"Dear Josephine; I left this letter by "your" horrible looking expensive nightstand that you know I adore. I know we talked yesterday afternoon that I will be gone for a while, but I felt the need to write this.

I know this has never been easy for you. Going to bed together and then waking in the morning, finding that you are alone. It is my job, my purpose in life but I do understand the stress it causes you and our children. You have always been an amazing wife and I think about you all the time.

You already know this, I cannot say where I am going and for how long, but I could tell that you knew this was going to be different. The things I am about to witness and endure will change everything we see in the world, which is making me question... things.... But I know I can handle the adventure we are going on because I know you believe in me.

Tell Ellen that when I come back, we will go dress shopping. The entire weekend. Axel, tell him he is the Man of the house and that I am entrusting him to keep things stable. I wish I could be there to finish working on our fixer-up car. And please, tell our children that I love them, and I hope one day they will understand why I must leave. Why I must go.

My dear wife, I love you and will see you soon." – Staff Sergeant Kurt Forest

March, 4th, 2068 (Military Calendar)

Military VIP Quarters

Peterson Space Force Base, Colorado, United States

*****

Fraeye Holiadon stared out of the large window overlooking this military installation. This strange world was nothing like she imagined. There were buildings everywhere. Strange-looking flying machines moved across the skyline. Bulky vehicles drove along the streets. What seemed more impressive was that commonfolk were utilizing such wonders. Everything was covered in snow, giving it a natural feeling.

Staring out and seeing everyone moving around, she concluded that Ryder was correct. Everyone on Altaerrie, or Earth as they called it, was like Lats. She had grown accustomed to no other types of humans or other species on Alagore, a belief that never crossed her mind before coming here.

Fraeya heard a knock on the door. She did not want to be rude, as she was a guest in their world, so she informed them that they could enter. Hearing the door open, she expected more military personnel to ask her questions, which had been nearly non-stop. Still, to her surprise, one man entered the room. The Elf Girl was familiar with him but only in passing, being from Ryder's team, Comanche. The man began to speak, but she couldn't understand what he said.

Fraeya held her hand out to silence him as she pressed the dark red amulet on her clothing strap. "There, can you understand me?"

"Wow, I understand what the boss man meant," the Comanche soldiers said. "That is a strange feeling."

"So, you are a friend of the captain?" Fraeya asked.

"His name is Mathew; Captain is just his rank," the Comanche soldier said.

She felt a sense of embarrassment as she had already screwed up their naming culture. "I am sorry, I meant no insult."

The man laughed, commenting that they called him worse out of jest. He then reached out his hand, which confused her.

"My name is Sergeant Benjamin Ford."

The Elf Girl stared at the hand, analyzing the welcoming gesture. Surprisingly, it was similar to the orcs and lats, but each had its own variations.

"I am sorry," Ford said. "I assumed you already knew what a handshake was."

"I do," Fraeya said. "At least, I have seen versions of this."

Ford then explained the basic principle of their greeting gesture, which was surprisingly simple. She then reached out and grabbed his hand, which he shook softly. "It is nice to meet you. Welcome to Earth."

"Thank you," Fraeya said. "You are the first to tell me that."

"Really? I am sorry to hear that. It has been hectic here since you all arrived, so I guess decency was thrown out the door."

"I will admit, things were harsher than I expected, but some of your kind already expressed kindness, including you. But I want to ask, what is that word you used? Hectic?"

"Oh, you must not have a word for that. Basically, it means trying to organize chaos."

Fraeya couldn't help but nod, finding this world utterly different than her father imagined. "I am sorry that our arrival has caused so much turmoil. Our intention was never to bring harm. We were only trying to seek aid."

"It is okay," Ford said. "Honestly, my country has a love-hate relationship with the unknown and drama. It gives them something new to focus on."

She stood there, confused by what this man had said. "I am sorry. Everything about your world is so different."

"What do you mean?"

Taking a frustrated breath, Fraeya folded her arms together. "I do not know where to begin. To start with, everything you build is without the influence of magic. The Sages in Matho would call your people backward thinking, yet what you have is impressive. Your lights are not crystal and can be turned on by a button. I see them everywhere. And let's look outside. Your sky is so empty, having only one Moon."

"One moon? That is definitely different," Ford said as he walked to the large window. "But I wouldn't say it is empty. You just cannot see it."

"What do you mean?"

"Watch this."

Fraeya looked at the young boy. Ford seemed very energetic and outgoing compared to many of the people she had encountered so far; and she liked it. Different from the Legionaries in their mission. Their spirits seemed broken, only having duty left in their lives.

The more she thought about it, Fraeya noticed similar traits among the few Altaerrie she had met. Some were nice, like Ryder, while others were cold and direct. Some seemed sweet, like Ford. But there was something else that she couldn't put her finger on that made them stand out.

Seeing that the Altaerrie man wanted her to stare out into the white snow horizon. She was shocked by a sudden explosion in the distance. "Are you under attack?"

"Nope," Ford calmly said. "That is what we call a rocket. It sends military personnel to that moon you see hanging high above us. So, we might only have one, but we are very active."

Fraeya struggled to understand. The idea is that the Altaerrie could accomplish such a feat. "You can go into orbit? You can sail through the Cosmic Sea?"

Ford was surprised by the elf girl's response, which was not what he expected. "So, do your people understand the concept of gravity and orbits?"

"Of course," Fraeya said. "Why would we not?"

"Good point. It was wrong for me to assume. I guess it is my time to apologize. To answer your question, yes. We and other nations on Earth have colonies on other worlds outside of ours—all within this star system, of course."

"Amazing. We have stories of explorers sailing through the cosmic sea, meeting our gods. I grew up reading these tales but never imagined it would be possible. There's so much to learn."

Fraeya stared at him with a giggle, the first in a long time. She then looked back at the rocket, seeing the large plume of smoke that trailed behind it. "My father would have loved to see this. Everything is different but fascinating. The Sages always talked about what going to one of the moons would be like. But your people are living on it. I could spend a lifetime learning what your world had to offer if it was not for the war."

"About that," Ford said. "Is it that bad? I was informed of what you told the captain. It sounds like Marxist-level evil."

"I thought you told me not to call him captain?" She saw the man scratch the back of his head, acknowledging that he had informed her that was not his proper name. She chuckled, but her smile faded as she thought about what was happening in her homeworld.

"I have no idea what Marxist means, but I have never faced The Unity. I heard nothing but them for twenty years when they first started their expansion. Everyone has suffered under their conquest. It is well known that either you surrender to their false God or be purged from existence."

"I get it," Ford said. "I didn't mean to trigger you. They sound terrible."

Fraeya Holiadon found Ford's response interesting, not because of what he said but because of how he acted. Then it hit her: He didn't understand the concept of being invaded. If he did, he and the other Altaerrie would react more urgently to a significant hostile power.

They casually feel something that she only felt deep within the walls of Matho. During her first quest outside the city, she headed to the Temple of Indolass, where the Bridge was located. She quickly learned that she had no idea what their real-world life was like being, sheltered within the comfort of civilization. This Altaerrie feels protected like she did in the city. Why do these people think like that? She doesn't know why, but she finds it attractive that an entire civilization feels like this.

"Is everything okay?" Ford asked.

"Oh, sorry." Fraeya realized that she zoned out. Her cheeks blushed in reaction, and she stared out the window. "I was wondering, do you think your people will help?"

Ford hesitated before responding. After taking a deep breath, he finally spoke: "That is above my pay grade, miss. But I am allowed to tell you that we will be going to your world. The opportunities are too great to pass this up just because someone wants to fight. My people are known for getting into other countries' affairs if we even hint at a security threat. We do not like to be challenged."

She stared at him, finding that comment interesting. While not being a Lat, their mindset about life was strangely similar. She wondered if this was what it was like with warrior civilizations.

Ford started to act strangely, as if he was comfortable with her reaction. "I didn't mean to make it sound like we are bullies. If a country wants to work with us, we are usually chill. If someone wants to threaten us, we will blow them back to the Stone Age. Now, in regard The Unity and those who attacked us, we'll cross that bridge when we get to it."

Not thrilled by the answer, Fraeya hoped for a more direct response to her people's challenges. However, she was happy that the Altaerrie were doing something. Maybe they would become more proactive when they reached her world and saw the threat.

Ford must have seen her mood as he got her attention and said, "But let me tell you this. They picked a fight with an American, and we do not get bullied by anyone. Human, alien, or, in this case, Vampires."

She couldn't help herself but smile. Before she could respond, Ford pulled a thin rectangle device from his pocket and placed it by his ear.

"Hello, sir."

It quickly became apparent that it was a communication device.

When Ford placed his communication device into his pocket, he said, "That was the boss. We are to meet back at Raymond for deployment. We are going in."

March, 4th, 2068 (Military Calendar)

NASA-USSF Research Laboratory

Raymond Space Force Base, Colorado

*****

Captain Mathew Ryder looked at the digital table and saw the Elf Girl's general layout for Indolass temple. The map was a rough sketch, quickly created by a PI program, but it gave them the details needed to plan their assault.

The detail of the temple was impressive, noting that Fraeya was a natural archivist. However, that was where the joy ended. The temple had many ruined buildings scattered throughout the temple grounds, providing cover for any infantry. The real issue was the choke point from the Bridge chamber into the temple plaza. If the Verliance Aristocracy placed any meaningful defense, then dislodging them would be a struggle.

"My problem is this choke point," Lieutenant Colonel Barker said. "After that, the enemy shouldn't be an issue."

"Don't assume it will be that easy." Hackett then reached the table and drew three lines. "If I were them, I would deploy my main force here to counter anything that came through the Bridge with these in reserve."

"My Rangers can easily clear them out," Lieutenant Colonel Barker said. "Maybe we should be the ones going in first. We're trained to deal with situations like this."

"My Minutemen will be the tip of the spear," Hackett said. "We don't want to play our hand too quickly, because we don't know what cards they have."

Ryder watched the two colonels debate how they would invade the New World. As there was no precedent for this type of campaign, there had been many disagreements on how to handle it. Because of that, his mentor, Hackett, informed him before the meeting that everything they do going forward will lay the foundation for a new doctrine. Unlike the Ranger Colonel, his mentor was trying to take a conservative approach.

Based on the few samples of magitech they gathered from the attacker's corpse, it was bluntly clear that the nations of Alagore followed a pearl of different wisdom they followed on Earth, which he could agree with. If they were going to have to learn to play in their backyard, they would need to understand the rules.

Ryder fully understood what Hackett was saying. Based on the two Colonel's debates, this invasion would be a test bed to see if further expansion was worth it. Future campaigns would be achievable if they could gain a beachhead and hold it. Luckily, Ryder has confidence that this operation will be successful. He didn't know if it was his youth or his over-eagerness, but he wanted the fight. Something within him wanted to go, a calling, a pull.

Or maybe he was running. He had not been happy with the current state of his life, and the situation with his wife hadn't helped. That is what his XO would say, at least. The captain just hoped he could figure out why he felt like this; this could be an opportunity to find a new purpose.

The author's content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

"I do not like that we are purely relying on an alien for this intel," Barker said. "You have spent hours with her and barely gotten anything useful. We don't know their weapons or force size. Isn't there anything useful she can provide?"

"With all due respect, sir," Ryder said. "She provides us with a lot of intel. We know they fight tactically like us, that they have energy-based weapons, and that she informed us about mages, something we wouldn't have context for if we went in blind. We should be happy we have this."

"How could she not know more about the enemy's abilities?" Barker said. "She had to be hiding something."

After spending almost the entire day with Fraeya Holiadon in the integration room, he already knew she wouldn't intentionally mislead them. Once they figured out how to understand each other, the problem became keeping her quiet about what she knew for fear of unauthorized personal learning about what was happening here. The elf wanted to share everything possible out of pure excitement.

"She is a civilian, Colonel," Ryder stated. "How many wars have we had since WW2, and how many civilians understand the basics of the military?"

Barker was not thrilled by the response but nodded. "Point taken. We will do it your way, Colonel. Clear out the choke point, and we'll handle the rest. We will show them what we did to the Germans at Pointe du Hoc."

When the meeting ended, Ryder approached his commanding officer. "Sir."

"I know it's a bold plan, Matt," Hackett said. "I have full faith in all of you. Clear out anything that could threaten the M30 Archers. Once there, the IFVs will pull the heavyweight."

"It is not that," Ryder said. "It is about Fraeya."

"The alien elf? What about her?"

"I want your permission for her to join Comanche."

William Hackett stared at Ryder for what felt like forever. The reaction seemed like the request needed to be more promising. "Explain yourself."

Ryder didn't need to hesitate as he already knew his reasons. "She knows the land, the tech we might face, and what we might face in general. Plus, she is a mage, after all. We could use one on our side."

"And she knows how to activate the Bridge," Hackett said. "We cannot afford to lose that."

"And keeping her locked up here isn't what she signed up for. She wanted to help and agreed to share everything regarding the Bridge. Having her on the field only enhances the team."

Hackett placed both hands on the digital table and stared at the captain. "This isn't romantic, right?"

"I am married, sir," Ryder boldly said.

"Not anymore, Ryder," Hackett said, carefully analyzing what the captain had said. "Is this about her father?"

Now, Ryder hesitated to reply. He underestimated his mentor's knowledge of the Elf Girl's desires. "That is correct. She wants to find her father, and after all she has done to help us, she has the right to do so."

"This isn't a rescue mission. Her interests might conflict with ours if she is on your team."

"I know, but loyalty is important. We need to give a little if we want her and anyone on that rock to trust us. How are we even supposed to communicate with anyone if she is not there? She is willing to share everything, and the only thing she wants in return is the opportunity to search for her father."

Hackett stared at his caption carefully. Ryder met his stare with determination.

While Ryder had nothing but respect for his mentor, he didn't want to budge. He was responsible for caring for his team, including their best interests. More than that, he believed she earned the right to pursue what she dreamed of, regardless of whether she was an alien elf.

"You really want this?" Hackett said. "Fine. I see your point and will bring it up with the brass. As long as she teaches them how to turn the damn thing on and off, they should be pleased."

Ryder nodded with approval. "I don't see her wanting to hide anything, but I will clarify that."

*****

Walking down the hallway, the sense of the coming battle was in the air. Nearly one thousand military personnel from the Minutemen and 5th Ranger Battalion were preparing for the most incredible adventure since the colonial age. They would be the first humans, or, as the elf girl labeled them, Altaerrie, to go to an alien world called Alagore—the first world outside of this solar system.

Only two days ago, Mathew Ryder couldn't have dreamed that something like this was possible. Invading an alien world with its foundation being something the people of Earth labeled as 'fantasy' wouldn't have been on the bingo card. He did not know how to feel as the hour drew closer to their military operation to Alagore.

"This is really happening," King said.

"Yes, it is," Ryder replied.

"Are you sure about including her on the team?"

"I am. We are going blind, and having someone who understands their world can only be a benefit. There is no database we can rely on to figure out situations we will face. It is worth the risk"

"Is that the truth or an excuse?"

Ryder took a frustrated, deep breath, knowing where this conversation was going. "I don't want to discuss this before this mission."

"As your XO and friend, it is my responsibility to ensure that you think clearly and are objective over personal feelings. Are you not doing this because of your ex-wife? She is gone, and you need to move on. Bringing that baggage will only hinder you going forward."

The captain understood why his second-in-command was asking this. Bringing Fraeya along and trying to find her father was redemption for what happened to his family; however, Rommel King was correct. While that is what he wished, that line of thinking would only lead to a dark path. Regardless of his personal feelings, he knew the objective side of the argument was correct.

"I would be lying if I said I was not sympathetic to her situation," Ryder said. "I am not putting my feelings in front of the team. We need her to communicate with the natives, and we do not know what we are facing. Having a mage on the team might help. Otherwise, it would just become another War of Terror fiasco."

Rommel King nodded and patted the captain on the back. "Just making sure, Matt. You were there for my divorce, so I will always have your back."

"Thank you," Ryder said.

"Anytime. I will support your decision with her and whatever decisions you make on the other side."

Feeling proud to have an excellent XO he could rely on, he mentally prepared himself for the adventure to come.

As the two headed down the hallway to their armory, Ryder saw Sergeant Benjamin Ford with Fraeya Holiadon. She looked far more refreshed compared to being stuck in the interrogation room.

"Good morning, you two." Ryder turned to speak with the elf girl. Before he could, she tackled him with a hug, wrapped around him tight.

"Thank you for letting me join your team," Fraeya said, almost crying. "I promise not to drag you down. I will not be a burden."

Ryder looked at the other two men, shocked and unsure of what to do because it was sudden. Her openness was not something they were used to.

"It was no big deal," Ryder said as he lightly patted her.

Fraeya then pulled back and looked around. An embarrassed look formed as she grabbed her arm. "Sorry."

While assuring the elf girl that it was okay, Ryder concluded that she was an expressive social person. While nothing was wrong with being open, he had to establish clear boundaries as this was a military unit, not a frat party.

He ordered the others to leave so he could have one last private chat with Comanche's newest member.

Once they were alone, Fraeya asked, "Is everything okay? Did I overstep?"

"Everything is good," Ryder said. It is okay to be who you are, but be careful who you express yourself to. But that isn't what I wanted to talk about."

"Okay," Fraeya said. "What did you want to talk about?"

"I said that if the opportunity came to rescue your father, we would try," Ryder said. "However, I cannot guarantee that we will ever find him. He might be out of our grasp for the time being. I need you to understand that."

"So, you are not going to look for him?"

"I didn't say that. On the contrary, my people want to find him. Based on what you said, he is the founding father of understanding the Bridge and these alien ruins. That is the knowledge we want, but I wanted to be upfront here and now that the odds are low. This includes our people they took."

"I understand. I appreciate how transparent you have been. My father would want me to help you all. We wanted the Altaerrie to free our world from the Unity grasp, and I am willing to do what I can to help."

"Good to hear." Ryder took a deep breath as he knew he had to switch the tone of their meeting and get to business. "Speaking of transparency, I expect you to continue telling my people everything you know about Alagore, especially if it's related to the mission or our survival. Suppose you don't want to tell the rest of the team something that is okay. In that case, personal privacy, in principle, is important to my country, but as the team leader, I need to know. Understand?"

"I do. I learned command structure while I was with the Palatini of Orias. I want to tell you everything I know about my world. I do hope one day I can learn about yours."

"I do not see why not, but for now, the matter at hand. I need to say the last few things so everything is clear. As a team member, you must respect the chain of command when I give an order, meaning I expect my and Rommel's orders to be followed. Once we have established ourselves, my people expect you to share all your knowledge on how the Bridge works so we can maintain a two-way line between our worlds."

"Of course," Fraeya said in confusion as if she didn't understand why she wouldn't share that knowledge. "I assumed I was going to tell you how the Bridge works? Otherwise, why did I come here?"

"No one should give you the nuclear codes," King commented to the elf girl's confusion.

Thrilled that they were on the same page, Ryder continued, "Time to officially introduce you to the rest of Comanche."

"Ryder," Fraeya said. "Before we go, what does Comanche mean? I have heard you guys refer yourselves that all the time."

Mathew Ryder placed his hand on the door as he prepared to open it. "Hundreds of years ago, they were one of the greatest warrior tribes my country went to war with. They were fast, fierce, true warriors that required an overwhelming force to defeat them. I named this team after them to honor and respect their legacy. We harness the spirits of the plains people and strike fear in our enemies as they know we will be the last thing they see."

The captain then opened the door to the armory and headed inside. There, they saw the rest of the Comanche finishing preparing for battle.

Staff Sergeant Kurt Forest approached and extended his robotic skeleton arm, which Fraeya stared at with fear. He retracted his arm. "Scared of robotic arms, I see. Don't worry, I only need one lady to like it."

"I am sorry, I meant no offense. I have never seen something like that before."

"That is okay," Forest said. "I got used to it long ago. Now, let me introduce you to the team."

Ryder headed to his station and put on his Integrated Tactical Lightweight Infantryman Armor Network, also known as the Itlian battlesuit.

Forest went around the room, introducing Fraeya to each member of Comanche, starting with Charles Higgins, the Air Force communications specialist. Then, the team's heavy weapons and engineer specialists, Eger Wallace and Bruno Barrios, known as the Twins – to which Kurt warned them to play nice with the newest member of the team. The medic, Marcos Gonzales, and Benjamin Ford. Fraeya then went to Gregory Barrett, the Sergeant First Class of the unit.

After attaching all the module components of the Itlian, Ryder couldn't help but think back to his fight with Kallem. At the time, he had no idea he was fighting their leader. While he hated to admit it, he lost that fight. Mostly because he did not understand what he was going up against. As his mentor says, a defeat is only a defeat if you learn nothing from it. And the captain learned a lot about this new enemy.

Once Ryder finished installing his battle suit, he saw his team had gathered. Each Comanche team member grouped and placed their fists until they made a circle. There was one open spot, and everyone was toward the elf. She stood there confused.

"If you're going to be on the team, you must be part of the rituals," Barrett said. "Everything we do is as a team."

Ryder watched as the elf looked around and approached. She slowly placed her hand among the group and slowly formed a fist, acting uneasy about what was happening. It brought much joy to the men, who found it cute and refreshing. This included him, who found the sight humorous and could tell the rest of the team thought the same. "Poor soul, she has no idea what she just got into."

Ford was the first to speak, starting off the unit motto. The rest of the team began chanting the rest of the words. "The first to wake, the first to fight, the first to tell the enemy good night. We are the Minutemen ready to fight."

Seeing that it was his turn, the captain continued, “Let the Red Moon guide us to our Fight.”

Feeling energized after their team-building moment, they left the armory. However, King stopped Ryder before exiting the room for a private conversation.

The team headed down the hall until they reached the facility's main chamber. Hundreds of other soldiers from the other units were also there, gathering information.

They were all in the same facility from yesterday. Battle scars still stained the walls; however, the corpses and blood had already been removed from this old Cold War-era bunker.

Comanche formed in front of the 5th Rangers Battalion as planned, all wearing their standard issue Itlian. To the left and right of Comanche were the other six Minutemen teams from A Squadron.

In front of everyone was the alien device known as the Bridge. It was in the center of an elevated platform with a large half-ring on each side. The device looked smaller than he recalled, as the sides were tighter than he remembered. At this size, a tank would barely fit.

He heard some teammates whispering about how everything had started to feel real. The gravity of going to war against aliens on an alien world was only hitting now that it was happening. Even Ryder's earlier eagerness tampered with a bit.

Colonel William Hackett came through one of the side's armored doors, surrounded by some of his and the Ranger's staff. He was in his Iltian, ready to follow his men to the other world.

Hackett walked up to the Bridge platform and turned, getting a decent view of the task force.

"Soldiers of the United States Army. You are about to embark on a journey we have not seen since the discovery of the New World. Since the Apollo landings. Since Mars. A world that is vastly different from what we have grown to believe. Through this grand challenge, each of you will need to expect the unknown and rise above it. Pushing aside any fear, doubt, or confusion you face.

The people of Alagore have reached out to the Eagle of Liberty and called upon aid against a ruthless enemy. As you all know, the Utopianist ideologies have haunted our species for centuries. Forcing us to question our faith, beliefs, culture, and the core fiber of what makes up our country. Dividing our neighbors, destroying all what we entrusted. But in the darkest hour, when the world seemed to be falling free off the cliff, we didn't tear ourselves apart but grew stronger.

When this country was founded nearly three hundred years ago, it set forth the ideals of self-determination, liberty, and freedom. That we all are judged based on our merit and character, but not by the color of our skin or who we call God, mystical or civics. As you all know, we have not always lived up to those ideals. Every generation requires an internal battle to define itself.

To the men and women among you: Whites, Blacks, Hispanics, Jews, Arabs. Liberals, Conservatives, Populists, and Libertarians. Each one faces their own trials. There were those who were discriminated against by such labels, while others used their identity to oppress others. Family, tradition, culture, community, and honor were all cast aside for those who wished to be selfish. Between each of these groups, but after generations from our founding, we are not separated by those categories but have learned to unite as Americans.

I state this because the enemy you will be facing, the Unity, is the opposite of our founding ideals. A new oppressive religion that forces non-believers to renounce their faith or die by the sword.

I do not need to explain the opportunities this alien device could bring to our country and all of Mankind. There is one, in particular, you all need to focus on: an opportunity, a chance to show the Lord that we have shed the shadows of our past and lived up to the true meaning of being an American.

We have declared ourselves the Astralis-superpower, beginning a Second Manifest Destiny for the American Race. With the ideals of cooperation, expansion, discovery, and more, we can learn from our past divisions, come together behind our founding principles, and push out to new frontiers. God answered our creed with the Bridge. The question is, will we meet this new challenge and prove that we are genuinely Astralis's power or prove weak and cowardly?

You will show the world of Alagore that it was not a mistake for them to reach out to us. You will show them that we are not the Unity but the Eagle of Liberty. Now that we know we are not alone in the universe, our future is in the stars. The day will come when our people will emerge as a great power, but what will that power represent? That we will be the shining beacon on the hill within the Cosmic Sea. You will set the stage for humanity's adventure into the stars.

That we are all Americans. Always remember that, and you can accomplish the impossible. As the saying goes, we go to the Moon; we do these things and the other things. Not because it is easy but because they are hard. God bless you, God bless the United States of America, and let God bless all of Mankind."

Once the speech was finished, the Ranger Lieutenant Colonel approached, "Sua Sponte."

All the Rangers in the facility chamber yelled at once, "Rangers Lead the Way."

Hackett then looked to his unit, "First to wake, first to fight, first to tell the enemy goodnight."

Like the Rangers, the Minutemen of A Squadron, all six Combat Fire Teams spoke in unison, "Minutemen, ready to fight."

There was no clapping and cheers, as expected in the motion pictures, but that was not the point of the speech. Ryder knew that his mentor was setting the mood. Regardless of what people think about the nearly three-hundred-year history of the United States, we do not walk away from a challenge.

Fraeya Holiadon left Comanche and joined Hackett on the Bridge platform. She took out her journal and walked to the right side of the device. Hovering her hand over an orb that Ryder knew they escorted from Mars, her hand shimmering white.

As she began activating the Bridge, the sound of heavy machines walking on the hard concrete could be heard from the rear.

Ryder and other soldiers stepped out of the way as twelve M91 Infantry Fire Support Systems, IRiSS, passed everyone. They were humanoid robotic soldiers like the Akuma on Mars but were bulkier and more rigid than organic-looking ones. The shoulders and arms had thick armor, with the chest having two large sections of armor, flat and industrial design. The head had two blurred optics as its eyes, with the mouth area being one plate beside a mouthpiece with two small bulky antenna earpieces sticking out toward the rear. Each was armed with an M250 machine gun as they were strong enough to utilize the weapon.

Behind them were eight M17 Bigdog, four-legged dog-like drones. Being half as tall as an IRiSS. Six were equipped with the M2 Browning, while the other two had a multi-stage grenade launcher to fire explosives and smoke at the enemy to provide cover against the enemy.

The robotic infantry formed in front of the Minutemen as they would first absorb the enemy weapon fire and distract the enemy long enough for Comanche and the other Minutemen CFTs to break through the enemy fortifications.

Ryder found these types of drones useful but limiting. Suitable as a force multiplier in supporting roles, supporting human forces. Alone, they were less effective as most nations have developed cheap and effective counters to most drones. The fact that the enemy had magic, and if they had anything like the Akuma, he expected them to develop a counter.

Still, staring at one of the IRiSS, Ryder never wanted to be on the receiving end of one.

Feeling a tremor, at first, Ryder thought it was an earthquake, which confused the captain as if this was Colorado. Hearing Rommel King comment about the Bridge, he looked.

His eyes widened as he saw the once plain-looking half-ring device now glowing brightly, and the side half-rings started breaking apart. Fragments from both sides floated out, creating a wide circle far larger than before. Now clearly able to fit many more vehicles at once.

The center of the platform radiated yellowish-white as a sphere formed. What looked like glass started to branch out from the sphere, spreading quickly toward the floating pieces that hovered. Within moments, a glass-like mirror filled the Bridge so that they could see the other side.

Once the order was given, the robotic soldiers marched forward, going through the Bridge.

Captain Mathew Ryder then received the order for Comanche to advance. He kissed his cross necklace as he and the rest of Comanche ran toward the Bridge, heading off to Alagore and beginning the journey to a distant star, braving the unknown.