for myself to save San Colette?” “We’re here to discuss San Colette, not Dominia. But with that said, how has it been to be in the Alliance as a Dominian?” Buković takes a moment to ponder her response. “Unusual. The Alliance places a great emphasis upon its military, much like the Empire, but has long suffered from issues we have not. It is similar but too different to be familiar, I suppose. My faith has been my anchor.” “How has being a sharpshooter been?” “I am familiar with it, though Solarian equipment is different than what I am used to. It is simply a means to an end.” “Right, right,” Qi can be heard clicking his pen. “Do you have any closing comments?” “Only that I will fight until I am no longer able to, and that the Goddess will see us through this. I know She will.” The tape cuts out.

XNS Exclusive: Front Shift Forces from League Assault, San Colette Holds Steady Act 4 Article 2 of the Amor Patriae arc Following the typical XNS jingle the camera focuses on a screen displaying the Northern Wildlands flanked by analysts Ajit Gopal and Delphine Deschamps. Grimly, most of the Northern Wildlands aside from San Colette appears to now be under Solarian Restoration Front control. “With much of its offensive strength lost in its unsuccessful April offensive, the League has not been able to hold onto its remaining territory,” Deschamps begins as she taps her PDA and centers the map upon a thin stretch of League territory which stands on the Coalition’s border. “With the Front apparently content to let this remnant remain most sources indicate they’ve begun shifting vessels to San Colette, likely in order to begin another assault. Ajit?” “Of course,” Gopal pulls his own PDA up and taps it. Various Front and League units appear on the screen, though there are far fewer League units than Front ones. “Most of the remaining League forces are elements of the 67th Fleet, which was — ironically enough — garrisoned in San Colette prior to the Collapse.” “That is a bit ironic,” Deschamps interjects. “Isn’t it?” Gopal clears his throat. “Anyways, the 67th has managed to maintain much of its cohesion during the Wildlands War while others have not. Most other League units, particularly its irregulars, have been fleeing across the Republic and Coalition’s borders.” “And what are they doing there?” “I can’t really speak to Biesel, but in the Coalition it depends. Some are doubtlessly going to make it through Coalition patrol forces and settle somewhere, but most have been caught and detained by naval forces such as those from Konyang. It’s all up to the legal system now. What about the Front’s movement?” “Well with most of the League, as you said, either fleeing or defeated the Front has moved or is in the process of moving most of its forces back towards San Colette. It won’t be surprising if they try another assault once they’ve managed to amass more forces.” “How long do you think it’ll take for them to be ready?” Deschamps waves her hand in the nearly universal “so-so” gesture. “I’m not sure Ajit. Honestly, they’ve got a lot of different drives ranging from brand new Hammer Drives to more dated ones from the early 2400s. A fleet only moves as fast as its slowest ship, so maybe we’ll see something in about a week’s time?” “Maybe. On that note, we’ll be right back! Remember to stay tuned to the Xanu News Network for the premier coverage of the War in the Northern Wildlands!”

Colettish Government Announces Defeat of Solarian Restoration Front Assault Act 4 Article 1 of the Amor Patriae arc Adelmira de Noi, Presidential Liaison for the Colettish government, stands behind a podium on a stage. A Colettish flag covers the wall behind her and she idly flips through a binder. At an unseen signal from out of the camera’s focus she clears her throat and begins speaking. “Today the combined forces of the Middle Ring Shield Pact and Free Solarian Fleets repulsed an attack on San Colette by the forces of the Solarian Restoration Front. Our defenses will continue to hold the enemy back until they are defeated. Due to the sensitive nature of the defense situation I cannot answer questions at this time.” de Noi closes the binder and walks off of the stage to a door, which she disappears into after a Civil Guard soldier opens it. The camera switches to Mariska van den Soeterik behind her desk. “While the War in the Northern Wildlands continues San Colette, for the time being, continues to stand. We go now to Ajit Gopal and Delphine Deschamps, our analysts for the War.” The camera switches to two shots: one of van den Soeterik, the other of Deschamps and Gopal. Gopal speaks first. “Thank you Mariska. Delphine and I have been observing the Front’s activity elsewhere in the Wildlands.” “The Front,” Delphine interjects, “has continued its assault against the League and has gained some territory, though its pace has slowed due to shifting forces to San Colette.” “Do you think they’ll attempt another assault?” van den Soeterik asks. Deschamps shakes her head. “Not unless they can push the League back further. Ajit’s research suggests they still have a decent amount of forces left, though not enough to mount a serious assault.” “Ajit, Delphine — thank you for your work on this.” “Thank you for having us,” Gopal responds, then his and Deschamps’ section of the screen fades out. “The Xanu News Service,” van den Soeterik says, “will be back after a short break.”

BREAKING: FRONT BEGINS ASSAULT OF SAN COLETTE Act 3 Article 13 of the Amor Patriae arc The camera zooms in on, as always, Mariska van den Soeterik, the dedicated host of the XNS’ foreign news segment. Her augmented eyes glow slightly as she reaches across the table for her PDA. She looks markedly more stressed than she typically appears. “Breaking news has reached us from the Solarian system of San Colette, where forces aligned with the Solarian Restoration Front have begun an assault on its defenses. We go now to a secure emergency communication established between our station and an unknown location in San Colette where our Liao Qi, our reporter in San Colette, is located. Liao, can you hear me?” The camera switches to a video of Qi in a fairly dark room which, all things considered, may very well be underground. He looks exhausted and appears generally disheveled – his clothes are dirty and there are notable bags under his eyes. He is wearing a military-style vest without any visible press tag. “I can hear you Mariska, can you hear me?” Qi’s audio comes through crackly, but audible. “I can. Are you safe?” Qi takes a moment before responding. Connection issues, perhaps. “I am,” he nods. “The situation on San Colette itself is stable – as stable as it can be, I guess – but it’s not good. The Civil Guard and Free Solarian Fleets are holding for now but nobody’s sure if they’ll be able to hold off the entire Front. We’re lucky they opted to do this now – the assault, I mean,” he pauses. “Maybe lucky’s not the right word, but– it’s fortunate, I guess? They could have waited and thrown their entire weight against the Civil Guard.” “How is the civilian population handling it?” “As grim as this sounds, most knew this was coming. It’s a bit of a relief for some to know it’s finally happened – the Front’s finally something they can tangibly defend against instead of the skirmishing that’s gone on over the past few months.” “What about the Alliance? Have you heard anything about them?” “Well,” Qi pauses, then begins again. “It’s complicated. Understandably I’m not really privy to the internal workings of their government, but the general population is certain – or at least they’re confident – that Sol will eventually intervene, that they have to intervene. They simply don’t know when that’ll be.” “And what about you? Any thoughts on the Alliance from somebody who saw their conduct on Mars?” Qi exhales, running a hand through his hair. He pauses for a moment before speaking again. “I’d rather see the Solarian Navy than the Front.” Before Qi can say more his feed turns to static with “SIGNAL LOST” layered over it in Freespeak. The camera switches back to a concerned-looking van den Soeterik. “While we attempt to reestablish a connection with Liao we’ll go onto a brief commercial break. Please stay turned.”

XNS Exclusive: The Volunteer Tapes, Tape Three Act 3 Article 12 of the Amor Patriae arc The camera focuses on a broadly-built and middle-aged Solarian man with a well-maintained, though slightly grey, mustache. His Solarian Army uniform is one of an officer and appears well-maintained, though it has obviously seen some signs of recent combat. A kepi perched upon the man’s head marks him as an officer of the famed 12th Silversunner Coastal Infantry Division, also known as “Mistral.” The kepi features the rank insignia of a Lieutenant Colonel upon its front — a very high rank to be present in San Colette, where he is nominally a deserter from the Solarian Army. “We’re recording, you can start,” Qi says from offscreen. The man nods. “I am Lieutenant Colonel Hale Kaohi, commanding officer of the Second Colettish Volunteer Battalion. It is my honor to fight for the Alliance while so many of my fellow soldiers will not,” Kaohi narrows his eyes in seeming disgust for a moment. For any familiar with Silversun, the Lieutenant Colonel has a quite strong Silversunner Native accent. “Did you come here directly from the Army?” “Yes, with many of my troops. We must preserve our Alliance even if the Navy is too cowardly.” “Doesn’t that make you a deserter, to speak technically?” “I am a patriot. Something you colonials,” Kaohi points to something unseen behind the camera, presumably Qi. “Could have learned back in ‘75. But I am not here to discuss the mistakes of the past, only the concerns of the present. I agreed to this interview to implore the Alliance to aid us.” “Do you think the Pact can hold without the Alliance?” “No,” Kaohi responds bluntly. “We can only delay our inevitable deaths. My soldiers are aware of this, and we do not intend to die without having made a difference.” “Have you seen any combat since the encirclement?” Kaohi shakes his head. “None. We’ve been training Coletters on how to be soldiers in the meantime, and working with the First Battalion to coordinate our efforts.” “Forsythe, the other battalion commander, is a veteran of the Tau Ceti Foreign Legion. Has that impacted your relationship at all?” “It has not,” Kaohi responds bluntly yet again. “I do not believe the Legion is at all equal to the Army, but anyone willing to come and stand against Frost’s fascism and communist insanity is worthy of my respect.” “Do you have any closing comments?” “I intend to die on my feet. I’ve lived a good life, reporter. It’s better I perish fighting for something I believe in than die knowing I could have made a difference.” The tape shuts off, with the last image being the Lieutenant Colonel’s serious gaze seemingly attempting to drill a hole through the camera’s lens.

LEAGUE RETREAT BECOMES ROUT — FRONTLINE RETURNS TO PRE-OFFENSIVE BORDERS Act 3 Article 11 of the Amor Patriae arc Following the typical XNS jingle the camera focuses on a screen displaying the Northern Wildlands flanked by analysts Ajit Gopal and Delphine Deschamps. The League thrust towards San Colette has completely collapsed and the League itself appears to be in a full, general retreat across its frontline. This is almost certainly the worst-case scenario discussed by the XNS several days ago. “While the League’s retreat has been fairly orderly,” Gopal begins, tapping the screen and bringing up an image of a destroyer Mumbai-class battleship in League colors, “the loss of the Wallbreaker to a phoron tanker used by the Front as an IED several hours ago caused a general breakdown in cohesion and widespread panic, which caused the retreat to collapse as it turned into a route.” “And you believe this has effectively ended the League’s offensive capabilities?” “I do. Most of their capital ships were, according to OSINT, committed to this offensive and few survived the retreat. With their supply lines to Gadpathur cut and insufficient port facilities under their control, there’s not a lot the League can do at this point beyond trying to hold its ground and hoping San Colette will distract the Front for long enough to let them regenerate some of their losses.” “Considering the Front’s chatter, I don’t know if they’ll give the League the chance. Most Front officers who are present on the Extranet seem to believe the Front will push forward until the League is eliminated, thus securing the entire Wildlands. After that there will be nobody to stop them from taking San Colette and its phoron reserve.” “Nobody aside from the Alliance, at least,” Gopal replies. “What’s the latest on them?” “It’s a mixed bag, Ajit. Some parts of the Front think Sol will officially recognize them after they take San Colette, and Frost-aligned Navy officers will coup the government to make this happen. In San Colette the hope is for intervention, which has become popular across the Alliance. The Solarian Navy is, for better or worse, as tight-lipped as ever.” “Do you think they’ll attempt an assault before they defeat the League?” “It’s always a possibility but doing so would ensure they can’t commit their full strength to San Colette, and the planet’s defenses will be difficult to break through with anything less than, say, a full battlegroup, probably.” “Only time will tell, right Delphine?” “Right, Ajit. Unfortunately, it’s time for us to go on a short break. Stay tuned for more on the War in the Northern Wildlands.” The broadcast fades out.

XNS Exclusive: The Volunteer Tapes, Tape Two Act 3 Article 9 of the Amor Patriae arc The camera opens to a typical-looking Solarian woman sitting in a chair. She is wearing fatigues which appear to be about two sizes too large for her and has a blue Legion beret upon her head. Glossy hair, softly glowing eyes, and the way she seems to never blink indicate this individual is most likely a synthetic. “Should I introduce myself?” she asks in a relatively strong Silversun accent — an Expatriate one, for those familiar with the planet — with a steady, almost mechanical intonation. “Yes, we’re rolling,” Liao Qi responds from offscreen. “My apologies. I am Cynthia, Commander Forsythe’s aide-de-camp. My duties mostly consist of radio work for the Commander as my nature makes me simply more efficient at most administrative tasks.” “Why is that?” “It is quite literally what I was built to do, Mister Qi,” Cynthia smiles slightly, crossing one leg over the other. “It’s not the same as working in a shuttleport as a radio coordinator, but it’s certainly similar. I never thought I’d be calling in orbital fire l when I was handling shuttle schedules and launches.” “How did you come to be in the Legion, and meet Forsythe?” “It’s a long story, but I can summarize it. I was working on Mictlan during the Collapse and, well, our shuttleport collapsed,” Cynthia shrugs. “Getting purchased by Idris didn’t seem like a great prospect, so I cashed out and signed up to get citizenship. I ended up in Forsythe’s unit on Mictlan.” “What did you do on Mictlan?” “I don’t want to talk about it,” Cynthia responds quickly as a sudden darkness crosses her face. “We did what we did for a cause we believed in at the time, and that’s all I’ll say.” Qi, for his part, recovers fairly quickly. “Right. As a free positronic how has it felt to fight for a Solarian member-state, considering the Alliance’s stance on positronics?” “It’s an odd feeling. Most Solarians we meet assume I’m Battalion property, when I’m my own woman. They tend to get confused if you explain it, so I sometimes act as if I’m just augmented. The Battalion itself is more accepting, even if the Dominians tend to stare.” “Why come here if you’ve only been met by confusion?” “If the Front beats San Colette and the Pact, they’ll go for Biesel next. I cannot stand by like so many do and wait for the crisis to come to us. We have to stop it here, and stop it now. Evil can’t be left to fester.” “Any closing remarks?” “I’ve heard about what the Front does to people like me — synthetics, I mean. I’m not going to let myself be captured in a functional state and be turned into a political officer. Cynthia pauses a moment before speaking again. “And if I die here, at least I died doing something other than working in a shuttleport until decommissioning.”

LEAGUE BEGINS RETREAT FROM SAN COLETTE - FRONT FORCES BEGIN COUNTEROFFENSIVE Act 3 Article 8 of the Amor Patriae arc Following the typical XNS jingle the camera focuses on a screen displaying the Northern Wildlands flanked by analysts Ajit Gopal and Delphine Deschamps. The League thrust towards San Colette has begun to contract in response to the threat from Lhokgon, where the 35th Fleet has pushed the League back even further. “As predicted a few days ago,” Deschamps says as she points to the League forces near San Colette, “the League had begun a retreat from its positions near San Colette due to Front gains near Lhokgon which threaten to cut off their forces. The question for us as observers is now if the League can maintain the order of its retreat until they’re safe, or if the situation will collapse.” “Posts linked to League forces near Lhokgon indicate many believe they can’t hold their positions for very long. Most of the League’s best forces were diverted for the attack on San Colette, which has left many of the units left to hold Lhokgon demoralized. Compounding this,” Gopal zooms in on Lhokgon, causing the 35th Fleet marker to split into the Fleet’s squadrons, “is the presence of the 35th Fleet on the Front’s side. Delphine?” “The 35th Fleet is perhaps the most battle-tested part of the Front as it invaded Biesel in 2462, though at the cost of much of its effective strength. It’s regenerated to full strength since that point by integrating Navy defectors and is still centered around the veteran core of the Fleet which invaded Tau Ceti. They’ve been in charge of the offensive near Lhokgon and have rapidly pushed the League back near it.” “Do you think the retreat will collapse?” “Collapse in what way?” “Either by being cut off or by having the fighting retreat break down,” Gopal clarifies. Deschamps ponders the question for a moment, then clicks her tongue. “If the Front advances much further near Lhokgon and keels to their current rate of advance,” she says, “it’ll cause a panic which leads to the retreat collapsing. That’s my theory.” “What’s the worst-case scenario for the League?” “The absolute worst-case scenario here would result in the League effectively ceasing to exist as an offensive force, particularly against the Front, if they lose a significant number of units during their retreat.”

XNS Exclusive: The Volunteer Tapes, Tape One Act 3 Article 8 of the Amor Patriae arc The camera zooms in on, as always, Mariska van den Soeterik, the dedicated host of XNS’ foreign news segment. Her augmented eyes glow slightly as she reaches across the table for her PDA. “Good evening and welcome to XNS’ foreign news hour. I’m your host Mariska van den Soeterik. With San Colette surrounded by the Front communications from it and Liao Qi, our on-location reporter, have become sporadic at best,” she swipes something on her PDA. “However, with the assistance of the Colettish government, we have been able to acquire a series of interviews done by Liao shortly before the encirclement. These interviews, which feature members of the First Colettish Volunteer Battalion, will be aired on XNS over the coming weeks per Liao’s request. Without further ado, here is the first of what Liao refers to as the Volunteer Tapes.” The camera switches to a feed of a woman in Solarian fatigues sitting in a chair inside of an office. The windows, distressingly, appear to have been covered in sandbags. She looks tired, but enthusiastic, even if her blonde hair is a mess. “Hey! Do I need to introduce myself?” “Yes, just for the record,” Qi replies from somewhere offscreen. “Sure! I’m Alexis Watts, from the 37th, currently serving as the two-eye-sea for the First Colettish Volunteer Battalion. That’s, uh, the second in command for folks who don’t know Army talk.” “You said you came here to fight the Front. How have things been since our last interview?” Watts exhales upwards, unintentionally blowing one of her messy bangs into her face. She shifts it back to the side. “It ain’t been great since then. We were on Nova Igman before it collapsed and we were one of the last Pact units to exfil. The League ain’t as good at fighting as the Front, but they’ve got a lotta ships and a lotta idiots who signed up ‘cause they think they’re saving Sol from the megas.” “What would you say to these League soldiers, if you could speak to them directly?” “Depends. Do I got a rifle?” “Not this time.” Watts shrugs, then leans back into her chair. “Shit, I dunno. I’ve never been much of a philosopher, man. Guess I’d, uh, tell’em they’re mostly just enriching their own bosses, yeah? Then ask why they’re not invading Biesel instead, ‘cause they’re real corporate.” “Why do you think they’re not invading Biesel?” “Simple: they ain’t actually anti-corp, they’re just a bunch a’ looting assholes — sorry if you gotta beep that out — who wanna make money off’a people who ain’t able to defend themselves. They’re more like Frost than they think, ‘cause they’re all—” a beep plays and Watts looks at the camera. “Sorry, that one’s for sure gotta get beeped, right?” “It does, but don’t worry about it. You were saying?” “Yeah. They’re attacking the Pact ‘cause they don’t wanna fight anybody who can beat ‘em, and Biesel’s mercs can probably give ‘em a good whipping, which means they ain’t gonna be able to loot as much as they wanted. That’s why they only started fighting after the Front attacked. They’re cowards, and they’re gonna die like cowards when the Alliance shows up. Count on it!” The tape cuts out at this point.

Fighting Continues Near San Colette, Front Halts Lhokgon Offensive Act 3 Article 6 of the Amor Patriae arc Following the typical XNS jingle the camera focuses on a screen displaying the Northern Wildlands flanked by analysts Ajit Gopal and Delphine Deschamps. While San Colette remains mostly unchanged, Front forces near Lhokgon have managed to push the League back and have relieved pressure on a nearly-surrounded 31st Fleet force in the process. A black square labeled “35th Fleet” is currently positioned in Lhokgon and appears to be pushing the League back. “As you can see by the map,” Gopal begins, “the League’s decision to withdraw forces from Lhokgon and commit them to San Colette had effectively ended its offensive operation there, particularly with the arrival of the elite 35th Fleet earlier yesterday. This places their entire offensive towards San Colette at risk.” Deschamps nods her head, then speaks. “It’s hard to imagine the Front not capitalizing on its gains near Lhokgon, assuming it has enough fuel, if the League can’t withdraw from its positions near San Colette quickly enough. Do you believe they’ll be able to, Ajit?” Gopal shakes his head. “If we’ve seen anything so far in this ‘civil war’ the League has proven it’s often unable to effectively coordinate, which may be due to its lack of a strong leader such as the Front’s Admiral Verglas. However, the coordination issues are likely another symptom of its ongoing supply issues following the end of Gadpathurian support.” Deschamps seems somewhat surprised. “It’s impacting them that badly?” “It is. Most League-connected Chirper accounts we can find have become increasingly desperate for donations — any donations — over the past few weeks as fighting has worn them down. The Front’s situation will likely become this bad in the near future but, for now, their reserve of Solarian Navy equipment has allowed them to sustain operations much more effectively.” “Why attack San Colette then?” “I don’t know. They were presumably trying to encircle the Front near Lhokgon but couldn’t finish the circle, which let the Front reinforce and break the League’s positions.” “Do you think they’re spent as an offensive force?” Goal nods. “I think they are, unless they can retreat in good order. We’ll have to judge they after the break!” The camera fades out.

BREAKING: LEAGUE OFFENSIVE SMASHES THROUGH FRONT DEFENSES, SAN COLETTE CONTESTED! Act 3 Article 4 of the Amor Patriae arc Following the typical XNS jingle the camera focuses on a screen displaying the Northern Wildlands flanked by analysts Ajit Gopal and Delphine Deschamps. While Lhokgon remains a focus between both the League and Front, an unexpected change is featured on the map now: a red corridor showing a rapid advance by the League which has reached the outskirts of San Colette, where — judging by the map — it appears to be actively engaging the Front in a pitched battle for control over the siege. Between Lhokgon and San Colette a significant Front force belonging to the 31st Fleet appears to be engaged on all three sides in a desperate attempt to stop itself from being encircled. “It appears,” Gopal begins, pointing to Lhokgon, “this attack was most likely a diversion intended to distract the Front from its defense of San Colette, which is now actively engaged by the best units in the League’s forces.” “So it would seem! The Front’s forces are in a difficult position due to the remnants of the Pact being present in San Colette, which has effectively trapped some of their forces in a position where they cannot defend or retreat. Take a look at this video discovered on Chirper by one of our analysts.” The camera switches to a brief introduction which displays a fluttering League flag set to low-quality Plutonian electronic music, which Deschsmps appears to promptly mute. The introduction switches to an external camera mounted on, judging by text on the camera’s screen, the SRFV Purity of Will, a Yincheng-class light cruiser. The vessel is burning quickly towards a field of asteroids when an alert appears on its screen in bold, red Solarian Common characters: DANGER: MUNITIONS INCOMING — BEGIN EVASIVE ACTION. The camera rattles and shifts as the entire vessel shifts into a hard turn to port, but manages to identify an unknown cylindrical object incoming to the light cruiser before it impacts. The railgun shell punches through the shield and frontal armor in the blink of an eye. Before the camera can fully register what has happened a series of explosions rock the front of the vessel as it pulls further into its evasive maneuver. A larger explosion amidships rocks the camera once again, but it manages to capture a shocking sight: the front of the Yincheng losing power entirely and, with a silent scream, falling off of the vessel entirely. The stern of the vessel, apparently trapped in its doomed evasive maneuver, continues onwards. The feed cuts out shortly after this and transitions to the League’s flag again, where “Comrade Smith” of the 67th Fleet promises this will be the end of all corporate traitors and notes the footage was recovered from an adrift black box. The camera switches back to Deschamps and Gopal. “There’s going to be more engagements like this over the coming days as the League and Front continue to fight over control of the siege,” Deschsmps says. “I’m not sure who’s going to win.” “Neither am I,” Gopal replies. “It seems like most of the League’s heavy assets are committed to this offensive, and they’d still have to break through the Pact’s lines if they defeated the Front. It’s risky.” “It is.” “Unfortunately that’s all we have for today. Our coverage of the Northern Wildlands will continue as the agitation develops.” The camera fades out to the two analysts discussing something amongst themselves which is not, for whatever reason, picked up by the camera.

I fail to see how a German pharmaceutical company from 1863 and a horse deworming medication are somehow more meaningful for tajara. You have been advised to change it and it by staff and it will not be put in until you do so, per Cybs.

As the original writer of the updated timeline I do not enjoy seeing references to a real German pharmaceutical company and a real horse dewormer used during the Coronavirus pandemic in the AI ion laws. Why not do something with Zeng-Hu instead, or with the fictional medicines in our setting? Aside from this most opinions I have have already been stated.

XNS Exclusive: Inside the Rock of San Colette Act 3 Article 3 of the Amor Patriae arc The camera zooms in on, as always, Mariska van den Soeterik, the dedicated host of XNS’ foreign news segment. Her augmented eyes glow slightly as she reaches across the table for her PDA. “Good evening and welcome to XNS’ foreign news hour. I’m your host Mariska van den Soeterik. Today’s top story comes from our very own Liao Qi who, with the assistance of the Colettish government, has managed to send us this recording of his visit to a Civil Guard defense platform. Without further ado we now go to Liao’s recording.” The camera clicks over to a nondescript industrial corridor with Qi, who appears to have been able to shave since his last broadcast, standing on the side of it. In the corridor behind him an industrial IPC clad in a brown uniform pushed a cart full of equipment to an unknown location. Qi clears his throat. “While I can’t name this facility it is one of what the Pact refers to as the ‘Rock’ defensive line, and will likely be one of the first facilities engaged in the event of a Solarian Restoration Front incursion. We asked staff here what they think of this, and the response was similar for most: they’re nervous, but they’re not willing to give up without a fight.” The view switches to a male human in a drab brown uniform with his face blurred out. The man is labeled as J.D. “This Guard soldier,” Qi narrates, “is originally from Lycoris. As a result, his likeness has been obscured in order to ensure the safety of his relatives still residing in Front-controlled territory.” “We’re nervous,” JD begins, his voice distorted artificially, “but we won’t back down from a fight. This isn’t my home, but people have taken refuge here. We owe it to them to stand and fight.” “Are your fellow troops concerned?” Qi asks from offscreen. “No,” JD replies. “We know what we have to do. We might die fighting, yeah, but the Front would probably kill us anyways if they got to us, so we might as well fight. Better to die in control of your own destiny.” “Do you have anything to say regarding the Alliance?” “I hope they don’t let us die in vain, man. A whole bunch of people are going to die if they don’t intervene.” The film cuts out at this point, with an untranslated Tradeband warning featured in the middle of the screen. Any who speak the language will recognize it as saying “RECORDED BROADCAST ENDED.” van den Soeterik looks at the camera from behind her desk. “We’ll do our best as a network to keep our audience updated regarding San Colette,” van den Soeterik says. “For now, please have a good night — and stay safe.”

Continuing Coverage: League Launches Counter-Offensive Against Lhokgon, Front Ceases Active Offensives in Response Act 3 Article 3 of the Amor Patriae arc Following the typical XNS jingle the camera focuses on a screen displaying the Northern Wildlands flanked by analysts Ajit Gopal and Delphine Deschamps. San Colette itself remains totally encircled by the Solarian Restoration Front’s forces, and appears to have remained static. The Front has stopped its advances along the entire front and has even ceded ground it gained in some locations. Lhokgon, a major Helium-3 refining planet, is marked as a system contested between the Front and League, which has pushed up to the system itself. “So,” Deschamps begins. “As the subject matter expert concerning the League, what are your thoughts on this offensive?” “It’s a risky move on their part but at the same time it’s likely the only way they can contest the Front’s Hammer Drive advantage without Lhokgon and its Helium-3 facilities the Front will have to start rationing its fuel, which will make them much easier for the League to pin down and combat. This means the Front has to defend the system, which has caused it to abandon its offensive against the League’s repair facilities for the immediate future.” “Can the League afford to commit itself to this offensive for a long time?” “No,” Gopal shakes his head. “They’re still suffering from supply issues and are outnumbered by the Front. But, with the Front having to commit so many forces to San Colette’s siege, they might be able to achieve regional superiority near Lhokgon, which likely has the Front’s high command concerned.” “Right, right. San Colette itself, judging by limited communications from the system, has not been seriously assaulted aside from a few probing attacks which haven’t seriously contested the Pact’s defenses. OSINT suggests they’re arming almost any vessel — or citizen — they can find that’s willing and able to be armed.” “And the Alliance?” “There’s been rumors of intervention but nothing beyond that. The post-purge Navy is significantly tighter-lipped than what came before it, and they’ve kept the flow of information under control. The ‘exercises,’” Deschamps makes air quotes as she says the word, “near the Wildlands border are clearly meant to intimidate the Front while bolstering Solarian morale, but we don’t know anything about a potential intervention.” “It’s an interesting scenario. Even if they intervened, would they make it to San Colette in time? They’d have to cross the entire Front.” “I don’t know,” Deschamps responds. “It depends upon how far their drives can travel, and if there are any warp gates which will accept the Navy’s warp drive ID.” Gopal looks down at his watch. “Hold that thought for a moment Delphine! We’ll be right back after this word from our sponsors!” The camera fades out.

XNS Exclusive: Colettish Militias Prepare for Invasion Act 3 Article 2 of the Amor Patriae arc The camera zooms in on, as always, Mariska van den Soeterik, the dedicated host of XNS’ foreign news segment. Her augmented eyes glow slightly as she reaches across the table for her PDA. “Good evening and welcome to XNS’ foreign news hour. I’m your host Mariska van den Soeterik. Our top story these evening comes from Liao Qi, our reporter on the ground in San Colette. Liao has had difficulties remaining in contact with the XNS due to San Colette’s siege, and the following prerecorded message was provided to us via an encrypted transmission with the assistance of the Colettish government; we go now to Liao’s latest reporting.” Liao Qi, looking more haggard than usual, stands in front of a Colettish government building with a line stretching into it. Individuals, mostly in civilian clothing, are steadily exiting it in small groups led by Civil Guard officers while carrying, or wearing, surplus Solarian Army arms and armor. A man in the uniform of the Civil Guard stands to Qi’s side, looking nearly as tired as the reporter. “Right,” Qi begins, pointing behind himself at the building. “I’m at a Civil Guard distribution in Nueva Isabela where San Colette is preparing for a grim scenario: a situation in which San Colette itself has become a battleground. With me today is Civil Guard Captain Wilfredo Iniguez, who’s in charge of this center.” Qi turns his microphone towards Captain Iniguez. “Thank you. This facility behind us was, before the war, a station of the Nueva Isabela Police Department. Now it’s a mustering point for those volunteering to serve in the Civil Militia where they’re assigned to training squads run by the Civil Guard.” “Are there many volunteers?” “More than we thought there would be. We have both Coletters and refugees volunteering for it. I’d rather have them in the Civil Guard but,” Iniguez sighs. “I don’t think we have the liberty of time.” “What will these, ah, militias be tasked with, if worst comes to worst?” “The militia’s role is to defend our cities, towns, and villages from any invaders while the Guard and other professional forces fight the invaders on the open field. I won’t lie to you, reporter: I do not wish it had,” the Captain pauses for a moment. “…come to this. It will not be easy for our Republic, but we will not go without a fight. The Front can count on that.” “Do you believe the Alliance will intervene?” The simple question seemingly makes the Captain grow wearier simply by hearing it, and he pauses for a moment before speaking again. “We can only pray they will, reporter. Many more will suffer if they do not.” The film cuts out at this point, with an untranslated Tradeband warning featured in the middle of the screen. Any who speak the language will recognize it as saying “RECORDED BROADCAST ENDED.” van den Soeterik looks at the camera from behind her desk. “While the situation in San Colette is unstable, we will do our best to keep you informed. After a short break we will go to our reporter in Suwon regarding the rumored increase in organized crime activity on Konyang.”

Continued Reporting: Front Launches Assault Towards League-Held Pact Shipyards Act 3 Article 1 of the Amor Patriae arc Following the typical XNS jingle the camera focuses on a screen displaying the Northern Wildlands flanked by analysts Ajit Gopal and Delphine Deschamps. San Colette itself remains totally encircled by the Solarian Restoration Front’s forces, and appears to have remained static. The Front has, over the past few days, opted to push its advantage while it has it and has forced the League further away from San Colette. Lhokgon, a major Helium-3 refining planet, remains the focus of intense fighting, and the front has barely shifted here. “As you can see by the map,” Gopal begins, causing the map to zoom onto the League-Front line of skirmish. “League forces have been pushed further back, effectively causing them to lose any remaining gains they held from their earlier offensive. With the Front holding the momentum, what can we expect to see over the coming days?” “We can expect the Front to push its advantage in renewed assaults against the shipyards under League control in the Pact’s territory, which would further cripple the League’s offensive power as they’d have to retrofit and repair within their own territory rather than what facilities they have either captured intact or repaired to a relatively functional state.” “I don’t think the League will give up territory so easily, especially with its Gadpathurian support cut off “ Gopal responds. “They’re losing ground before the shipyards, yes, but look at Lhokgon. They’ve barely given any ground there, likely due to the presence of capital ships such as the Wallbreaker, which has been confirmed as active in the region. Have you seen anything on the OSINT side for the Front?” “We have. Front sailors near ‘Fortress Lhokgon’ as they commonly call it have expressed frustration at Front high command for prioritizing their offensives over breaking the League’s assault on Lhokgon, which has been grinding down their forces in the area. The Front’s main defensive line sits outside of Lhokgon and has been, according to Front reports and footage uploaded by League vessels, slowly pushed back.” “But with the Front pushing them back elsewhere, can they sustain this offensive?” Deschamps pauses, considering the question. “—I don’t know. The Front may be attempting to force the League to overcommit themselves to Lhokgon and cut off their advance, but that’s speculation at this point.” “Unfortunately, this speculation will have to come after the next commercial break. We’ll be right back!” The screen transitions into an ad for extreme cold-weather gear imported from Himeo.

BREAKING: LEAGUE RETREATS FROM SAN COLETTE FOLLOWING FRONT COUNTEROFFENSIVE Act 2 Article 11 of the Amor Patriae arc Following the typical XNS jingle the camera focuses on a screen displaying the Northern Wildlands flanked by analysts Ajit Gopal and Delphine Deschamps. San Colette itself has been totally encircled by the Solarian Restoration Front’s forces while in the northern sector of the former Pact the League appears to be in a general retreat, having lost the territory it gained during its offensive. An arrow has been traced in the north which leads further inwards from the offensive and towards the League itself. “As you can see,” Deschamps breaks the initial silence, “the Front has effectively seized total control of the space surrounding San Colette, which has caused the League offensive in the northern Pact to collapse due to concerns of being cut off and encircled by the Front’s forces. Ajit?” “The League will likely draw its defensive line here,” Gopal taps his PDA, causing a line to appear close to San Colette which runs vertically from the League’s border to the Coalition’s border. “It’s far enough away for them to reinforce but close enough to put pressure on the Front’s positions near San Colette, such as the Helium-3-rich system of Lhokgon, which the Front is currently using as a major resupply depot.” “Right,” Deschamps responds. “Most of the Chirper posts from Front troops there indicate the facilities are relatively intact, which is a surprise to me.” “It’s possible the Pact could’ve been using them up until the system fell, as it’s barely a Lightyear from San Colette. Everybody needs fuel, Delphine. They might have left the facilities as a distraction, considering how dedicated both the Front and League seem to be to seizing it.” “Do you believe the League has enough forces to mount a serious assault?” “They might. Take a look at this video my team pulled off of Chirper.” The feed switches to an exterior camera on, judging by the Solarian Common text at the bottom of the video, the Armsman-class frigate Worker’s Liberation. The tiny frigate, following a series of signals from a larger ship ahead of itself, turns to face a warship which effectively dwarfs it, and takes up the video’s entire screen. After a moment of buffering the frigate’s sensors properly identify this as the Wallbreaker, a Mumbai-class fast battleship. An uncommon sight in the Wildlands, these vessels are some of the largest found in the hands of post-Solarian warlords. The feed cuts out as the Worker’s Liberation begins to turn its camera. The feed returns to Deschamps and Gopal. Deschamps, for her part, appears fairly surprised. “They have a functional battleship?” “They do, and it’s in relatively good condition even after almost three years of fighting. The Front and Pact both have their own battleships, but most are currently engaged in or near San Colette. The existence of this vessel means the League likely still has enough reserves for another serious assault, which changes how the Front will have to approach the situation – particularly regarding Lhokgon.” Deschamps nods her head, thinking to herself. “Unfortunately, for now, we’ll be right back!” Deschamps barely contains her disappointment prior to the camera fading into an ad for an Xanu-produced computer system.

Continued Reporting: Ongoing Fighting Near San Colette Act 2 Article 10 of the Amor Patriae arc Following the typical XNS jingle the camera focuses on a screen displaying the Northern Wildlands flanked by analysts Ajit Gopal and Delphine Deschamps. Little has changed from the last time the map was shown, and fighting seems to be concentrated around San Colette itself and the more northern systems home to much of the Pact’s former shipbuilding industry. In this northern region the League appears to have made some gains, and is approaching New Peoria. “Hello, and welcome to our continuing coverage of the War in the Northern Wildlands,” Gopal begins, tapping his PDA and causing the screen to focus upon San Colette. “As you can see by our map, the Front has focused much of its efforts here.” “That’s correct,” Deschsmps interjects. “The Front is likely attempting to fully surround San Colette in order to besiege the system more effectively, and will have to force the League out of its positions outside San Colette in order to do so. But—“ Deschsmps taps her PDA and the map moves north to New Peoria, where League forces appear to have an advantage in numbers over the Front. An image of a Yincheng-class light cruiser painted in League colors comes up on the screen. It’s badly damaged but is being repaired in a dockyard. “—their focus on San Colette is costing them ground they may not be able to lose near New Peoria. However, most intelligence points to this being some form of delaying action.” “And what about the League?” “The League has never had the supply chain the Front possessed prior to 2465, and has often relied upon raiding and ‘unofficial’ aid from Coalition member states. Their assault in the north has been pushing the Front back slowly but at great cost to themselves. Many are now asking how long they can keep this assault going.” “Any guesses, Delphine?” “Isn’t your department in charge of League OSINT?” “They are, but I want my friend’s opinion! Come on, you can focus on something other than the Front for once!” Deschamps pauses, considering something in her head. “I don’t know,” she replies. “A month at best, probably? I imagine it’ll be less than that.” “—and we’ll be able to discuss that right after this short break.” The video fades into an ad for duty-free Cytherean imports.

As a former Bay player they are interesting for a bit but rapidly become annoying, and also break the setting's atmosphere by making it out to be a movie. As for ports, the most interesting thing to me is the scent system. It's an interesting feature of Bay which I've always felt adds a lot of atmosphere.