Season Four - New Faces and Old Names

Chapter 1
4/5/2014

Date:  20.1.2095 - 8.2.2095

Director:  Josh Grumble; production credit to Tim Foster and Justin Haynes

Cast:  CPT Raymond "Pepe" Le Peu, CPT Wing "2 Bags" Lee, 1LT Jose "Spooks" Sang, CPL Danylo "Faceplant" Zahorsky, CPL "Grace", LCPL Takuboku "Tek" Sakai; COL William Rowe III, MSGT Ernie Mazziferri, Davin LaPlant, ANNIE Mk.2

Synopsis:  It is once again Armistice Day in the New Unity Alliance. Despite everything that has been revealed recently regarding ADF secret missions, Dimensional Gateways, and alien beings too terrible or awe-inspiring to recount, life goes on for much of the citizens of the Alliance. Not only does this day mark the 85th anniversary of the Human-Zentraedi peace, but also the 20th anniversary of the NUA.

But not all is festive and relaxed. At app. 0800 hrs, six different ADF soldiers receive a similar message:  report to your hangar/flight deck/starport, and bring your assigned equipment. The message is verified and signed by their respective COs, much to their surprise. Reaching their destinations, the soldiers are quickly informed that they will be proceeding to Space Station Freedom, in orbit of Cizion.

One by one the soldiers arrive, by dropship, shuttle, and Variable Fighter. As they egress and set their gear within one of Freedom's massive hangar bays, introductions are made; it isn't long before one - a Captain Le Peu - starts a craps game with the others that have arrived. Within minutes, two others enter the scene, and Le Peu orders a snap to attention:  "COLONEL ON DECK!" At this, a Colonel William Rowe intoduces himself to the others; gesturing to his partner, he tells them it is Master Sergeant Ernest Mazziferri. Keeping it brief, Rowe has those gathered walk down a huge corridor to a conference room; others note to one another that this facility was made for full-size Zentraedi, but new construction has fitted the area with man-sized doorways and equipment.

With everyone seated - and most looking thoroughly confused - Rowe address the group. He states that Special Forces Section 7 - "Dark Unit" - is being reactivated, and that the six individuals brought here today will be the new team. Rowe goes on to say that he has recently been given command of Special Forces, a role previously held by retired Colonel LaPlant. Then, the conference room door slides open, and an older man dressed in a fine suit enters the room, cutting off Rowe with, "it's just Mister LaPlant now." He grins at Rowe and Mazziferri, then introduces himself to the new team. LaPlant then proceeds to give them the rundown of Dark Unit's mission, why they were selected, and what to look forward to in this new role. It will begin with training conducted by Rowe, Mazziferri, and LaPlant himself - training that will teach the six soldiers to operate effectively as a cohesive covert operations unit.

From 21 January to 7 February, the new Dark Unit is put through the paces. The evening of the 7th, LaPlant invites everyone to a nearby Officer's Club within the space station for drinks. A good evening is had by all, with plenty of "fly boy banter" between 2 Bags, Grace, and Tek. Mazziferri and Zahorsky note odd headaches, despite only one of them actually drinking that night. At around 0300, MPs escort the team back to their quarters; the pair with Zahorsky keep a bit more distance.

At 0900 on 8 February, the team's slumber is interrupted by LaPlant, who urgently insists they report to the conference room. The team including Rowe and Mazziferri arrives to find LaPlant already there. He apologizes for the abruptness of this, but goes on to say they already have a situation that needs some attention. Calling up imagery on a large holographic tactical display at the table, satellite video of a "Super Gate" in orbit of Altair is seen. WIthin the aperture of the Gate, a hellish planetary landscape is seen intermittently between distorted images of space, then nothing. These images continue to cycle with seemingly no pattern. Looking further out, the video displays a nearby Mercury-like planetoid. Telemetry indicates a strange gravimetric flux at one location on the planetoid. Lee notes that when the hellish image resolves within the Gate, the planetary readings spike.

LaPlant also takes this opportunity to bring up another set of images. On the display, the team sees a unique space craft, appearing to be a modified Scorpion-class freighter. He notes that this will be the team's new transporation, and that it was once called the Brokko Ankou, having belonged to CSC, the company once operated by the Daskars. The ship, now an ADF vessel, will soon be recommissioned with a new name.

LaPlant turns the briefing over to Rowe, and a simple mission is put in place:  get close to the planetoid and find out what is causing the gravimetric disturbance while simultaneously keeping an eye on the Super Gate. The team is dismissed and everyone heads out towards the nearby hangar bay.

Rowe and Ernie once again board the former Brokko and are greeted by the newly-upgraded "Artificial Awareness" ANNIE, who seems to behave exactly like Janice Lang. Rowe introduces Le Peu and the crew to ANNIE. The team's gear is stowed, quarters are more or less settled upon, and on Rowe's command, ANNIE makes preparations for the QSD trip to Altair. Tek, 2 Bags, and Grace ready their Beta and Alphas, respectively. Tek and 2 Bags have some issues initially with their VFs, but a nearby technician quickly corrects the problems.

Arriving safely at their destination coordinates, ANNIE begins to scan the area. A couple members of the team lose their breakfast as a result of the trip, but it is unclear which ones. Rowe orders everyone to suit up and get ready. Deciding to get an eager jump on his mission, 2 Bags disengages from his docked position on the ship and makes a beeline toward the planet; Tek and Grace follow suit in Legios configuration. Rowe shows tacit approval for the action, but soon tells them their little show was quite unecessary as ANNIE is more than capable of making cursory scans of the planetoid from this distance.

As Spooks, Pepe, and Faceplant ready their Spartans, the three pilots note enemy IFF contacts from around the planet: a Trabe cruiser, and it appears to be launching fighters...

Chapter 2
5/17/2014

Date:  8.2.2095

Director:  Josh Grumble; production credit to Tim Foster and Justin Haynes

Cast:  CPT Raymond "Pepe" Le Peu, CPT Wing "2 Bags" Lee, 1LT Jose "Spooks" Sang, CPL Danylo "Faceplant" Zahorsky, CPL "Grace", LCPL Takuboku "Tek" Sakai; COL William Rowe III, MSGT Ernie Mazziferri, Davin LaPlant, ANNIE Mk.2

Synopsis:  Targets have been confirmed:  a total of 24 Trabe Fighters have been launched, appearing to be on a direct intercept course with ANNIE and the team. 2 Bags decreases speed as Pepe and the team discuss the situation at hand. Pepe asks ANNIE for a tactical summary of their enemy:  she can certainly take out the carrier, but the Trabe have never been seen solo. Assuming there must be other Trabe vessels on the far side of the planetoid, Pepe has Tek go for a look; meanwhile, 2 Bags maintain a heading towards the Trabe fighters while Grace turns around to shadow ANNIE, who is making for the planetoid's surface, and ultimately, the epicenter of the gravimetric readings.

Tek soon notices a strange "radar glitch" that has occurred. Pepe has ANNIE check her telemetry and confirms the anomaly. Tek seems to think that there is another Trabe vessel, but he only sees it for a split second.

LaPlant then communicates to CPT Le Peu about their situation:  he needs boots on the ground to confirm if this is in fact a "Glyph Event", something that Faceplant believes due to what he had witnessed on Earth prior to this mission. After some discussion between Rowe and LePeu about the phenomenon, Spooks and Faceplant make ready to drop to the surface once ANNIE is in position. Rowe addresses the new team, saying to them, "Nothing exists without a counterpoint, without something to maintain balance. We select few are the counterpoint of fate. On your shoulders sits the free will of the New Unity Alliance. Carry this with you and never forget why you are here."

Several tense minutes pass, and no changes in the Trabe Fighters' direction is noted. Suddenly, the Trabe break into three smaller groups of fighters:  10 head towards ANNIE, another 10 towards 2 Bags, and the remaining 4 towards Grace. The two pilots accelerate quickly towards their respective targets performing a tilt-dodge manuever and scattering the Trabe Fighters. At this, the battle begins with the fighters opening fire on 2 Bags and Grace. After a bit of deft piloting and several well-placed missile volleys, the two manage to take out the majority of Trabe Fighters, quickly cleaning up the remaining few of the 24 that are too damanged to continue.

On the other side of the planetoid, Tek has eyes on ANNIE from above. ANNIE continues her approach to the epicenter, and the ground crew aboard notice a very strange phenomenon occurring somewhere off in the distance in space, a mirage-like bending or distortion of the area. Faceplant communicates that perhaps the Trabe are attempting to bring forth elements of their fleet (or something worse) to that area; Tek responds by moving in closer. 2 Bags radios back to the team that the Trabe carrier has changed course and is turning towards Tek and his destination. At this, Spooks and Faceplant drop from ANNIE.

On the ground, the Spartan pair begin feeling the strange gravity effects from the epicenter, but continue pushing forward as Tek moves to intercept the incoming Trabe carrier. Now free to engage, 2 Bags and Grace swing around and each fire two Reflex multi-warhead missiles at the carrier's engines, causing massive damage. Tek then suggests firing missiles into the strange distortion with the goal being to see if anything changes with the readings from the epicenter. Faceplant goes further to say that such an action might cause the Glyph to "materialize" in this dimension, which may be advantageous, even if just for a moment.

Seconds later, Tek's missiles reach their target coordinates in space. What he (and 2 Bags and Grace) sees is the missiles explode, albeit in a not-so-standard fashion. Faceplant and Spooks report seeing something very different:  one moment, they are still on the planetoid surface; the next, they are surrounded by a hellish landscape with a Trabe Glyph directly ahead, flanked by thousands of Trabe ground troops. After a few seconds, it disappears from their view, reverting back to the normal landscape. At the same time, the three pilots see another radar glitch, definitely noticing what appear to be three Trabe carriers for a second near the distortion. Everyone agrees with Spooks' and Faceplant's theory that more ships are on their way from the Trabe's home dimension.

Faceplant radios back that he and Spooks are pressing forward. The team then quickly discusses some theories to get rid of the Glyph. Spooks puts forward that maybe more damage is required within the distortion area to cause the Glyph to stabilize in this dimension. Everyone puts forth their idea and comes to one conclusion:  a coordinated shot will be required between the distortion in space and the spot where the Glyph will appear. Faceplant asks ANNIE if she would be able to coordinate firing Tek's missiles at the distortion and then firing her synchro cannons at the Glyph at the same time, something she does rather easily; she then picks up the Spartans and begins to ascend again.

With the plan in place, ANNIE takes control of Tek's Alpha fighter, firing a volley of missiles at the distortion. Seconds later, the synchro cannons fire, twin beams of destruction racing towards the area of the Glyph. And then, a massive explosion. Faceplant and Spooks see a wave effect racing outward from the Glyph area, the hellish landscape once again visible. The three pilots have their screens and virtual environment cockpits go blank. However, they suddenly feel like they have landed. And for some reason, ANNIE isn't moving...

Faceplant looks a bit confused and orders ANNIE to move out. She simply says, "I cannot comply. Simulation ending." After a long pause,  2 Bags yells out, "THOSE TWELVE KILLS COUNT!" Suddenly, lights go on, and the "viewscreens" (of the pilots' canopies - actually simulator pods) and ANNIE's cockpit windows now reveal the inside of a large simulation room aboard Space Station Freedom! LaPlant can be seen below, slowly clapping with a smirk on his face. He says to the team, "Well, I think you are ready."

Chapter 3
7/12/2014

Date:  8.2.2095 - 9.2.2095

Director:  Josh Grumble

Cast:  CPT Raymond "Pepe" Le Peu, 1LT Jose "Spooks" Sang, CPL Danylo "Faceplant" Zahorsky, CPL "Grace", LCPL Takuboku "Tek" Sakai; Tony Lewis, CPT Wing "2 Bags" Lee, COL William Rowe III, MSGT Ernie Mazziferri, Davin LaPlant, ANNIE Mk.2, 1LT Harkness, MAJ (name)

Synopsis:  LaPlant concludes the Dark Unit briefing, and 2 Bags is called over for a discussion with Rowe and Mazziferri away from the others. As the others gather themselves to head out, Le Peu asks Rowe rather pointedly about Lee's behavior in the sim, to which Rowe replies flatly, "that's his one." It would seem to Tek that, as he witnesses Lee's departure with Rowe and Ernie, their resident hotshot is bound for another mission without the rest of the team.

With no further time to address other issues, LaPlant tells Le Peu to keep his team close. At this, Le Peu suggests rec time and a trip to the bar, but not before he and Faceplant spend the time to put their ship upgrade plans into motion - the ship now being called the "Redacted" - and upsetting one particular Major in the process (but making a new friend in one 1LT Harkness, the area Yardmaster). The remaining available members of the team enjoy various pursuits throughout the evening.

By 0800 the next morning, a secure message from LaPlant goes out to LePeu, telling him to assemble his team in the briefing room. Once everyone arrives (sans CPT Lee and 1LT Sang) and is addressed by LaPlant, another plainclothes individual enters: Tony Lewis, former ADF Special Forces, field surgeon, and doctor for the previous team led by Marcus Daskar. He takes a seat next to Sakai, and then asks Zahorsky how the "whole 'faceplant' thing" has gone since their last mission together on Earth just three months ago.

LaPlant commences the briefing, calling up imagery on the central holographic display:  first, their current location on Freedom orbiting Cizion; the view quickly zooms away and to coordinates within the Andromeda galaxy, revealing a planetoid within the Vesznayur Cluster (home to the Gran). LaPlant goes on to say that, under normal circumstances, a duranium processing plant would be here. What is particularly troubling is that the plant appears to have completely vanished - and more to the point, it doesn't to have ever appeared to have been there. What is seen is just the barren planetoid with what appears to be a complex system of tunnels and caverns throughout, similar to what the Gran have built in the past. However, Gran authorities in the area have flatly stated this was not their work, and are actually staying clear of the planetoid.

LaPlant continues on, stating that there is still a history of the processing plant being there; however, this occurrence may have more to do with space-time weirdness than he cares to contemplate. Since the Redacted is being refitted, Lewis' ship will serve as their means of travel. Also, since both Lee and Sang have assigned to another mission, Lewis will be accompanying them as a special asset and ship's doctor. Their mission:  proceed to the planetoid, investigate the area, and record all events no matter how insignificant they may seem.

Chapter 4
8/2/2014

Date:  9.2.2095

Director:  Josh Grumble

Cast:  CPT Raymond "Pepe" Le Peu, CPL Danylo "Faceplant" Zahorsky, CPL "Grace", LCPL Takuboku "Tek" Sakai; Tony Lewis, CPT Wing "2 Bags" Lee, 1LT Jose "Spooks" Sang, Davin LaPlant, Gran official

Synopsis:  The briefing concludes and everyone files out towards the hangar and to Lewis' ship:  a modified Horizon-V "stealth" dropship. Preparatons are quickly made, the team suits up in their Spartans and Cyclones, and the ship is off, bound for the Andromeda Galaxy over two million light years away. Without much incident, and some two hours later, the team arrives near their coordinates, noting that, as indicated by the satellite data and the Gran officials in the area, the Duranium processing plant is completely missing. The team also notes that the Gran ships are giveing the planetoid a very wide berth, not coming any closer than some 60,000 km to the area.

As the team continues their approach, Tony launches a recon probe bound for the surface; what happens next causes much confusion. The probe, upon reaching a certain distance to the planetoid surface, simply disppears. Around the planetoid, a brief flash of energy, nearly imperceptible, is noted. Comms have not been lost with the probe, but no video is present. Commanding the probe to return, it does so, but then the entire vista in front of the team changes:  the planetoid now appears to be back to normal, the ore processing plant completely intact! This effect also carries with it an energy wave that seems to propogate out and away from the planetoid, one that is noted several more times - and seeming to expand further each time - as the team experiments with using the probes to enter and exit the effect both at the planetoid and reversing course away from it. At this third attempt, a new vista appears to them:  a blue planet, seemingly Earth-like in size and composition. Further study of the starfield around it reveals a startling conclusion:  it is in fact Earth, some 230 million years in the future! With that, Le Peu orders Tony reverse course and put several thousands kilometers in between them and the planetoid.

Now at full stop, the planetoid just visible in the distance, the team ponders their next move...

Chapter 5
9/20/2014

Date:  9.2.2095

Director:  Josh Grumble

Cast:  1LT Jose "Spooks" Sang, CPL "Grace", LCPL Takuboku "Tek" Sakai; Tony Lewis, Dr. Ken Nobuyoshi, CPT Raymond "Pepe" Le Peu, CPT Wing "2 Bags" Lee, CPL Danylo "Faceplant" Zahorsky, Gran ship captain

Synopsis:  The scene cuts to another team on another ship around a planet of a different sort in the Milky Way. Aboard another, similar "Stealth" Horizon-V dropship sits one Dr. Ken Nobuyoshi, chief researcher with the Robotech Research Group (RRG) and former Dark Unit member. With him in Spartan armor is 1LT Sang of the Dark Unit. Finally, flying escort in his VF is CPT Lee of Dark Unit. Their mission:  investigate energy readings consistent with a Karu'Naga "Glyph Event" on Earth...the location being the same as before, just three months prior. This event is all too familiar to Dr. Nobuyoshi...

Unbeknownst to this crew, they are experiencing the same phenomenon as LePeu and his team - a series of changing vistas before them, as the planet changes from normal Earth, to a barren, rocky planet, and then to what they discover is a future Earth. After several minutes pass, the change seems to stop, settling on the future Earth. After some discussion as to what to do next, they decide to proceed to the planet surface and investigate.

Back to LePeu and his team, they witness a similar event, except that now the change seems to have settled upon the normal planetoid - processing plant intact. After some discussion, Tony fakes a distress call to get a Gran ship to contact him. Seconds later, one does, and he quickly apologizes for the "inconvenience", stating that their was a malfunction and it has been repaired, and, by the way, is everything okay with that Duranium processing facility? An awkward moment passes, and the Gran captain tells him there is nothing wrong here...

Tony quickly cuts communications and spins around to the rest of the crew, giving them his best "WTF" face. He, Grace, and Sakai discuss various theories, but the end result is they are all completely confused as to what they are witnessing and even where they really are. After a bit of hesitation,  LePeu tells Tony to make for the "future Earth". Coincidentally, Dr. Nobuyoshi has just made the same decision.

What happens next is unsettling to say the very least for all involved. The two ships, separated by over two million light years, both make their moves towards the "future Earth". LePeu begins to ask Tony for a status report, but he looks over to see Zahorksky looking completely bewildered as both men are staring at not Tony, but Dr. Nobuyoshi! Simulatenously, Grace and Sakai are looking at Zahorksky and LePeu one moment, then in the blink of an eye they are now looking at Sang and Lee!

It takes the respective teams a moment to get their bearings and take in what has occurred. Tony notes that Lee appears to be in REM sleep and is totally unresponsive, and Sang mentions that Lee was inside his VF before this. With no time to really determine what has happened, Tony stays on course for the planet below and the epicenter of the Glyph-like energy readings they are receiving while Spooks (in his Spartan), Tek, and Grace make ready to head to the surface.

The ship enters the atmosphere and the crew takes a look at the planet below, showing unknown landscapes, flora, and fauna. As they continue north, a dramatic view comes into focus:  the landscape gives way to a strange, alien "city", seemingly carved from the rock surrounding the area, the center of which stands a magnificent twin-spired structure, some 16,000 meters high - and extremely reminiscent of the Karu'Naga Glpyh-Gate. Tony sets down just outside of the city remaining with the ship and 2 Bags while the others disembark and being to explore, moving ever closer to the giant Glyph. The team slowly makes their way across the strange landscape, coming upon a series of low "buildings" that would seem to be some sort of barracks. After some investigation, Tek is able to find a touch-sensitive access point for a storage locker, which silently slides below the surface to reveal itself, containing what would seem to be alien personal weapons of various types. Grace and Spooks follow suit, finding a total of seven of these storage areas; Tek takes a few of the smaller items, storing them away in his Cyclone.

Moving closer to the Glyph, the team finds three entrances at the base of this sprawling mountain-sized tower, all leading inside to the same "room" - a kilometer-long oval structure - featureless and illuminated by an eerie white light. Tek heads left, Grace transforms to motorcyle mode and zooms off to the right, and Spooks heads towards the center. After several minutes of finding nothing, Tek decides to again try touch the wall of this area with his ungloved hand, remembering the Dark Unit reports from LaPlant about Marcus Daskar's use of the Dimensional Gateways. Tek is surprised to find himself in another "room", while Spooks and Grace simply see him vanish. After regrouping and seeing a startled Tek return to their current position, Tony reports a major increase of Glyph energy activity. At the same time, the team witness the center area of this room begin to transform, a stepped structure now rising quickly and silently from the floor towards an opening ceiling, revealing the glowing "eye" forming betwen the twin spires above.

The team races back to the ship, Tony already prepping to leave. With no problems, but the Glyph energy signature building more intensely, the trio boards and Tony begins to ascend. However, before they can leave the area, a brilliant flash of light washes over them, momentarily wiping out ship's systems. As the light fades and Tony's ship comes back online, the team sees they are no longer where the once were. In front of them, a pastoral landscape is now seen, and just ahead in the distance, a familiar ring of tall stones - albeit complete once more - surrounding a "normal-sized" Glyph-Gate:  the Stonehenge site as witnessed by Dark Unit three months ago.

Tony sees another Horizon-V vessel nearby and hails them:  it's Doc, and he is as confused as the rest of the team. As he and Tony converse, both become aware of what has transpired - the person-swapping, and the Glyph event. LePeu rather politely asks Doc what the hell is going on, to which he can only respond, "....I am hesitant to explore those reasons."

Chapter 6
11/8/2014

Date:  9.2.2095

Director:  Josh Grumble

Cast:  CPT Raymond "Pepe" Le Peu, 1LT Jose "Spooks" Sang, CPL Danylo "Faceplant" Zahorsky, CPL "Grace", LCPL Takuboku "Tek" Sakai; Tony Lewis, Dr. Ken Nobuyoshi, CPT Wing "2 Bags" Lee, Davin LaPlant, CDRE Tramille (7th ADSEF CO, Luna)

Synopsis:  It is late morning at the strangely-intact site of Stonehenge (and the looming Karu'Naga "Glyph-Gate" at its center). As the assembled Dark Unit team (including Tony Lewis and Dr. Ken Nobuyoshi) get their collective bearings, a strange silence has settled over the entire area. Mere moments ago, Tony and his shipmates Spooks, 2 Bags [in a "coma"], Tek, and Grace were over two million light years away in the Andromeda Galaxy. Now, they aren't.

In a nutshell, Nobuyoshi explains that he, 2 Bags, and Spooks were ordered to Earth to investigate a possible "Glyph Event" once more. They had not been on-site an hour collecting data when energy readings began to suddenly spike, and then Faceplant and Pepe appeared in place of Spooks and 2 Bags (except LePeu was in the ship with Nobuyoshi; 2 Bags' fighter was pilotless, something Doc remedied by using the ship's computer to slave the craft). Then, several minutes later, another huge energy spike, the Glyph seemed to activate, and now everyone is here together.

LePeu notes that their two recon probes are still near the ship in the same relative positions. He first sends a communication to Col. Rowe and LaPlant; comms seem to be pretty sketchy due to nearby interference, so he sets the message to repeat until a response is received. He then has Tony send up the probes for an aerial view. No other activity is noted in the immediate vicinity until one of the probes gets to about 145 km east of their location - on the banks of the Thames River, over what used to be London.

The once sprawling metropolis of London was, like many great cities of the past, completely reduced during the Robotech Wars (and subsequent Occupations) between 2009 - 2044. In its place, a small colony town has been established. This modest place is called King's Mill, named so for local Mayor and colonial Wyatt King. Established just eight years ago as one of the first permanent new Earth settlements, King's Mill is home to some 80 families (primarily Human) with a population of 384 men, women, and children. [picture a riverside Firefly-esque town] Like many other settlements on Earth and in other colonies, the people were given government-subsidized equipment and supplies to establish themselves. Unlike other villages here, King's Mill refused to evacuate when the NUA order was given three months ago due to the Glyph activity.

LePeu and the others view the incoming video from the probes, watching as the people of King's Mill go about their daily lives. Many are farmers, as evidenced by the currently-empty fields and nearby civilian Valkyries fitted with crop-dusting pods. A small hospital can be seen with its VTOL-capable AmJet craft...one that's seen better days. In the town center, a large covered market can be seen. This is ringed by smaller stores of various types and homes. Also notable is the grain mill, a small airfield, and two defense towers to the north and south.

As the team watches, the probe begins detecting enemy targets on radar. Moving quickly from the south towards King's Mill is a small force of "Karu'Naga" foes of mixed designations:  some 8 Trabe ground mecha, 26 total troops, 1 Protoss armored ground "carrier", and 8 Trabe aircraft. The people of King's Mill seem completely unaware of what is about to hit them...

LePeu and the rest of the team discuss their options; looking around, they decide that the biggest "weapon" is the Glyph, and taking it out should distract the advancing Karu'Naga forces. That, and the Glyph is just plain bad. Doc and Tony hang back, engines hot in their Horizon transports, while Pepe has Faceplant and Grace check out the Glyph. Faceplant investigates ways to physically take down the Glyph; all attempts to blow it up and knock if over fail, as the "stone" structure seems to be hovering in place when the soil is removed. Meanwhile, Spooks heads back to Tony's ship, contacting a nearby ADSEF fleet stationed at Luna...to Pepe's surprise. Spooks relays that this force could intercept within four minutes if needed. Knowing they now have reinforcements on the way, Pepe has Tony prep to intercept the advancing Karu'Naga force near King's Mill: Pepe, Faceplant, and Spooks load up while Tek locks on to Grace's fighter, both craft rocketing away. Minutes later, Tony puts down across the river from the town while Grace buzzes around overhead in 2 Bag's Alpha fighter.

Chapter 7
11/8/2014

Date:  9.2.2095

Director:  Josh Grumble

Cast:  CPT Raymond "Pepe" Le Peu, 1LT Jose "Spooks" Sang, CPL "Grace", LCPL Takuboku "Tek" Sakai; COL William Rowe III, Jessian Wetal, Tony Lewis, Dr. Ken Nobuyoshi, CPT Wing "2 Bags" Lee, CPL Danylo "Faceplant" Zahorsky, Davin LaPlant, CDRE Tramille, Karu'Naga ground commander [Dark Templar], Mayor Wyatt King

Synopsis:  The engagement with the Karu'Naga starts off with a bang as Grace drops Tek in his Cyclone like a bomb into the group as she takes her fighter ballistic dropping chaff and flares all around, making it looks pretty and easy. Meanwhile, Pepe, Faceplant, and Spooks set up across the Thames trained on the advancing foes. A concentrated effort from the team follows: while dropping, Tek engages the surprised foes from behind, splitting them into two groups while Grace fires from above and the others take potshots from the distance. Grace engages the Karu'Naga "Wraith" fighters, keeping them tied up while the ground crew can do their job. Tek then sticks the landing on the back of the huge, undulating "carrier", daftly tossing Spider Mines in between its massive segmented plates, thrusting backwards and detonating the mines in a spectacular display of destruction leaving a smoking husk.

The battle continues but is over quickly as the team takes care of the Karu'Naga rather efficiently, leaving behind three of the "Dark Templar" ground troops and three mecha who have stopped advancing on the town. Tek also notes that the Wraith fighters are apparently unmanned drones. Tramille radios in to Spooks, relaying they are three minutes out; Spooks replies back that they have prisoners and the situation is in hand. The team notes that the remaining Karu'Naga look defeated and frustrated. Tony then tells Pepe that the Karu'Naga ground commander is hailing them, and patches in the comms to the team's tac net. Speaking to Pepe, he discusses the terms of his (the Karu'Naga) forces' surrender, and his need to talk more about what has transpired, also saying that "we are as good as dead." Tony notes that the Mayor has attempted to contact their ship and patches him into LePeu. Mayor King seems worried as to the reason the ADF is there, to which point he reveals they will not be ordered to leave. Spooks notes that the Karu'Naga were headed for this village and that King seems very evasive, but isn't sure why. LePeu tells King they must escort prisoners near his village, that an ADF vessel is on its way, and to hold fire as they move past.

At 1131 hrs, while Pepe is talking with the Karu'Naga ground commander, the entire team then receives a strange and cryptic message on their P-14s, apparently with no source and unable to be back-traced:

. . . . . . . . ..

time

it is time

thou construct has blinded thee

conceptualizations of here, then, now and later are useless

existence is all that matters to those with matter

preparation is futile

strategy and tactic, equally so

let this be thy herald

look to the cradle of thou mortal ancestor

the seventh great aeon is closing

and a new gateway shall open

. . . . . . . . ..

The Karu'Naga commander notes this isn't the first time this message has been broadcast, but that it is the first time it has been "received." LePeu and Sang talk to the commander further, but don't get a lot of solid information. When asked why they are here, the commander replies, "to take back what is our..." and then asks LePeu to just "take him into custody....there's nothing more I can do for you here." A bit more bantering ensues, and Sang finally asks who sent them here; the commander tells them, "General Tassadar" - the rogue Covenant leader and one of the NUA's greatest threats. The commander finishes by saying that an "imminent war" is coming...

Doc radios LePeu, telling him that the Glyph readings are again fluctuating, and that they are receiving an A/V transmission. LePeu also contacts LaPlant, brings him up to speed, and is instructed to have their prisoners transferred immediately to Space Station Freedom. Tony tells LePeu (regarding the incoming transmission) that "you are going to want to see this." The feed is put up on the tac net for the team to see: a real-time image of Gran space in Andromeda, showing the "future Earth" in place of the planetoid where the ore processing facility should be. From this Earth, all manner of Karu'Naga/Trabe craft are issuing forth, engaging the local Gran and ADF elements in the area, a fleet of ships of a size not witnessed before.

The Karu'Naga have declared war on the New Unity Alliance.