[b]The Armada Sector Date 5115.64 Time 1900 Situation Room A[/b] [hr] Admiral Serrano watched as the last of the Pilots entered the room, just in time for the briefing to begin. He inclined his head to the assembled group, then turned to Maye, to address her question. [color=9e0039]"In time, Captain, in time. For now, we need to discuss more long-term goals- we're not out here just for a patrol, after all. We are here to turn the tide of the war, for good. So, without further ado, let us begin the briefing."[/color] [hr] [center][h1][u]Act 1[/u][/h1] [h2][u]Chapter 1[/u][/h2] [h3]Ingress[/h3][/center] [hr] [color=9e0039]"Vi. Situation Room A. Projection, Operation Checkmate."[/color] In the middle of the room, a hologram popped up, a representation of the Red Sector, and more importantly, the territory just beyond the Red Line. A red triangle appeared just past the No Man's Land, their current location. [color=9e0039]"To start off, I would like to thank you all for your service on this mission in advance. Whether veterans of the Pilot Program already, or merely recruits with incredible potential, you all have accepted a very essential, very dangerous mission to take back our homes from the Shard. It will not be easy, but your success here will mean securing the future of Origin-kind. Now, to business."[/color] He indicated the triangle on the map. [color=9e0039]"This is our current position- just past the Red Line. In approximately one hour, Operation Checkmate will begin in earnest, and from there, there's no going back. Until we succeed, or until we are destroyed. Our first step in the Operation will be to reach this sector, here,"[/color] he said, a large section of debris and asteroids highlighted in green on the map. [color=9e0039]"We call it the Graveyard- the remnants of one of the last battles of the Shard War before the Dragons. The wrecks and corpses of Shard and our own vessels alike will partially shield us from their sensors, and their Leviathans' relative lack of maneuverability means that they will be unable to field too much resistance against us should we be detected. From here, we can conduct scouting missions and raids with relative impunity. This leads us into Phase 2."[/color] He highlighted the star system that the Graveyard hung just outside of. [color=9e0039]"This star is Delta Black. It's not much, but it will make for a good stepping stone. The second world of this system is our target- we'll call it Sundowner."[/color] He flinched almost imperceptibly at stating the name, but moved on before it could be noticed. [color=9e0039]"It's the capital of an old Jovian colony. Manufacturing and mining, mostly, which makes it ideal for our purposes. Most importantly, it's the nearest source of Phase-capable materials we can identify. Our mission will be to lay claim to Sundowner, destroy the Shard hive present on its surface, and drive out the enemy occupying it before proceeding to Phase 3."[/color] The map disappeared, replaced by an image of something and spacefarer worth their salt would recognize: a Phase gate. The fastest and most reliable method of FTL travel in the Sector. [color=9e0039]"Sundowner was host to one of the largest Phase gates in the entire Origin Sector before the Shard came in. And while it has been disabled and likely harvested for parts, sources say that the majority of the infrastructure is still there. This, is our ultimate objective: with the material and manufacturing capabilities of Sundowner at our disposal, our Engineering Corps will attempt to reconstruct a functional Phase Gate, deep in the heart of enemy territory. On the other side of the Red Line, another Gate is being constructed. And once we connect the two..."[/color] The image changed to that of a fleet emerging from the Sundowner Gate, larger than any that had been fielded before in the war, armed with Dragons and the most advanced ships and weapons that could be mustered. [color=9e0039]..."We will be able to launch a full-scale offensive on the Shard, right in their blind spot. Instant, easy ingress into their territory. From there, the Shard will be fighting a war on two fronts, and our victory becomes only a matter of time. Check, and mate."[/color] The image disappeared, leaving the crew to mull over the information they'd been given in the silence that followed. [color=9e0039]"Are there any questions?"[/color]