[h2]Uchade, Union of Oros[/h2]
The sun stood high over the fields and meadows of Uchade. Much like many other Orosian planets, Uchade was rurally organized, its people living in isolated farmsteads and villages, protected by a group of Knights that ruled over the world. The world itself wasn't very noteworthy, being firmly inside Orosian territory, safe from attacks from outside, or so its inhabitants would think. 

Munir Meeuwsen, a farmer belonging to the Charge class, looked out from the hilltop near his farm. He saw the golden fields of genetically modified crops that would be harvested to feed Orosian and Dominion citizens alike. He could see the government-provided agricultural robots lumber along, trying to identify any crops blighted by the disease that had spread around the system a few months prior. What he also saw, however, was a large cloud of dust, slowly moving over the road that led to his and other farms. Getting curious, he decided to climb down and see what was going on.

As he approached the road, he could see the source of all of the dust and commotion. A large group of Orosian soldiers was marching down the road, slowly approaching. As they got close enough, Munir recognized some of them. In particular, he identified one of them as Ulysses Bruhn, his childhood friend that had joined the Orosian military forces immediately after finishing his education and becoming old enough. And from what Munir could see, Ulysses was leading the group of soldiers marching before him. He yelled "Ulysses, my old friend! I knew you'd make it this far! What news from the Brave?" 

"Aye," the other man replied, "I got promoted only a week ago, but I already have my hands full. Lady Sepp is mobilizing the troops. I think there's some trouble afoot."

"Trouble? With whom? Oros has lived in peace for nearly two centuries now!"

"Haven't you heard? The damn Saxonians have declared war! They're going to secede from the Dominion, so Grand Master Hepburn has issued an order to mobilize our army. Expect some heavier taxes coming soon as well, the Brave are gonna need to eat!" Munir let out a small laugh after hearing those words. "I'll do my best, Ulysses, at least we won't have to pay Dominion taxes anymore if we decide to help Saxony."

Ulysses chuckled and said: "Anyway, enough about me and the state of the galaxy at large. How have you been? Are the kids doing alright?"

"I'm doing well, thank you for asking. Brigita and my son and daughter are doing well too. Trishna's been getting high grades in school and Tarek says he wants to be a soldier when he grows up, just like you!"

"Very good, anyway, I've got to get going, don't wanna miss my transport" with those words, Ulysses and the group of soldiers behind him continued marching down the road. Munir watched them for some time, and then he climbed back up the hill, towards his home.

___

Many hours later, when it was already deep into the night, Munir was driving back down that same road he encountered the soldiers on. He had gone drinking with some of his friends in a small bar in the nearby town, and was now letting his car drive him back home. He could hold his liquor well enough, but it wasn't legal on many Orosian planets to drive after drinking. Of course, if he'd been in one of the Orosian inner systems, he'd just use one of those fancy 'influence purge pills' he'd heard so much about, which were supposed to remove any sort of effect on the mind from alcohol or drugs. Sadly though, it was not to be, and he was forced to just wait while his autonomous car brought him back home. 

The night sky was cloudy, and banks of fog were starting to roll in over the verdant hills. The temperature was starting to drop, and it became clear that that side of Uchade was slowly approaching its winter season. Munir leaned against the car window and smiled, remembering the snowball fights he and his family had every time the snow fell. He thought he could smell ozone, which was odd, but he thought it could be because of the alcohol. The car drove on and rounded a corner close to his home. That was when he saw it: smoke.

As the car approached his farm Munir could smell it too. A great cloud of smoke emerged from somewhere behind the hills. Throwing caution to the wind, Munir grabbed the car's steering wheel and turned off its autodrive. He accelerated, driving home as quickly as he could. As he drove, he saw that his fields were set alight. The farming robots laid broken and mutilated in the fields, clearly destroyed and scavenged for components. He drove up the hill and stopped his car, running into his house. Too adrenaline-charged to even care about any potential danger, he searched the house. There was blood all over the floor, and much of the furniture had been broken into or destroyed to get to the contents within.

As Munir ran into the kitchen, he saw a scene that would stay with him for the rest of his life. His dog, an Orosian shepherd named Andromeda, was curled up on the tiled kitchen floor, clearly dead, and beyond her lay Munir's wife, Brigita. Munir crouched down and cradled her as she bled from multiple wounds. A bloody kitchen knife and a pitchfork lay beside her, clearly having been used to fend off some unknown assailant. Brigita clutched at Munir's arm as she spoke: "They... they took the kids, Munir. I couldn't stop them. I'm so sorry". Brigita started sobbing, prompting Munir to hold her. "It's gonna be okay," Munir replied, "I'll find them, I promise. I'll make that scum pay!"

It took ten more agonizing minutes for the authorities to arrive, but it was already too late at that point. And so, Brigita Meeuwsen died in her husband's arms. Ulysses stepped into the room, having been ordered to investigate the great clouds of smoke that were now high in the sky above the house. As firemen were putting out the fires, and local police forces were already searching the area, he spoke: "I am so sorry, Munir. We received word that a group of pirates were preparing to raid this planet, but we were too damn late. I never expected this would happen."

"It's okay," Munir replied, sobbing between the words as he crouched on the floor. "Well, it's not okay, but you know what I mean"

"So, what are you gonna do now?"

"I'm going to need an audience with our local Knight, I think. Yes, that would be good."