The following message is encryted. The data contained within are classified.
Comm ID: Lt Col McKnight
To: Maj Patterson
Greetings, major.
I thank you for transmitting the condition of our two pilots so promptly. Make sure everything the two fighters have recorded during this time have been archived and sent to me. Follow procedure concerning classified data destruction afterward; there must be no trace left of it.
I will have these transmitted to Naval Intelligence. I demand your discretion on this matter, and not inquire about it, even to our two pilots. Thank you.
McKnight out.
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Incoming transmission.
LMC Headquarter Quantico, DoN. Planet Manhattan.
Comm ID: Lt Col McKnight
To: Lt Johnson, Lt Hartmann
Gentlemen.
I wish I didn't have to transmit this, but this time, you two boys have crossed a couple of lines in a totally irational, dangerous way that is by no mean or manner representative of a soldier serving under a uniformed, armed service of Liberty. To go seeking for a totally alien territory out of nowhere is one lunatic thing enough to do; to take leave and chase some rumour like a farm boy - and do so with military equipement is another - and you should be glad none of your ships got a scratch right now. But that being not enough, you had to cross into an unidentified jump device - again, without authorization and completely against all the most basic protocoles you are taught at the Academy. I would have thought at this point, some sense would of knocked in you two's brain, but it seems I got that wrong, seeing you -landed- upon uncharted, alien territory without any approval from your superiors and interacted with individuals that, for all you know, were dangerous enemies to your country.
Because of you two's recklessness, you have risked not only your lives, but also possibly compromised classified intelligence to non-identified, potentially hostile forces. The lack of intel we retrieved from either of your crafts make this a highly sketchy background as to who these people could possibly be, not to mention what they could have -done- to you. I hope I had made it clear that the you two, have risked the integrity of our military structure, because of a little curious impulsion. I could expect these sort of behaviors from a drunken civilian on a cardamine trip but definitively not from two brillant marines, marines that are educated, marines that are military officers, marines that lead men to do great deeds, not to commit themselves to foolishness.
I certainly hope your flight probation time served have put some order in the two of you for now. I shall not expect such behavior in the future from either of you, and I hope I have made this clear.
This said, gentlemen, medical have confirmed that neither of you seems to suffer either mental or physical consequence of this event, for which I am glad. You two are healthy and fit to fly again.
I also wish to present Hartmann with his second bar, which hereby promote you to the rank of first lieutenant. Your promotion was due the day you took leave, and was hence pushed back, but it is great time it took its due. Your promotion shall be celebrated tonight at the parade square of Quantico Flight Unit 481.
You deserved it. Well done, and thank you for your continued service to the Corps.