| Battleship Norfolk
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- Captain Edwards says we're going out into the Grasmere tomorrow on a search and destroy mission to look for Corsairs. Guess I better record a message for my family, in case I don't come back.
- Cambridge used to be such a peaceful place, and then the Corsairs showed up. They've built that Cambridge Line to assure all those university types in Cambridge that everything is under control. Fact is the Line's useless. The weapon platforms are too far apart, and the Corsairs just go around the ends of the Line. It is also too far from the Trade Lane itself to help in the defense of it.
- We've extended our patrols into Nottingham per the conditions of the Omega Trade Lane Pact with Rheinland. Rheinland is finally keeping up their end of the bargain in Omega-7, but moving a battleship into the system wasn't exactly what the Crown was hoping for. No doubt Rheinland is making a statement against our colonization of Nottingham. But whatever the reason, it makes our jobs in the Omega borderworlds a little easier.
- I can take some amount of consolation in the fact that the Essex made it out of Dublin alive. She's a seasoned warship, with a crew to match, and I reckon that if we could find some way to open up Dublin again that the Essex would be the one leading the charge. More likely is that Parliament will fight itself over nothing, so this might as well be wishful thinking on my part.
- The Norfolk serves as a keystone in the defense of Bretonia against the scourge of the Corsairs. The Cambridge Line stretches between here and Cambridge to offer additional protection for ships traveling along that Trade Lane. Despite all this, ships still get hit by the Corsairs far too often.
- We patrol the Trade Lane into the Keswick Cloud, a favorite crossing point for Corsairs, and the Lane to Cardiff. The Omega-3 Gate area is particularly contentious right now as the Mollys too have found their way there. We've allocated an entire squadron to patrol just that vicinity.
- Omega-3 is a sea of ice asteroids. Corsairs are more of a problem in our end of the system; the Red Hessians take over at the east end. They're more focused on that Daumann installation, Rugen, but they still pose a threat to shippers near the Omega-7 gate. Daumann doesn't like us around their installation. Suits me, they can deal with those pirates themselves then.
- The Henry Jones Gold convoy was bound for Rheinland when it was attacked by Corsairs near the Omega-3 Gate. Its escorts were destroyed, and the ship was commandeered. An Armed Forces patrol responding to the initial distress call intercepted the raiding party near the edge of the Grasmere Cloud, and a bloody firefight ensued. The heavily damaged armored transport was the only pirate ship able to escape into the safety of the Grasmere Cloud. Its crew is believed to have perished in there before establishing contact with other Corsairs in the area.
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| Portsmouth Drydock
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- We encounter a good deal of Bounty Hunters hired by BMM to kill the criminals we can't lay a beam to, but they are as shady as the criminals at times, plus I think they enjoy their job too much. I kill because I have to; these sadists kill because they profit from it. Makes them little better than pirates in my book.
- Once the damage incurred by Gallia is repaired, we will reclaim the terrain that is lost. We shall return to Leeds and drive Gallia back. Long live the Queen.
- Welcome to the York tavern. We apologise for the unavailability of a human host until a suitable replacement can be found. Until such time I will serve as a replacement. What can I get you?
- Leeds, lost again. At the very least Gallia will have to deal with all the defenses planetside - the ones we had prepared initially to resist a Kusari invasion. Most have been tailored to resist any orbital bombardment, so Gallia will have to go in by ground to clear them out. I don't think they've got any idea what's waiting for them. The planet itself will thin their ranks well before they even reach those fortifications.
- This vessel had to withdraw from the Leeds system after Gallia threatened to overwhelm the York battlegroup. We are now assisting the defense of New London. This far, and no further.
- So far, I'm not all that impressed with Gallia. They talk a lot about honor and justice, but when they attack they head straight for the weakest target, just like any bully. But what do I know, maybe they thought the Shetland was a state of the art battleship dressed up like a luxury liner, protecting a major military installation posing as an unspoiled planet. Or...maybe they're just bullies. I heared the ship had to flee across the interstellar space without her cruise engines. Quite an extraordinary feat of flying in this day and age.
- Gallia doesn't fight like Kusari did. Kusari forces used cunning and precision. Gallia relies more on sheer overwhelming force. It's ironic, but we've begun using the same kind of tactics that Kusari used against us with such efficiency against Gallia, and with equal effectiveness. Trouble is, they seem to have endless reserves to call upon.
- I don't like falling back, not one bit. York is still in one piece, but Leeds is lost. That is not how it should have been. Still, I must admit that the loss of the Derby is a heavy blow to us, even when it cost Gallia even more.
- I can almost remember the time when it were just Mollys, Gaians and Outcasts we had to worry about. Petty smugglers, silly pirates and annoying ecoterrorists... two subsequent invasions sure put things in perspective.
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| Durham Outpost
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- Command gave everyone who'd served over Leeds an exemption from having to serve here again, but very few took them up on the offer. I guess most of us aren't so shaken by it anymore, and those that are likely took the honorable discharge and moved on with their lives. It's a little disquieting to think that we'll soon have a generation of pilots that don't remember Leeds before the war.
- There's all sorts in Leeds these days, and very few of them friendly. Outcasts, Corsairs, Gaians, Mollys, all sorts of rogues and pirates willing to ply their trade on these shattered lanes. As long as you stick to the lanes and keep your emergency beacon handy, you should be okay.
- Ark Royal's CAG detached my squadron to Durham as a temporary measure to help secure trade traffic, until enough constables were freed up to take over. That was eighteen months ago. I stopped requesting information on our transition plan last year. Seems like Leeds is going to remain our mess to clean up for a while yet.
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| Planet Carlisle
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- Even if I'm grounded at the moment, there're benefits to having a pilot on the surface. No-one knows how to kill an enemy ship better than someone who used to do it on a daily basis. I've been out to the front several times, training the missile battery crews. Usually we're targetting logistics freighters, seeing as the Gallic Navy doesn't like sending their expensive fighters down into the smog. Makes sense since space superiority fighters lose their maneuverability in the atmosphere - ground based guns have an easy time taking those out. We've got a good kill rate so far.
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| Luxury Liner Shetland
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- The Armed Forces use the Shetland as a hospital ship now, since Newcastle has no habitable planets where a surface hospital can be set up. None of the stations in the system can handle that task as well as a Liner can - a hospital requires extensive life support systems able to handle the needs of a lot of people.
- I'm not sure how I feel about all these damned tourists coming to "see war up close". Gawking at a few scorched hull panels doesn't quite compare to the experience of being under fire, but I guess Orbital is trying to make up for a year of lost revenue any way they can.
- I was with the Shetland when it was forced to flee Edinborough. Me and twelve other fighters had to face off against seven Gallic squadrons. I was one of three ships that managed to survive. I don't know what became of the others, my own wing kept close to the Shetland as it withdrew into deep space. Eventually, we were forced to dock on her and became passengers ourselves.
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| Perth Station
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- Getting supplies into this system is a virtual nightmare. The Leeds hole is our main entry point, though you are likely to run into some form of villany on your way to Durham, which means we have to ship goods in heavily armoured ships with paltry cargo space. Takes thrice the trips for half the supplies.
- Have you seen Jimmy? I have not seen him since we came back with that intercepted shipment of Whiskey.
- There is a horrific smell that exists on this station, I cannot make it out, probably something Gallic.
- It is a pity this station has only a limited amount of storage bays with a half decent climate control. We need to receive supplies from external sources daily.
- This is a terrible place to be posted, it can get quite depressing. Fancy a drink?
- Seems Ayr still has a bunch of Planetform equipment on it, will not take long for them to come looking to claim it. Best of luck to them, this system is not friendly.
- Alcohol abuse became a problem on this base basically overnight. I do not honestly know where they get it from, but it is good stuff.
- The Gallics made a real mess of this station, converting systems over to their strange setups, going to take ages to get it back into proper condition.
- It is important that we maintain some presence in this system, if anything for the point of it.
- I've been digging through a few notes I found on an old pad. Whatever was going on here was apparantly well behind schedule. "Stage 2 deadline not met...", and the date indicates the information is 5 years old. I suppose that might explain the station being abandoned, if what Planetform tried to do here failed.
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| Battleship Ark Royal
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- Our washout numbers are actually going up. Between you and me, I think part of it is just running out of people - everybody capable is either already serving, a veteran, or buried. Now, some of the washouts have been plenty capable folks, but they're just... off. Just the other day we discharged a bloke that lit up a Gallic shuttle in Tau-31 while on a training op. No warning, no provocation - just launched a cruise disruptor and then started trying to shoot the guy down.
- I just finished my first training evaluation today. When I arrived at the academy, my training flight numbered thirty-four; when we shipped off to the Ark Royal, we were twenty-eight. This morning there were twenty-two of us, and three of us didn't make it back home. I think I heard a couple more are quitting, or maybe they're getting failed out...
- The Ark Royal maintains two of the Armed Forces' training squadrons, so a lot of green pilots end up transferring through here. In some ways I guess it helps to remind them of what's at stake, having to constantly patrol through Leeds - but I would wager a lot of it is down to veterans not wanting to ever see this graveyard of a system again.
- My whole family's served in the military, so I didn't think twice about signing up as soon as I could. I just wish I could've joined sooner... but I'm sure Pa is smiling down on me, givin' God a big bear hug and yellin' "There's my son!".
- I oversee the Ark Royal's fighter squadrons, plotting missions and patrol routes and assigning what pilots we have to put out whichever fire is the biggest at the moment. Despite some people's sentiments, recruitment numbers are still low -- we probably have a dozen mission-ready birds sitting idle at any given moment.
- It sure does feel like this damned house is cursed. Bretonia draws the short end of the stick in Sirius, then every house takes their turn to kick us while we're down for our lunch money.
- The news might say we're in 'peacetime', but it sure doesn't feel like it. We've weathered more Molly probing attacks on the LD-14 perimeter in the last week than in the previous month. Every time we stomp out a Gaian hidey-hole, two more seem to pop up. And there's the occasional Royalist visit to remind us of their dreadful presence, of course.
- It's been a long time since most of us have known peace, and now that it's here... I don't know, I just expected to feel... something. Instead it just feels like more of the same, the same day repeating over and over in an endless parody of itself.
- Hopefully our training flight will be able to deploy on our own soon. The vets here are mostly tied up teaching us, so there aren't many pilots left to enforce the embargoes in the Border Worlds, or deal with all the increased crime and piracy.
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| Sunderland Research Station
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- Recently one of the Scientists started acting very strangely, like he'd had a complete personality switch overnight. We later heard that he had stolen a ship and fled deep into the nebula, and that the Bretonia Armed Forces were out looking for him. Maybe the pressure for results got to him.
- I hate having that damn battleship hanging around outside the station all the time. Its crew are jittery enough at the best of times. When the alien station suddenly raised it shields in 800 AS they actually opened fire on it! Not that it did them a whole lot of good, the shield didn't even destabilise. I'm glad the station didn't also have an automated offensive system.
- First the war with Kusari, and now the Gallic invasion is creating more pressure from the military command in New London. Quite a few of them hope we can find alien weapons to help in the war effort. I'm not sure if it's wise to be tinkering with technology we don't fully understand yet though. I hear that's what caused the mess in Rheinland in late 800 AS
- Some of the scientists that arrive here are so scared at the sight of the alien ruins that they leave immediately. Others get nosy, sometimes a bit too nosy. One recently tried to get into a top security restricted area earlier, without the appropriate authorisation. Turns out he was a Kusari spy. How the hell he got a job I don't know. He didn't look Kusari, that's for sure. Anyway, the Intelligence Service took him off our hands. We won't be seeing that bloke again.
- The pressure on the scientists here for actual results is immense. With the loss of Leeds, Bretonia needs a miracle, and the government is looking to this facility to provide it. Given the power of that shield surrounding this base, I can't say I blame them. Problem is the eggheads haven't even figured out how the alien language works. So even if they've left a manual detailing exactly how to replicate such shields, they wouldn't be able to read it.
- Don't get on the wrong side of Sunderland's commander. She's one tough bitch. Her name is Brigadier Jennifer Connelly, and she was assigned to this base by the Bretonia Armed Forces to keep an eye on everything here. Fair play though, she runs a tight operation and conditions have improved under her command, but she's also quite unforgiving of idiots. Mess about and you'll be sent back to Cambridge quicker than you can say "hey Jen, nice ass".
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| Scarborough Shipyard
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- South Shields Refinery is in a precarious position. The IMG have worked out some kind of deal with Gallia so that the Gallic Navy leaves IMG operations alone, but we're still supposed to think that they are no threat to Bretonia's security. As far as I'm concerned, I've had enough with the IMG wanting to have their crumpets and eat them too. Either they're with us, or they're against us. If they're against us, then we should take their stations over.
- South Shields isn't especially worth much to Bretonia anyway. Cardiff, on the other hand, could really help the war effort. I don't have any great love for BMM, but I'd still rather see loyal Bretonians running a vital industry rather than shifty neutrals who you can't trust. The IMG wanted to be free from Bretonia anyway, so why should they exploit the nation's resources for their own gain?
- All of us based off the Ark Royal are really glad that Scarborough is so close by. The swill that passes for liqour on an Armed Forces battleship smells like what gets washed off a Gaian when he gets tossed in the tank for delousing prior to going into the brig. Bowex doesn't skimp on the good stuff, and I'm glad for it, even if it does cut into my paycheck. Morale has a price too I suppose, heh.
- Belfast is a blight on Bretonia. I can't understand why the Ark Royal failed to boot those ruffians from the station when they took it in the first place. The fleet must have been caught off-guard, for even that entire station isn't a threat to a Battleship. With the loss of Leeds and the Mollys not exactly in a cooperative mood, I dare say it may be time for some... agressive negotiations concerning the return of that station to Bretonian control.
- The Outcasts seem to be keeping to themselves lately. It gives me the creeps, actually. They must be planning something big. Everybody knows they hate the IMG. My bet is that South Shields is going to be the target of a hostile takeover, and I'm not talking about somebody buying up the voting stock, know what I mean? My squadron commander just laughs off that suggestion though. He says the Outcasts have pulled out of Newcastle altogether. Right. He doesn't sign up to patrol the northern asteroid field himself, though, does he?
- Bowex always welcomes us with free drinks here. Too bad the rest of Bretonia doesn't appreciate the Armed Forces this much. Funny thing, though: I don't run into many Bowex security pilots on the station. They must run more rigorous patrols than we do to keep their pilots so busy. Either that or their own security rather leaves something to be desired.
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| Battlecruiser Livingston
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- The Livingston is one of the most modern Bretonian battlecruisers ever created. It is appropriate to put such a powerful ship where it can perform to the utmost.
- There have been a few more attacks on Harris recently. They have been more precise, more organised. Some of them have even attempted to strafe the Livingston! We suspect foreign interference, but we have nothing concrete.
- The postings here aren't too bad compared to anything during the war. Aside from the occasional Outcast, Tau-31 is not too mcuh bother. The biggest problem for our patrols is in Tau-23, anything that happens there does not get reported to the public.
- The Outcasts just don't give up. There are dozens of their fighter wrecks dotted around this area, and a looter would have a field day here. Still, they've hurt our lads from time to time, too. One time we even lost a prototype weapon in the test phase somewhere out in the system. Unfortunately we never found the craft that was carrying it - presumably floating deep in the field somewhere.
- This battlecruiser was commissioned in 828 AS, and I joined its crew not long after. We spent a number of years patrolling Edinburgh and Leeds, but eventually the admiralty decided that Harris needed additional protection what with the mothballing of Macduff, and our name got drawn out of the hat. It is not boring here, let me tell you.
- We need constant supplies to keep this vessel and our operations running. Even the basics can be an issue - Water can be taken from the ice asteroids all around us, and Oxygen isn't much of a problem either as a result, but Food has to come all the way from Cambridge. Most of the new crew members get transferred straight from other battleships. I guess this ship serves as something of a bit of a gathering point for the best fighters we have.
- Tau is a powderkeg, always has been even before Gallia showed its ugly head. We issue patrols into Tau-23 daily, and they usually come back less than healthy.
- We use only the best fighters for patrols around these area, mostly veterans from the war. Anyone short on skills or experience is not going to last.
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| Battleship Harlow
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- Training greens. Of all the jobs I get assigned this one. Suppose that teaches one to not outperform ones commanding officer if said commanding officer is a poor sport. So he's out there, trying to take out half the Gauls I would have, and I'm stuck here, trying to teach a few greens to not get taken out. For queen and country...
- I hear the Delta training flight had itself a little accident. Seems one of the recruits got the roll and strafe controls confused and rolled himself straight into an asteroid. Naturally, the training craft are built to withstand these mishaps, but the thing had to be towed back... minus one engine. That'll be a good one for the engineering deck.
- It is a busy schedule here on the Harlow. We've never had this many new recruits. It's good to see Bretonians rise to the challenge these Gauls have thrown, but it's a bit of a job to make sure that everyone has the necessary skill to do so. Putting your average John behind the controls of a Crusader leaves them with little to no chance against anything more than the odd scout.
- I used to be a convoy escort for Gateway, but enlisted when the Gallic troops invaded Leeds. The war with Kusari was solely for BMM's benefit in the Taus, and dying for a corporation isn't something I relish. But Gallia is different. They want to subjugate our entire nation. And that's nothing less then slavery.
- I may dislike this assignment, but that doesn't mean I won't do my duty to the best of my ability. There'll not be a single recruit leaving my watch if he's not at least able to give those Gaul fighters a good whatfor. Most recruiters don't bother to check what a pilot is suitable for, but I do. You've got folks with quicker reaction times who are more suitable for interceptor duty. You've got the intermediate folk who tend to stick with the mainline fighters. And you've got the tenacious folk who are suitable for the Challengers. Bomber crews are a different breed alltogether, I don't often find folk suitable for that in my groups. Flying with a few megatons worth of antimatter in your hold tends to require a lack of sanity I do not seek in the chaps I select.
- Some recruits are just not cut out for this. I get tons of transport pilots who are used to flying in a straight line and think that qualifies as fighter experience. One run down the Verwood is usually enough to seperate the men from the boys. Even if it tends to bang up the training craft, and creates impromptu "equipment recovery" exercises.
- I rotated in just yesterday for space fighter training. Unfortunately, there's no craft available for me to train in. One of the other rookies smashed the Paladin I was supposed to be using against an asteroid, and it'll take a while before the engineers will get it spaceworthy again. So I'm on temporary leave I suppose.
- I can't wait to get to the front. This is our home we're defending. Our families. Who the hell do these wineguzzlers think they are to invade us like this? We'd never even heared of Gallia until that idiot king of theirs sent his fleet our way. Barmy madman, that one.
- Welcome to the Harlow. First time here? You're likely one of the new recruits then. Don't worry, you'll likely get your assignment soon. This, after all, isn't a time to be slacking. Southampton and the New London factories are running full tilt to make sure there's enough crafts for everyone, it's up to us to make sure there are enough pilots to fill them. And that'll likely include you.
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| Battleship Macduff
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- We may be in Newcastle now, but that won't last. This battleship is destined to be on the front lines, there's no doubt about that. The admiralty can't make us withdraw and then leave us in the rear forever. They've got to know that nobody in the fleet wants payback more than the crew of the MacDuff.
- We've been assigned to the defense of Carlisle itself. I'm not surprised, we've got some experience defending a planet from harassment. Harris was held by us until we were ordered to fall back - seems fleet intelligence got wind of something that would have rolled right over us. Good thing they did, it rolled over the Kusari forces not long afterward.
- We're still patching up some holes on the engineering deck. Asteroid collision damage. Can't really talk about it, just something that happened on the way here. It's only the outer hull though, Bretonian ships are engineered for this kind of damage. Macduff is fully operational. We'll need a lot of replacement Hull Panels to make these repairs, but Bowex will bring those in.
- The initial months of the war have been rough on us. Those damned Gallics knew how we fight, knew our capabilities - we didn't know theirs, and had to learn them at a very bloody price. But now that we know how they fight and what their limitations are, we can beat them, I'm sure. Their fighters are small and agile, but lack endurance. Their capital craft are very large and sluggish, much like the Kusari battleships. Exactly what the Challenger was designed for.
- Compared to Kusari, these Gallic chaps aren't too skillful. They're a lot more numerous though. We'll have to figure out a way to wittle down the numbers a little. If we can do that, we can beat them, I'm sure.
- The morale around here is amazing. You'd be right to expect some disappointment after a strategic withdrawal like the one we had to make from Harris, but the pilots I talk to just can't wait to get back into action. "Tea in the Taus tonight!" is what they all say now. I almost feel sorry for the Gallic pilots who have to face our boys. Almost.
- Holding the line and all isn't all that bad, but there has to come a time where we take the fight to our enemy. We'll not win this if we keep huddling in the systems we've got left. I hope the admirals have a trick up their sleeve, 'cause we need one.
- Welcome to the Macduff, the one that keeps on fighting. Aye, we've been pushed back trice now, but we're still in one piece and fighting the good fight. There's no shame in defeat if the spirit remains unbroken, I say.
- It's been a crazy couple of years on the MacDuff. The stories I heard from our pilots about the battles with the KNF forces were alternately hair raising and depressing. There's no finer group of pilots in the fleet, if you ask me. Just breaking through to the MacDuff through the Kusari lines in Tau-31 was enough to prove a pilot's mettle. There aren't that many commands that can deploy entire squadrons of veterans, but MacDuff can.
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| Planet Curacao
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- The drinks are really cheap here, not like back home where they're highly taxed. I'm not particularly fond of Liberty ale, though. I think I'll try jet sailing tomorrow; it's supposed to be a great way to see the planet.
- I won a sweepstakes, that's why I'm here -- it's not something I could afford on a navy pilot's salary. I'm originally from Leeds, so oxygen-rich air like they have on Curacao is a definite pleasure. My mood is improving already.
- Well, I must admit, the weather here is far superior to that of London -- not that I travel much. I've been on the Essex chasing down Mollys in Dublin for the past two years. It's about time they gave me a rest.
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