===United Nations===

From : Cygnus Station Administrative

To : United Nations Joint Mission Analysis Centre

Subject : Cygnus Station Status Report #19

1) Reconstruction efforts on New Eden base are in the final stages as of April 12th. Engineering team estimates operational capacity to be approximately 95% once restoration is complete.

All critically damaged/destroyed buildings have been replaced via on-site prefabrication. As a result of using the Station's resources, our material reserves are almost depleted.

An immediate resupply is needed to alleviate logistical concerns, otherwise establishment of the exploratory outpost to the southern archipelago will be severely delayed.

2) The intelligence gathering operation, led by Senior UN Diplomat Cooper has been successfully concluded and has yielded a treasure trove of infomation. No casualties were sustained by both the delegation and attached SOG Fireteams.

Thanks to the efforts of the former, our current understanding of Faction Alpha has improved in several key areas. The talks were done over the course of three days with a charismatic figure known as Princess Luculia.

Her existence strongly suggests Faction Alpha's form of government to be a monarchy, and not a republic as previously speculated.

The apparent hospitality given to the delegation, as well as the UNSOG operatives seems to derive from their culture.

This was shown, even during the height of their massive counter attack against Faction Beta to the east. There is a firm consensus amongst the delegation that these people are deeply rooted in tradition.

They clearly hold nothing against us, the issue with Expedition 6 is clear. They were simply caught in the crossfire.

In light of these revelations, the threat level for Faction Alpha will be downgraded from S-1 to S-3.

3) The three Faction Beta prisoners have been transfered to the appropriate holding facilities on Tartarus Base in order to minimise exposure to Cygnus Station Tier-2 personnel and below.

A second attempt at interrogation will be made shortly with the assistance of a magical necklace. Through unknown means, the ornament is able to bridge over the language barrier.

The item was secured by one of the Operatives tasked with gathering infomation regarding Faction Alpha's military assets during previously mentioned operation.

4) Our understanding of this world continues to grow at an exponential rate. Attached to the end of this file is a complete rundown on a recently deceased corpse of a giant terrestrial crustacean.

===Jerome===

"They have no idea..." I commented, staring at the prisoners through the window, taking care to hide my presence.

All three were currently in a room, appearing to be immersed in a conversation judging from their moving lips. Their armor was gone having been confiscated for analysis, replacing the medieval outfit is a featureless white, form fitting attire.

With their black hair and current train of attitude, they could fully pass as human with no one being none the wiser.

"That's about to change, we're here to get results by any means neccesery." Major Fullerton remarks, moving towards the door with his intentions clear as day.

The Major is part of the British SAS, and a relative new comer to this operation. That was the limit of his inexperience however, his knowledge far surpasses mine in several areas. God help these three if they somehow earn his ire during the interrogation.

We move into the light, catching their attention as the Major opens the door with a steady hand. Several nearby engineers, happening to chance by our entry casted prying eyes as we went inside.

The administrative is counting on us to produce results. Knowing a live feed is being transmitted back to the Antarctic station, I feel confident enough to take the first step. "Translation necklace sir." I speak up in a neutral tone, adding to the serious almost foreboding tension.

The Major spares me a thankful look, grabbing the ornament as he keeps a close watch on the prisoners. "Thanks." Fear and apprehension looms over their heads as they turn to face us.

Like children caught red handed, they stopped whatever they were doing. They weren't restrained like the last time, security seems to be treating them in a respectable manner. I don't agree with that, prisoners or not they are dangerous assets to hold.

Nothing could shatter this opinion of mine.

Pushing aside that paranoia, the word hostile no longer applies to them, not in this moment at the very least. Without their staffs and daggers, I can easily subdue all three of them if the situation calls for it.

I beckon them to the table in the centre of the room, urging them to take a seat. Sensing my intentions to be harmless, they comply without any lingering hesitation. My eyes didn't miss that lingering look given by the lady, it held a spark of familiarity, as if she knew who I was behind this helmet.

She could be the most cooperative out of the three. I keep that thought filed away as the Major takes a seat on the otherside of the table, meeting their gazes with an indifferent look.

With the telltale sign of shimmering yellow on the Major signifying the necklace's readiness, I move to stand behind the Faction Beta prisoners with my hands holding on to a datapad, ready to take down infomation at a moment's notice.

In order to break the icy tension, the Major takes the initiative. "Can you understand me?"

From my position behind, one of them speaks up. The man is determined, ready to tackle the situation with his firm voice on display. The language as expected is a total unknown to me, the words are an indecipherable jumble of syllables.

My closely guarded lips made no effort to open, prefering instead to add to the silent demeanor I put up.

"Name....full names please.." Fullerton inquired, his voice leaving the captives with no room for escape.

With my intense focus burning holes into their backs, even the tiniest of details couldn't escape my attention. Every flinch, sutter or abnormality is noted down, each moment having its own respective timestamp to display when this specific action happened.

Thanks to their cooperation, more relevant details are uncovered about who they are, and what drove them to assault the base. Their nation's reasons for igniting that massive war, as well as why they didn't capitalize on their numerical advantage in both the ground and skies. All this seems logical, if a little far fetched.

"Interesting..." I softly mutter, keying down the important bits the Major is currently relaying.

Relent or resist, even as I note down these revelations my mind couldn't help but be intruiged. The two factions have different things to say about the war, calling out the other as the instigator of said conflict.

It takes two to tango however.....

Both sides are fighting on behalf of their respective interests, no one is good or bad. With years of military service under my belt, this fact didn't come of as a surprise. If anything, it affirms my belief that in all wars, no one is truly evil.

But neither were they good.

War is a muddled graveyard through which no one is innocent, in this field of horror no soldier gets a guarantee in living till the next sunrise.

Realizing my head is heading off the grid, I crush the train of thought. After typing the last of my inputs, my eyes leave the datapad to loom over the still forms of the prisoners.

If the intel extracted from the palace is accurate, Faction Beta calls itself the Yhunian Federation.

It's time to confirm that. "Next, confirming the name of their nation sir." I remark, directing that sentence to none other than the experienced Major.

More words are exchanged between both sides in their respective languages. Knowing things could change at a moment's notice, I keep my guard up, trusting my senses to the job of identifying any trace of hostility from the three.

'There is none.' I loosen my rigid posture upon that assessment.

So many questions I wanted to ask. It's a given we are different to them in every concievable sense of the word. We can't hope to truly understand them by just asking questions, more needs to be done.

My fingers pause for a moment, allowing a sliver of anticipation to flash across my vision. English translations of the local languages are being done by the linguistics team as I think.

This operation continues to dig into the unknown, the knowledge will be useful for future interactions. I wouldn't mind learning a forth, maybe even a fifth language if future missions demand it.

===Captured Yhunian Ranger===

Many days have passed since our unsightly capture at the hands of these people. We are but the lingering remnants of a once great Ranger battle group, thirty five formidable mages now reduced to a measly three.

Disdain should be rightfully given upon the actions of their warriors, but with the cold presence of the dark knight behind me, I dare not reveal my inner thoughts lest I provoke the wrath of their thunderous weapons.

"What do you call your nation." Yet again, the man seeks a reply to these foolish questions. Their apparant lack of knowledge is troubling, for the answers to these questions are well known to those living in the lands of Flugal.

Nonetheless he seeks answers, and I shall provide. "Yhunian Federation, we serve under its collective might."

"Thank you." The mysterious man shifts his eyes up from my own, no doubt towards the silent knight behind.

The dark warrior is not within my vision, yet his presence is overwhelming. Had he been here to silence us once and for all, we would have been but helpless cattle. The faces of the fallen brings a dull pain to my soul, I could only hope they find peace in their newfound place amongst the night stars.

We were fated to lose that battle, as is dictated by the fingers of fate.

Euralian Black Hand warriors are formidable adversaries, but their battle spells are a mere shadow to the thunderous weapons these people possess.

"Confirmed, his answer correlates with intelligence."

A look is given to Darium, his demeanor remains meek and uncertain as it has been for many days now. Regardless of our losses, he remains the leader of the battle group.

In a time such as this, I suppose his unbecoming behaviour is to be excused.

I turn my hopeful gaze back to the man infront, knowing well of my role in ensuring the wellbeing of my fellow mages.

A great number of his rather strange questions have been quenched with my answers, it is time I ask some of my own.

I look to his necklace, centering my sights on the pendant. "If I may do so.."

A deep breath is taken before continuing. "That necklace of yours, may I ask how did it came into your hands?" I ask, taking heed to remain humble about the question.

His eyes remain unyielding to my words. "I'm afraid I can't answer that...."

"I see..." That is to be expected, however my soul drops in sadness. It appears my confusion and intruige will never be cured. These people are shrouded in a thick veil of secrecy.

But my eyes do not decieve me. That pendant's yellow glow betrays its true origins. They were crafted and enchanted by Euralian Jewel Meisters.

But these people are not Euralian, of that I am certain...

They come from beyond the portal, in a world of never ending ice. Could that be perhaps why they seek to keep us in the dark?

To be born in such a barren place, even I would be remiss to not understand why they do such a thing, however bothersome such actions are. The lifeless world they hail from is certainly not worth boasting about, let alone mention.

These troubling thoughts are casted away as the dark knight behind moves into my vision. Slow, yet powerful steps punctuate the formidable statue of his dark grey armor, adding to his already murderous gaze.

Being the unwilling recepient of that burning stare, I could only avert my eyes down in fear.

That is the air of a seasoned warrior. I could sense it, the cold skills of a well versed killer.

My mind remains crippled by uncertainty, leading my ears to be unfeeling to spoken words. "I have another question you if you don't mind."

Tensions are rising once more. "Are you listening?"

"Y-yes, you have my ears." I immediately respond out of courtesy. "As well as the ones beside me." I added, encouraging my two fellow Rangers to listen and perhaps answer for once in my stead.

Those cold eyes, while betraying his age held a certain sharpness that demanded nothing but the truth from us. "We have been in contact your enemies, they've said alot about your Federation." He pauses, sending a questioning look to all three of us. "Is it true you take no prisoners, and that you kill those who were defeated."

A dissaproving frown is sowed onto my lips, that statement does not adhere to the ways of Yhunia. I prepare to answer, intending to dispel these false words.

Yet it is not me who answered back in a defending tone, but rather Qullia.

"Those words are nothing but lies!" She affirms with a venomous tone, blissfully unaware of the dark knight swiveling his head onto her form.

Qullia has its unbridled attention much to my alarm. "The Euralians smear the honor of our warriors, living and the dead with such propaganda."

I fear her actions are fueling the murderous gaze in that warrior. "Qullia, seize your outburst at once." I scowl at her foolishness. "Lest you draw that dark knight into action."

The silence is cold, and unwelcoming. What shall happen next, more questions perhaps? Trusting Qullia's outburst to be extinguished, I turn my gaze back to the man in front, ignoring the dangerous existance of a dark silhouette to the corner of my vision.

Bringing forth my courage, I continue where she left off. "Despite her zealous outburst, she speaks with the truth I assure you."

"Is that so?"

"Indeed, we are known for our brutality in battle yes, but slaying those who surrender. That is beneath us." I pause, inwardly cursing the Euralians for their deceitful words.

"We seek only to finish our given quests, nothing more is of importance."

I look up to centre my eyes on the dark knight, a former adversary and harbinger of our battle group's demise. "It is quite clear you people are not Euralians, they are quite fond of their emblems. And I have seen none....in the many days spent here."

They truly are from beyond the portal, they are the Iceborn people.

"You have given us much to think about....Jarius was it?" The man inquires, holding a semblence of warmth in his voice.

"Yes, that is the name I go by."

He sends me a peculiar nod, its exact meaning remains lost to me. "We won't be keeping here you any longer."

My face lights up in hope, tinted by a hint of surprise. The same expressions are found on Darium and Qullia. Such news is certainly unexpected given the actions we have commited, however misguided they were.

Perhaps they understood our plight, of initially mistaking their fortress for an Euralian field command post. If that is the cause for their kindness, I dare not question it for freedom is descending upon us.

The room is nothing but a prison, however comfortable it may be. I yearn to feel the touch of the sun once more.

===Jerome====

Their eyes shimmer with hope upon being told of their freedom. A small part of me understands their frustrations of being kept in a room for several days, the only glimpse they have of the sun came from the window.

But the time period for that is short lived. The sun is only visible through that particular window in the evenings, and once it goes down the mountain ridge lines, that's it. No more sun for them to appreciate until the next sunset.

With the session successfully concluded, I turn on my heels and walk out the door with Major Fullerton to my left flank. Bathed in the afternoon light, is the security detachment assigned to keep a close eye on the captives.

"It's done, I'll be going ASAP to file the report." The Major comments, sending one last look to the occupants within the room as he seals the door. "Lieutenant Simmons, Datapad please."

"Yes sir." I place the requested item onto his waiting hand, giving the Major a nod of respect in the process. With the Datapad firmly in his custody, he proceeds through the rift, heading back to the Antarctic Station.

As whispy tendrils of the rift engulf his form, I turn my attention back to the UN troopers that constitude the security detachment. "They're all yours again gentlemen." I say, nudging my head in the direction of the prisoners.

They are no longer my concern, my head can focus on other matters. With a calm demeanor, my eyes look towards the assortment of buildings that make up Tartarus.

Expanding into the unknown, that was the defining trait of humanity. This world is no exception, since the portal's discovery six months ago, it has done nothing but ensnared the curiosity of those lucky enough to even know about its existance.

As I stare up at the light blue skies, my mind enters a peaceful state. The silence is all around me, but it didn't feel cold and unwelcoming. New Eden is the epitome of the unknown, yet it shares so many of the same characteristics that made Earth who she is.

The researchers are immersed in their exploratory duties, I in turn have my own. It is time I return back to the Tartarus armory, and subsequently the rest of my Fireteam. This new weapon has yet to be field tested, and I can't wait to continue learning about its inner workings.

As the first of its kind, the GD-45 Assault Rifle is a force to reckon with. Instead of the tried and true method of propulsion employed by modern assault rifles, it uses a magnetic field, created as current passes through a pair of rails to produce the weapon's considerable kick.

In simpler words, the GD-45 Assault Rifle incorporates railgun technology. This is a weapon I have high hopes for given our issues in dealing with the magical barriers of the hostiles during that last engagement.

My steps are quick, my current train of thought is more or less occupied with the new rifle. I keep the commanding aura around me, not wanting to let my excitement break through the mask.

With no missions or base patrols left to take away our time, we had the rest of the day to master the GD-45 rifle. Under my supervision at the shooting range, my team practices well into the evenings, basking in the ambience provided by the crimson skies.

"Own time, own target. Go!" The blood filled sky is punctuated with a series of sharp cracks, courtesy of our new weapon. Keeping in line with our skills as highly experienced soldiers, all of our shots hit home.

"Definitely an upgrade..." Robert takes a moment to reload a fresh magazine. "350 meters to target and travel time is almost instant," he remarks, sending a soft look to the weapon he held.

Douglas chimes in, "Agreed."

He then continues, much to my initial surprise. "Jerome, we should call it a day on field testing. It's 1820 hours right now."

An understanding look is given to my second in command. Everyone hasn't eaten since morning, more than twelve hours ago. "You guys head through the Rift first." I centre my sights once again on the target. "I need more time..."

I pull the trigger, sending out a trio of magnetically accelarated bullets in quick succession. "A fellow soldier from the 75th Ranger regiment once told me this; never take training for granted, mistakes are the greatest killers." At the end of that sentence, I take my eyes off the sights.

Noticing my solemn change in attitude, James digs deeper. "Close friend?"

I sigh before giving my reply. "Yeah..."

"Do you still keep in contact?"

"Fat chance of that happening." I shake my head, keeping together my composure. "He's six feet under..."

The sky has now lost its vibrant red tinge, dark grey clouds loom overhead serving as an example of how I was feeling inside. Life in the special forces has more downs then ups, but the sacrifices are worth it.

There is never a dull day in this carefully crafted life of mine.

===End===