The fortress of Heaven’s Gate, more commonly known as “The Arch”, has long been considered a wonder of the Sirius sector. However, only a select few individuals, even of Kusari origin, have ever seen this wonder from behind the armor glass of a vessel’s porthole. No tours are permitted of this high-security installation, and the month-long journey to the Tohoku system discourages all but the most zealous of explorers. Only a single organized group outside of the Kusari security forces can lay claim to having extensive knowledge of the installation – the Blood Dragons.

Ever since the turbulent times of the Nomad war, the Arch has been kept under constant monitoring from the well-positioned Ryukyu Base. While reports from that posting are always of some concern, the Dragons have managed to challenge the KOI in different theaters with adequate effectiveness. With the Arch itself and the nearby dry-dock seemingly focusing on high-risk but largely ineffective R&D, Ryukyu has turned into more of a staging point for joint Dragon-Order operations into Kusari and the Omicrons.

However, the constant vigilance has finally paid off for the Blood Dragons, as a regular passive scan of the Gate’s sector revealed several new energy signatures, ones closely matching those emitted by alien structures previously recorded by the Order. Hastily scrambled patrols confirmed these troubling reports: seeming replicas of Nomad structures were confirmed to be under construction within Ichigaya, powered by set of heavily shielded alien power conduits. With local Order agents immediately contacting their superiors at Fort Carthage, a new joint operation entered into planning stages without delay.

Meanwhile, select officials of Kusari state security have been closely monitoring the technological developments produced by Heaven’s Gate. In a bid to safeguard the latest critical projects, trials of the newly developed Kishiro jump bridge have been recklessly accelerated. Despite substantial losses during the now taboo “R7 Disaster” which “never happened”, a new logistical connection with Hokkaido was eventually stabilized. Assured of a swift way to reinforce the facility, the KOI have moved up the time frame of their latest alien research, secure in the support of the KNF should the ever-present Dragons attempt another foolish raid.

However, instead of a direct assault on the fortress itself, the joint Dragon-Order high command have decided on a more surgical operation. Focusing on the power sources detected by daring patrols, a substantial battle-group has been convened to disrupt the alien research while a decision to move in heavier assets awaits additional intelligence. With the aim of ultimately destroying the conduits, the aptly named Battle-group Ozu has begun an interdiction campaign against Kusari logistics flowing into the Arch. However, the newly mobile joint KOI/KNF patrols possess striking response times, already resulting in heavier than normal losses for the veteran Dragon pilots.