Hows about now?
Interlude
Paradigm Shift
Little over one week after the Capellan Supernova
Mission Briefing Packet #133351
Classification level: Epsilon
From: Admiral Petrarch, GTD Aquitaine, Vega
To: Commodore Marcell, GTCV Hurricane, Wolf 359
Subject: An old problem
Greetings Commodore,
Normally I try to make these briefings as short as possible, but from what I understand your crew is just returning into the overall information loop after the Hurricane’s dry dock repairs were complete. Your actions in holding the Wolf 359 blockade against the NTF were commendable and once again earned high praise for both you and your crew. It is regrettable that the Hurricane was too damaged to make it to Capella during the Shivan invasion however. In either case, let me bring you into the loop quickly.
As you may know, it has been over a week since the Capellan supernova and the closure of the node. While we still haven’t figured out why or how the Shivans managed to force the star supernova, we still have to deal with its after affects. The GTVA is currently struggling to find new homes for the nearly ten million refugees that have survived the incident, while AWACS scour almost every system to search for traces of Shivan presence.
The official line is that the outer and inner systems are safe, with what few Shivan vessels that made it through the node being contained either in Vega or Regulus. Unofficially, we’re still on the lookout for them. Even though the nodes are blockaded and we have at least three AWACS vessels in those systems, the fact is we can’t find them. Judging from prior experience, the Shivans might not need the nodes at all, and have probably escaped already. This knowledge is on a need to know basis only however, and it is being given to all GTVA commodores under utmost secrecy.
While we don’t expect those ships to show up that far its best not to be caught unawares, so keep your eyes peeled. We have a task force of three corvettes standing by near Beta Aquilae, waiting for any word. The largest ship that was recorded having escaped was a Moloch class corvette, designated Lochness; while the other ships consist of three Cain class cruisers and a single Lilith class cruiser. If you see any of these ships, signal for help. Avoid engagement if at all possible, unless civilian lives are at risk. If you are outnumbered, outgunned or otherwise cannot engage the hostiles without being destroyed, then you are ordered to retreat whatever the costs. The last thing we need right now is to loose another corvette to the Shivans and have an outer system completely defenseless.
However, the Shivans are a secondary priority here.
GTVA command currently wants to relocate as many refugees to the outer systems as it can. Two million have already settled in Beta Aquilae, while another million Vasudan refugees are being routed to Vasuda’s habitats. However, we’ve still got a lot more to deal with. Transports are currently working overtime to move refugees to Aldebaran, Alpha Centauri and finally Lamaris. All these places are overcrowded already however, and space is at a premium. Fortunately, there is a bit of good news in all of this.
The Alphard colony just past Wolf 359 reported the completion of its third and fourth colonial habitats, all of which have been under construction for almost ten years now. Each of these habitats can accommodate at least a million inhabitants. The good news is that they were going to be unoccupied initially, meant as spillovers for when the main colony got too crowded and for other colonists to come in from the neighboring systems. The GTVA originally planned to expand the colony slowly; but in light of the current situation this has been speeded up significantly. There’s a lot of empty space in Alphard, and there are a lot of refugees looking for that space.
However, all good things come at a price. GTVA command received a report yesterday of both a sighting, as well as an attack on civilian shipping by a Leviathan class cruiser. Upon investigation (the files are attached), the cruiser’s identity was revealed to be the NTC Typhoon, a Leviathan class cruiser under the command of Captain Harris Dutchman.
The Typhoon was last seen in Alpha Centauri almost a week ago, where Captain Harris met up against and managed to defeat two Vasudan cruisers through better maneuvering and ambush tactics. Ever since the NTF was crushed and the Shivan invasion started, his ship has disappeared though. It was presumed destroyed when wreckage had been discovered in the Alpha Centauri asteroid field bearing the ship’s name plate – but now it seems to have just been a ruse. This is, in essence, the last remaining vessel of the NTF.
However, more disturbing than that, is how it got into Alphard. No blockade has reported seeing the vessel, or indeed, any Leviathan class cruiser pass through to either Delta Serpentis or Lamaris towards that end of the map. All Leviathan class cruisers were called to Capella to aid with the efforts there. While the blockade on Alpha Centauri was lifted, the nodes were still monitored well enough that we know Harris did not go through there either.
This leaves one disturbing possibility that fits in how he got to Alphard: there may be a previously uncharted subspace node connecting Alphard to Alpha Centauri, one which Captain Harris has exploited to not only hide, but escape our grasp. Although he’s remained low during the Shivan invasion, he’s becoming more and more active as things are starting to settle down and enough civilian traffic is moving around to raid it. We’ve received no sign that he’s still a part of the NTF, but his actions against Civilians means he’s now either rogue, a pirate or just desperate.
In either case, we are not aware of the motives or intentions behind his actions. What we are aware of, however, is the fact that he is a threat to the colonists that are waiting to move in. This entire incidence has been a problematic enough from the start; we do not need a rogue NTF captain breaking the currently fragile peace that is existing out in the far reaches of space.
The primary mission objectives are simple: neutralize the NTC Typhoon and bring Captain Harris back alive. How this is achieved I leave in your capable hands. So far he has only attacked civilian shipping, focusing on supply convoys and raiding them. He hasn’t killed anyone, as of yet, indicating that he may just be open to reason or negotiation, leaving a possible opening to consider. However, if he becomes too much of a threat, do not hesitate to kill him.
The secondary objective relates to the subspace node. Find out how Harris managed to reach Alphard, and if it does involve a previously uncharted node, find it’s location by any means necessary.
Alphard is currently being guarded by the GTCv Taranis and the GTC Embargo, both of which will be under your command once you have arrived at Alphard In addition, you will have the resources and what few fighter wings are available on Littleberg Station at your disposal. Don’t count too much on the latter however; Alphard is the farthest system from the GTVA core in terms of travel time and till now has seen the least amount of attacks. Most of the modern fighters that were stationed there have been deployed to the frontlines, leaving mostly Hercules II class fighters and other older craft, while there is little to no AWACS support available. I understand that this can be difficult, but all forces have been stretched to the limit, and we can’t spare too much more.
Be extremely careful in this endeavour; Captain Harris is currently the second-most dangerous NTF officer to date. He is both devious and extremely intelligent, and is capable of battling and winning against odds that would be rightly deemed as suicidal. The only reason we suspect he hasn’t been promoted yet is his brashness, and the fact that he didn’t get along with Admiral Koth very well. Even as a GTVA officer, he showed incredible promise as a tactician, so be incredibly careful when dealing with him.
There is one other point to note: Special Operations Command has sent an officer to act as an observer during this mission. His name is Lt. Commander Jacob, and will be meeting you on Littleberg Station in Alphard. In case you need any assistance from the SOC, he’s the best person to ask. Currently, SOC is busy with trying to find the remaining Shivan forces. But with the primary threat out of the larger picture, their more…unconventional assets are available for use. Call on them if they are needed.
I wish you good luck with the mission. All the necessary files are attached, while you can contact GTVA command for any further information.
End briefing log.
