The Order has always been aware of alien infiltrators of human appearance, colloquially known as The Wild. But while the nationality of such creatures could usually be narrowed to a few infected areas, their proliferation across Sirius has been a growing cause for concern within the highest ranks of the shadowy organization. Seemingly indiscriminate terrorist strikes has managed to limit their spread between the Houses, but this was ever a losing battle. With the advent of alien thralls, virtually indistinguishable from a regular human, and general political upheaval in the colonies, the sides of the conflict were nothing like the clear borders of the Nomad War. A change of strategy was called for, focusing on the sources of infection in addition to its downstream effects.

The first test-bed for this new strategy came about in Liberty, where the hardened Atun was deployed to stalk its alien prey. But after years of fruitless operations, its captain and crew were far from the proud volunteers going to the most important mission of the Order. The now haggard men and women, not having seen the inside of a port in all this time, are ready for the assignment to end. And this time, the universe seemed to have come to their aid. The Event on Sudbury would be of interest to any spacer stuck in the drudgery of a wearisome mission, but it is that very interest which would prove to be the undoing of the aliens.

Mere seconds after the planet gleamed with a fell signal, a number of in-system sensors quickly detected the activity, and passed it along to their pre-programmed masters. After a cascade of discussion and decision-making, the LSF have decided that something worthy of continued investigation remained on the surface. The backchannel traffic to the Atum confirmed what many already suspected: the system would soon be a busy place. And while the Atum had not even gone through a quarter of its deep-space lifetime mission profile, its quarry was at the end of its ropes. The brief respite gained by the relocation of Wyoming to Ontario would soon be lost, as the scouting pickets of a multitude of separate, yet human, forces descended on the system. And when their quarry would be forced to burn at long last, the Atum would be there to finish the job.

While the Atum's captain continued to focus on its moving target, the fathering forces in Ontario had a more stationary objective in mind. The ruins on planet Sudbury were sure to attract scientists and treasure hunters, and the whole area would need to be secured against any unfriendly visitors. With the secured assurance of senior admirals and assistant directors, the LSF has made its bid to be the first on-scene. But while setting up a strongpoint could happen in a matter of days, defending it, and the passage back to California, would be a taller order. Despite assurances of the Lane Hackers losing most of its crack forces in the bid for the Niyodo, no serious local commander would expect anything but more grueling fighting. The prior cry of cabinet warhawks has become a reality, as the mangled force at Cochrane was allowed to regroup and receive reinforcements for the next battle. And with the Xenos keeping their own counsel within the system since the departure of DSE, only fools would assume they would be unaware of recent developments. Plumbing the depths of Sudbury would not be an easy task, but once the digital ink had dried on the signatures, the operation would be a go, no matter the cost. And the whole might of the Xeno alliance within the system would do their utmost to ensure that the final tally will substantial indeed.

The many wrecks and clouds of waste within the system would soon receive additions to their number. And under it all, grizzled junkers smugglers claimed to be able to detect an intermittent signal. One that when translated across the detectable spectra, produced a sort of harmonic resonance. It could almost be called a song - or the harrowing screech of the void.