SENDER:Commodore Christopher Edwards RECIPIENT:Network: S8‹›5F LOCATION:Akhetaten, New York system ENCRYPTION:Omega SUBJECT:Conduct PRIORITY:High
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Hawkins,
First of all, I would like to point out a few things regarding the first encounter with the Auxesian forces that you are referring to. Aside from the fact that by the time the strike force that was under my command arrived the Auxesians were already in the process of leaving the vicinity, therefore meaning that most of the time the Akhetaten was in fact outnumbered, the Technocracy ships did not pose a threat to us in any way. The Libertonian Armed Forces would stand their ground and demand the Auxesian ships to evacuate the vicinity if their presence was around a Liberty Navy or a Crayter Republic installation as around those areas the Technocracy could be viewed as a threat. Chasing down Auxesian forces in the middle of Cortez when they are clearly not seeking out any hostilities is at best a waste of resources and at worst an unnecessary risk for all Liberty Navy assets involved.
Second of all, it's at the mention of the risk involved in deploying a battleship in a dark matter storm that I should remind you of the Akhetaten's status as an Osiris-class vessel. A warship much nimbler and with greater cloaking capability than your typical Overlord-class. I can assure you we've been assigned to work on environments a lot more dangerous than the dark matter storm in Kepler. I am, however, glad to see such display of 'care' from you. The Auxesian ships that were in the vicinity were duly warned that any act of hostility towards the Navy will lead to an equal backlash. The Vagrant warform was an unexpected surprise, but a surprise not seeking to harm us as it likely realized that in doing so it would only meet it's end. The reasons we did not openly engage the Vagrant warform are the same with the reasons I listed above, on incident one. I fail to see how it is an appropriate procedure to hunt down a Nomad warform inside Kepler, Hawkins. I would gladly and I have gladly hunted their warforms down within Liberty and blasted them to pieces.
Would the Section Eight wish for a different approach to such matters? Would you consider it less reckless and less questionable if the Akhetaten and any of her escorts went out of their way to hunt down and exterminate Auxesians and Nomads in areas such as Cortez or Kepler where they pose no threat to the Republic or her allies? I am kindly willing to reevaluate my course of action if I am provided with good enough reasoning to do so, Hawkins.
Good enough reasoning outside our productive cooperation, of course. That reason alone would be enough reasoning for the change in my procedures, I am just wondering if there is more to it than just that, I hope my interest is pardoned.
That is all.
Commodore Christopher Edwards Liberty Navy Fifth Fleet
I admit, it has been some time since I attended West Point, so perhaps there has been a change in Liberty's military doctrine over the past decades that I am unaware of. However, if my memory serves me right, it is standard doctrine to engage and eliminate one's enemies when at war. Twice you encountered Auxesian forces within the Navy's area of operation and twice you did not engage. Yes, they may not have posed an immediate threat to the Republic at the time, but does your enemy need to directly threaten your nation for you to fight them? Auxesia does not have the manpower or resources to maintain a prolonged war effort against Liberty. Any casualties inflicted on them will pose a significant blow to their ability to continue hostilities towards Liberty and her allies.
As for procedure concerning Nomads. Nomads, especially those of the Vagrant variety, do not wage war against humanity purely through means of violence. I am sure you have encountered their human infiltrators before. Subtlety and espionage are as much their tools as outright war. No matter how those creatures go about it, make no mistake - they pose a threat at all times and in all forms. The presence of an Ish'tar-class warform this close to Liberty and within the immediate vicinity of civilian installations is most worrying. Even a lone Nomad warform of that scale can cause immense damage.
I understand that you, as a navy officer, lack much of the experience with the Nomads that the Order has come to gather over the decades. Your primary responsibilities lie elsewhere. Therefore, I implore you to take my advice when it comes to these matters. The alien threat is not to be trifled with. They seek to destroy humanity and must, therefore, in turn be destroyed at any opportunity. Evidence suggests that the Auxesians are involved with them, which should be all the more reason to combat them, too, if an open state of war with the Republic is insufficient to motivate you.
Section 8 entered its agreement with the Fifth Fleet on the basis that both parties would benefit from a cooperative effort. If the Fifth Fleet does not keep to the agreement, Section 8 will have no choice but to withdraw from it and seek alternate avenues of cooperation within Liberty and her surrounding systems.
SENDER:Commodore Christopher Edwards RECIPIENT:Network: S8‹›5F LOCATION:Akhetaten, New York system ENCRYPTION:Omega SUBJECT:Apologies and news PRIORITY:High
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Hawkins,
I apologize for the long wait, certain things have happened in the past few weeks that were beyond my expectations and predictions. Your statements are all accurate, valid and there is nothing I have to add to them. My conduct has been lacking at the very least and this will be appropriately taken care of in the near future. The Akhetaten's standing towards the Vagrants, Auxesia and various other threats to Liberty will be the appropriate one and the one you expect it to be, you have my word.
There's a few extra things I need to bring you up to date with, Hawkins. The Osiris-class is no longer primarily commanded by myself; with some of the more recent changes to the Fifth's commanding procedures I was promoted to be her flag officer. With that in mind, the warship's newest CO is Captain Mary Uhmen and she will be granted full access to this channel upon your approval. I strongly suggest that you approve of this, as Uhmen may be your only connection with the Fifth fleet after a certain point in time - I will not analyze why at this moment.
Last but not least, I was informed of a few things by a man you might know, John Silverstone, regarding Auxesia, Xenos, freelancer Ridge and Olivia Sable and their connections to each other and to the Vagrants. The data I received is pretty messy and I haven't had the chance to analyze it further. Command seems to not be interested in most of it considering it consists of events that occurred outside Liberty space. Thought you'd be interested in the data, so I've attached a copy of my entire conversation with Silverstone below, use the data at your discretion.
That is all.
Commodore Christopher Edwards Liberty Navy Fifth Fleet
I am happy to hear that the Akhetaten's conduct will be improved in the future. I am, however, also disheartened at the prospect of this coming at the cost of a new commanding officer. Having to rely on a new contact within the 5th Fleet is, of course, a rather unwelcome change of affairs for Section 8. But, with your promotion, I assume there is little to be done about it. Section 8 will review the proposition to allow access to the network to Captain Uhmen.
As for Silverstone's intelligence, I would like to thank you for sharing it. It is valuable and irrefutable proof that Auxesia are indeed working closely with alien elements. That the Temporary Autonomous Zoners also appear to be involved - if only as hosts for clandestine meetings - is worrying. Section 8 has encountered the researcher Vincent Abrams - Ridge - before. He came to us, asking to be scanned for possible alien infection. While the results were negative, it appears that he has been potentially indoctrinated nonetheless. I advise the 5th Fleet to approach this individual with caution.
As for Olivia Sable, we have no records of this individual, nor are there any logs of her in the intel Silverstone provided. Is she of any concern to us?
SENDER:Commodore Christopher Edwards RECIPIENT:Network: S8‹›5F LOCATION:Planet Manhattan, New York system ENCRYPTION:Omega SUBJECT:N/a PRIORITY:High
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Hawkins,
I am afraid that my promotion is the least of the reasons that is forcing this change to happen, but as I mentioned on my last transmission I am unable to get into more details at this point in time. That being said, I am sure you and Uhmen will get along just fine as long as space encounters aren't taken into consideration. On that department, only time will tell how things will go.
All of the above however are pointless speculations. Getting back on the subject, I'll surely be keeping an eye out on Ridge. Can't quite yet tell what the situation between him and the Nomads is, but I am aware that I should be careful around him. As for Olivia Sable, she should be a concern to you as far as probably-allied freelancers go. From the intel Silverstone provided you can see that Sable has been working with the Xenos Alliance. I assumed that Section 8 would find some usefulness out of this intel.
That is all.
Commodore Christopher Edwards Liberty Navy Fifth Fleet
We are currently dealing with Ridge ourselves. I will provide an update on the matter should anything of import come of it. As for the Xeno Alliance, their activities and partnerships are of no interest to Section 8.
SENDER:Commodore Christopher Edwards RECIPIENT:Network: S8‹›5F LOCATION:Planet Manhattan, New York system ENCRYPTION:Omega SUBJECT:N/A PRIORITY:High
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Hawkins,
I've decided to put an end to my career within the Liberty Navy and it's Fifth Fleet. I'll be attaching a more detailed report on the subject below.
As far as this channel's concerned, I'll take the initiative and remove myself from it. If Section 8 wishes to re-instate the Akhetaten's CO as your new liaison within the Fifth fleet, you may do so.
Safe flights, Hawkins. I'll be looking forward to the next time we meet.
Commodore Christopher Edwards Liberty Navy Fifth Fleet
This secure network will be put on stand-by until Section 8 reviews and approves of granting Captain Uhmen access. This does not mean that cooperation between Section 8 and the Fifth Fleet will be put on hold. Operations will continue as planned.
On behalf of Section 8, I wish you good fortune in your endeavors to come.
Welcome to the communications and information network, Captain Uhmen.
This secure network is hosted by Section 8. As I am sure you have been briefed, it serves the exchange of intelligence and other relevant communication between Section 8 and the Fifth Fleet.
I hope our collaboration will be as productive as it was with the commodore.
Confirm your new access status so that we may resume.
It is an honor for me to be replacing Christopher Edwards as the Fifth Fleet's representative in the cooperative operations between Section Eight and the Fifth Fleet. My access to the network is complete, including past entries.
As a token of my appreciation to our cooperation, I shall share with you an entry on the Akhetaten's logs regarding certain events that occurred within the Kepler system. I have reason to believe - which you will find out later on - that all of the information I am forwarding to you concerns you.
As for the last part, I would like to know -why- the incidents that happened in Kepler have any connection with the Unto Nightfall, if they did. Perhaps Ridgenose was just bluffing, after all.