"We recently got reports that the US Senate has approved President Pots proposal with Major General Charles Stanford promotion to Lieutenant General. He was a Lieutenant General of the United States Army. He was the first General to lead US forces to Uros and since then has been leading NATO and other Allied forces on the alien world.
At first, the invasion was defense in nature but as more forces were deployed to the growing challenge of Earth's first Interstellar War. While the beginning of the war only had about thirty thousand total troops from NATO and Allied forces, it has grown to over one hundred and fifty US personal and over fifty thousand NATO and Allied militaries as the fight on three different fronts.
As the growing military and civilian presence on Uros, many wanted to create a rotational model like that was employed in Afghanistan, a General serving for a single year before being deployed elsewhere. President Pots said that she was fully against another rotational model, stating that she believed that was way the Afghanistan War was mismanaged for so long. That the President wants to have a single General in command of the war just like how World War Two was managed and believed that the Lieutenant General has proven that he understands the facts on the ground.
The promotion came from his success in the open invasion, forming an alliance with the locals like the Italica and the Elbe Fiefdom and an overwhelming victory in the Greater Elies Region and the successful raid on saving American one Brazilian prisoners.
While the Empire seems to have endless numbers of their war machine, it seems that General Stanford leadership has allowed us to keep the initiative and the spirit of the American Way." – Alus Liberty News
***
--- Camp Galileo ---
January 10th, 2026
After the semi-successful rescue mission, Major Sharpe was ordered to go to Colonel Tim Esper's briefing room with Doctor John Monra to talk about what happened.
After making sure his team gets settled and that Andrew got to the infirmary to get his arm treated. The base doctor seems to be afraid that Andrew might get an infection from the bat so he will have to go into a two-week quarantine.
Now he is the debrief room with Tim and John. General Charles Stanford, Ambassador Harland Willington Colonel William of Alnus Base defenses, French Colonel Séverin Bourque of the Alnus Military Police, and Colonel John Yang are on the main screen on the wall, each having their slot.
The female scientist told John that this strange looking pigman took the other male scientist, saying that the facility had too many Other Worlder females. She was going to be taken to a different facility where she is needed more.
He leans on the desk looking at the screens. "Yes Sir," He said to Stanford. "That Man-Bear-Pig(1) creature sounds like what I fought in Legrath. The Bat and the other Human prisoner confirm the sighting. They also said that they never have seen or heard of their kind before."
"My scientist said that they call themselves The Haryo Tribe," John said.
"The Haryo Tribe?" Willingdon asked, making sure he understood.
"Correct," He said.
"Major," Stanford said. "Please correct me but you first faced them when you were rescuing Princess Pina after General Krysist kidnapping of her(2)?"
"That is correct sir," He replies. "Not including when Princes Pina brought in that prisoner(3).
"Hmm," Stanford said and thinks. "That makes two encounters so far."
He thinks for the first time. That was when Pina and her Knights returned after she freed a few of his people from slavery and slaughter and brought them back. She did that wanting to try and regain his trust so there could be peace.
When she came back, she brought back a bag full of body pieces of Americans who those Haryo Tribe slaughtered. With that, she also brought one of them with her. However, the CIA took that creature away to Guantanamo bay and he never heard anything about it since. He knows that has angered Stanford because he was cut out of key information that could have helped them prepared for this.
"If you don't mine, I like to include Princess Pina into this conversation," Willington asked.
"Granted," Stanford said.
He sees Willington walk away from his screen, but he then sees William and Severin speak.
"While we wait, I want to address the security issue at Alnus," William said. "You are telling me one of the kids you ran into was one of the kids you found when dealing with the Flame Dragon Major Sharpe?"
He takes a deep breath, annoyed with himself for never noticing that. He wanted to help those refugees back then. A part of it was he felt it was the right thing to do but the other reason he never said out loud is that he felt like he had to redeem himself for failing that farm family in Mexico. But he is feeling like crap now because after he led them back to Alnus he did not check upon them. He just assumed that they were fine.
Before he could answer his commanding, officer Yang spoke. "From the report, the answer is yes. Do not worry Sharpe, you cannot keep an eye out on everyone. We knew for a while we had a security breach in the Alnus Community but now this is getting ridiculous."
"With all due respect Colonel Yang," Severin said. "People are coming and going all the time. We only recently set up an ID program to help keep track of people and to keep a record. We do not know who any of these people are. For all, we know everyone has a criminal history."
"I don't accept that as an excuse," William said. "I don't like the fact there is a section of the base with lax travel rules. I say we go in and question everyone."
"That is one way to lose the public trust," John said. "As the civilian in the room, having soldiers burst into your home is a sight you will never forget."
"But it will get the job done," Severin. "You want my department to keep the Alnus Community safe, but you keep both my hands tied behind my back."
"Let's not start the blame game," Stanford said. "Let's focus on fixing the situation. Can we speak with that boy?"
Tim leans back in his chair. "I apologize General, but the boy is still in the surgery. They are attempting to reattach his arm. It will be a few days before he will be ready to talk."
"I understand," Stanford said. "Sooner we get more information the better. The last thing I want is to make what Vanguard-7 went through into a normal situation for the troops."
He understands what Stanford means. War is already a dirty business, but they have a good thing going so far. The bat and the prisoner already explained why the Empire has been abducting kids throughout the region. Now they understand the underline motive, they can start figuring out a strategy to counter it.
"Let's not forget one thing, the Empire is adopting again," John brings up. "I already told the Major my theory, do you mind explaining it?"
He looks to John and nods. He then looks back to the screens. "When we got the camp, we were attacked like they knew we were coming. While their defense was sloppy up together, it still bothered me how they figured it out. Since there was a Bat and a Cat, we both believe they are using animal hybrids like we use Night vision and thermal devices."
"Correct," John said. "Cats have great hearing and Bats, while they can't see far, they have great vision at night, and they can create a mental map in their head with soundwaves."
"Just like Daredevil," He said, making sure everyone understands what the doctor is saying.
"Damn," William asked. "Does this mean they are taking our advantages and using them against us?"
"I wouldn't put it like that," Yang said. "It seems like they are trying to copy our tactics but having a Bat act like our Night vision if true is not as efficient as a pair of goggles."
"But the hearing part scares me," Tim adds. "Just look at our animal kingdom. Animals have better hearing, sense of smell and better eyesight."
"That is true," Yang said. "We started using the Warrior Bunnies because of their natural senses. Even Elves have a better hearing than us. We will need to start updating our tactics. We are no longer just fighting Humans but the full continent."
"Are we?" John asked. "I am not the soldier here but during the standoff, it seems like the kids were about to surrender. It was just once zealot who just couldn't put his pride away."
"He is right," William said. "A lot of them are probably being forced to fight. Just like the kids."
"You can't save anyone when they are firing at you," Severin said. "I was in Afghanistan and we tried to help the locals, but they kept shooting at us."
"You can't say that about everyone," Yang said.
"But what it only takes on Yang," Severin said. "You know that."
There is a short silence after that.
"Alright," Stanford said. "William and Severin. I want you to start securing the town."
"I will get the AMP on it," Severin said. "We have some leads but building a database has been an issue. There are no records on anyone."
"Understood," Stanford said. "Get me results quickly before the media catches on. Coordinate with Yang here. If you need resources, go to them."
"Understood sir," Yang said.
He then sees Willington and Pina come back on the main screen. He finds it strange seeing Pina in a more formal uniform besides in her armor. Her uniform is a mix of blue and tan color patterns with this orange cloth around her shoulder.
"Really?" Pina said. "All I have to look at the screen and everyone can hear me?"
"Correct," Willington said.
Pina then looks at the screen and her eyes widen. "Wow! I can see all of you. You are so small."
He watches as she starts poking her screen as she tries to understand her first video call. He can't help but chuckle watching that, understanding the context. He can see most of the other officers finding the sight amusing.
"Nice to see you again Princess," He said.
Pina freaks out a little after hearing him speak. "He heard me? They can speak?"
"Ok," Stanford said. "We have work to do. Your Highness, we requested you because we have questions about the… Man-bear-pig people."
Pina leans closer to the screen, still getting used to the new technology. "The Ambassador told me. I am sorry but I know little about them."
"Princess, you have the most interaction with them," He said. "Any details you have might be important."
Pina sits there as she tries to share a screen with Willington. "Well, I have never seen or heard of their kind before. The Empire had no formal contact with them before my father died. I believe my brother has new friends and they helped him take control of the Empire."
She then looks directly at the screen. "But I remember one of them saying to me that they wanted to take over the Empire from the top."
"Ok," Willian said. "But what about with us? We just learned they are actively trying to take our people for some experiments. They took one of our scientists. There was another we were able to save, and she said that they have more and in multiple facilities."
"It is another Noriko situation," He said, thinking back on when he saved Noriko at the cost of a peace treaty(4). While he has no regrets, he does wonder if maybe if they made people or if he was more diplomatic then maybe the Ambassador could have negotiated the freedom of them all. Besides saving the one to make a point, they could have saved them all down the road.
He can see based on her reaction that she feels responsible. She was the Crown Princess of the Empire and was supportive of the war before it their encounter in Italica. The Empire took an unknown amount of our people and turn them not slaves and now seems like lab rats.
Pina then starts to explain the first time she encountered them. It was a group of shady people of many different races. That they were racing against them to claim the American slaves They were able to save some, but others were butchered. But everything she said was in her report from before.
"Thank you, Princess," Stanford said. "Let me wrap up what you said. The Empire has no contact with this new group called the Haryo Tribe. However, based on the two kids' report they are in league with the Oprichnina."
"I think it is safe to say we have underestimated them," Willington said.
"I don't think we underestimated them," He responds. "I think we just don't know enough. Because of that we can't properly plan or react."
"That is the problem," Yang said. "We are reacting too much. We should be out there taking freeing these people. We need to be and stay aggressive."
"The leader of the Oprichnina is Svenhard Lupus Moon," Pina said. "He is a very dangerous man and very loyal to my brother."
"Then it is safe to say they are in Alnus," Severin comments. "If only we had that Pigman to get information from."
"Alright," Stanford said. "Thank you very much. I will be holding a follow-up meeting on this subject with the proper chain of commands."
He understands what Stanford means by that. He is about to go to war with the CIA for the information he should have gotten. He has dealt with the CIA during his time with Delta. While he has a lot of respect for them, he always got the impression that they have competing interests. More like they are on the same team but not for the same reason. Not all of them but a few in power.
We also always thought it was strange that Princess Pina did not about a sentient species on this planet, but the book worms tossed it in the bin of everything else we don't understand.
Since that day NATO has run into many other species, some fantasy races and others completely knew. He sees everyone logging out.
Once the meeting is over, he sees Tim spin in his chair and looks at him. "Busy day Major. Glad you came when you did. I hate to send some regulars on that one. Consider the rest of your time here a short leave."
"Leave?" He spoke.
"Your team will be stressed out after that," Tim replies. "We are doing a launch tomorrow. Have you ever seen one in person?" He then chuckles. "They are amazing, each time. You and the rest of your team get some rest. I believed you had a movie idea?"
He nods.
---
Selina is walking through the hallways of the base heading to the mess hall. She has been on enough military bases to understand the signs.
From what she understands the team had a tough mission and was granted time to relax. Tonight, is movie night was planned to be him and the girls only but the 'Girls' said it was ok to include everyone, the Girls meaning Rory, Lelei, Tuka and herself most of the time.
Almost everyone is in the lounge room getting ready to watch the movie.
She wonders why everyone seems stressed out. She has seemed them fight before and they always come back looking excited and united, but they seem different today.
As a tradition, she likes to help the team out by getting them drinks, food and whatever they need after a mission.
She gets to the mess hall and talks to the man in charge. The chief was nice and got her a wheeled table so she can bring everything to the lounge room. It is nothing special, just a basic warm meal and some drinks.
As she heads out of the mess hall she stops. Over in the corner, she sees another soldier sitting there. It is a woman, and she looks fully geared up, excluding her weapons. She was going to ignore her but then she notices the V7 patch on the arm and realize it is the new teammate Sofie Everett.
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"Hmm," She mumbles. "Maybe she does not know about the movie night?"
She adjusts the military shirt that Sharpe gave her, saying that she must wear military-style clothes while outside Alnus and Minick.
When she walks over to Sofie. The first thing she notices was that Sofie smelled. She smells like her father after a mission, the sweat, the blood, dirt and everything else that comes from a hard day work on the frontline.
Usually, soldiers clean up after they get back to base. It is to prevent soldiers from getting sick because of what they call 'Germ Theory of Disease'. Little monsters that you cannot see but go into your body and try to make your sick and kill you. She learned that recently when watching that Anime 'Cells at Work(5)'.
She sees that Sofie is still in her uniform, including her helmet. She is eating from a can of soup.
"Hello," She said as she appears around the table. "It is Sofie right?"
Sofie takes a bite of her soup and glances over at her with an annoyed look.
For a second, she was afraid by the look but then reminds herself that she is one of Sharpe's Rangers. She has met grumbly soldiers' people before but none of them ever threatened her before. Besides, she has not spent any time with her yet, why would she hate her?
"I just want to let you know we are having a movie night and you are invited." She said smiling. "We were going to watch a movie called Apollo Thirteen, but father decided to change it last minute. He says we will still see it, watching it on the way back to Alnus but now we are watching something called Wallie."
"It is called Wall-E you brat," Sofie said and slams her soup can on the table. "And now you people are stealing my favorite childhood film?"
Seeing the anger in her eyes she takes a step back. "Steal what? I didn't steal anything. Father said it was great and we all will love it. Plus, it still matches about space and not being lazy."
Sofie stands up and gets close to her. "Why do you keep changing the way you call him? You call him dad, father. Pick one."
"I… I only recently started calling him dad," She said. "That is because… Why are you being so mean? I only tried to be your friend. I am friends with everyone else on the team."
"That is because they are sellouts," Sofie yells and gets right into her. She then points onto her chest, lightly pushing her back. "They care more about pretending to be soldiers and the PR stunts then protecting their own kind. No matter what you two think he is not your father. It is a lie. Back in the civilized world, you two will never be a real family. Because you stole that from others."
"Your people attack my people. They came, beaten, raped children and slaughtered my hometown. Fuck, I will never get that sight of that girl being taken by that goblin. Cutting open that boy. God, they just tossed her to those Goblins." Sofie continues as she gets angrier.
Sofie then gets close to her, looking directly into her eyes. "My city, the one I grew up in is now halfway destroyed. Fuck, the school I went to is gone now. The store I use to buy clothes is gone. The place I first got laid is now gone. Because of you fucking aliens who wanted to pick a bone with us, and my people are playing nice with them."
"Hey," She yelled. "I had nothing to do with any of that! I hate-"
"I don't care," Sofie responds. "Apples and oranges."
She looks at her confused by the reference. "What do you mean apples and oranges?"
Sofie gets anger hearing the question. "You backward people."
"Hey," She said, getting annoyed by this. As Sofie was railing down on her, her hand reach to her upper chest and grab her Polaris neckless Sharpe fixed for her after it was damaged after being kidnapped by the Wood Elves. She cannot help herself then start to cry a little. "I just came over because I care about you and everyone of-."
Again, she was cut off by Sofie. Sofie reaches down and grabs her neckless, holding it out. "This thing pisses me off the most. It is you and the so-called other 'girls' think you belong with us. And that-."
"Hey!"
She looks over and sees Alicia rushing over in a clean pair of olive-green pants and a tank top under a jacket. And she can see in her eyes that she looks pissed.
She then feels Sofie pushes her away, making her trip on the floor.
Right then Alicia grabs and easily overpowers Sofie and rams her into the wall. While on the floor watching, she can see her training with Rory has helped her training.
"What the hell?" Sofie said as she struggles against the wall.
Alicia grabs Sofie's arm and starts twisting it. "Look you bitch. I have been wanting to put a lid on your mouth for a while now. First, I thought you were just struggling to fit in which is normal in this unit. But at least the Major kept his personal issues to himself."
Alicia then tosses Sofie away. "We have a good thing going on now and I won't let you fuck that up. We have been through so much." She then looks over to her. "Are you ok Selina?"
She gets up and holds onto her neckless, it being her most favorite possession she has. Her father gave it to her, and it helped save her life. "I am. Thank you."
"Screw this," Sofie said.
Alicia then looks to her. "No. You need to remember what side you are on. You said you saw the enemy take our kids for their sick pleasure. Well, he stops things like that from happening and we freed people. We were the ones who saved Noriko. The boss threw away a peace treaty for that."
Alicia struggles to control her anger as she continues. "But what the fuck did we just did out there? But the Major is right, we did what we had to do because we had no choice. The people who attacked us had a choice and that is what makes us different!"
"Specialist," Sofie said. "I don't care about the differences. What they did was wrong."
"It was but you thought assaulting a thirteen-year-old was right?" Alicia said. "Now I am giving you an order, walk away."
She walks up to Alicia's side. "Sofie. I understand how you feel. I was taken-."
Alicia holds out her hand stopping her from speaking. "Selina, don't. She hasn't earned the right. You're my niece, but she's not your aunt."
She takes a deep breath, not fully understanding what Alicia means by that. She remembers Sharpe killing three of the four mercenaries, but Alicia was also there who killed the fourth. She also was the one who cleaned up her body and clothed her when they first met(6).
She then watches Sofie grab her soup can and walk out of the mess hall. Once she is gone, she looks up to Alicia. "Thank you."
Alicia looks at her and gives her a thumbs up. "All good kid."
They head over to the wheel table and start pushing it to the lounge.
She smiles happily to see her but then wonders why she is here. She was in the lounge room making fun at Frost. "Why are you here?"
"Well after you left Lelei corrected the Major," Alicia said with a chuckle. "She said the rule is that you're not allowed to go anywhere alone."
"I hate that rule," She said.
"I understand. Next time don't get taken Princess," Alicia said and then winks at her. "I was a handful for my dad. My mom left us when I was two, so he had to take care of her alone. God, I am shocked he didn't abandon me." She said with a chuckle. "Anyway, I volunteered."
"Ok," She said and glances away. "Why is she so mean?"
Alicia takes a breath as she collects her thoughts. "I think she has seen a lot to fast. My people are not adjusted to the horrors like the people of your world is. Someone being sold is a normal thing here but back home, it would be a national crisis. Not everyone can adjust well to what they experience. I think she just does not know how to adopt yet. Just stay away from her."
"Ok," She said. She then stops and gives Alicia a big hub. "Thank you."
Alicia rubs her on the head. "We better go before your father goes full Delta on us. You are going to love Wall-E."
***
--- Camp Galileo ---
January 11th, 2026
Lelei walks over to the control room and heads to the main window. It is the same window where she and the others saw the launchpad.
On the launchpad is the same rocket that is called a Falcon-9. It is made by a company called SpaceX, a powerful company that is leading the way with American expansion into space.
Above her are many smaller screens, all with a countdown.
All around her are Vanguard-7, excluding the new Ranger and Andrew. Sofie said she was not interested in watching and Andrew is in quarantine after getting bitten by the Bat. As of now he is healthy and patched up. They all look just as excited as Rory, Tuka, and Selina.
As she holds onto her staff she looks up at Sharpe. "Major?"
Sharpe looks down smirking like he was expecting that she was going to ask a question. "Really? Lelei has a question. Never saw that coming."
Rory then punches him in the arm. "Smart-ass."
She tilts her head in confusion. "Well, I was researching everything I have learned here."
"That explains all the smoke coming out of your ears," Alicia comments, getting a few other Rangers to laugh.
Right up until now she never realized that her asking questions to have become a joke within the team. "I didn't realize I asked so many questions. I will cut back on my questions."
Rory's head pops around Sharpe. "No!" She said in a defiant tone.
Selina looks at her. "If you stop asking questions then we have to start."
Tuka peaks around Sharpe next. "Yes. It is far easier if you ask all the questions and then dumbs them down for us."
She looks at the three and tilts her head. "Did you just call yourself dumb?"
Rory holds out her figure and then stops herself from speaking, just realizing she did just call herself dumb.
All around everyone starts laughing about the interaction.
"In all my years in the Army," Randy said. "I have never been around a unit like this. Never made sense."
"Ok," Sharpe said as she chuckles. "Countdown is getting close. What was your question?"
She looks up back at Sharpe. "While you were gone, I looked up Apollo, Gemini, Sputnik, the Moon Landing, and those space stations you talked about. When we were looking through that massive telescope and look at other worlds, I wondered why you were looking for them in the first place. Why are you people going through all this effort?"
"From what I understand," She said. "All of this takes a lot of money and energy to do. Your people put a lot of time and energy to do all that but what is the result? Because you can be enough for the long term. Even today you look at all the Flares and find all these new worlds among the heavens, but I do not see the point. You know you can get to it. Even you said you wish to go to Mars, but you know you can't."
Sharpe looks down and back out the window as the rocket. "Hundreds of years ago there was a man named Christopher Columbus. Europe and Asia traded for centuries but it was through hazardous land routes. He believed there was an undiscovered sea route to Asia. Everyone thought he was crazy, that it was impossible. It was believed everything was already discovered."
"Let me guess," Tuka said. "He was right."
"Kind of," He said. "You see, no one knew about the American continents where my country is today. They just thought it was empty water. He found a brand-new world with new riches and discovery. While he was not the first to discover it, he was the first to kick off the exploration of it."
"I remember you talking about this back on Earth(7)," Rory said with pride. "Your people came from a faraway land and built a nation from scratch."
"Correct Rory," Sharpe said. "To answer your question Lelei, my country was built on exploration and being pioneering. Columbus did that because he was trying to expand trade and new goods. To expand the future in ways no one saw coming."
"Now put that in the current day," Sharpe continues. "Resources are limited and the more we develop and expand the more resources we will need. Up their resources are limitless. We will be able to go there, find new lands, new cures, and resources."
"It is the key to our survival," Sharpe adds. "A nation needs to continue to grow otherwise you become stagnant. What I mean by growth does not always mean territory expansion but growth in technology and innovation. Let us just say something happens to our home on Earth. That is, it, game over. The reason we try to explore and want to expand to Mars, Titan, Europa and even here is because it is key to our survival. Your ideas and values only survive if your alive. The key is to create a better future-."
"To pass the torch to generation to generation," Rory said.
She looks to Rory as everyone else does, surprise she is almost quoting President Ronald Reagan.
Rory looks at everyone a blink. "What? I pay attention to."
"Sharpe," Tuka said. "What you are saying sounds like Empire building."
She looks to Tuka and then back at Sharpe. Tuka is right, that sounds like how the Empire was built. She remembers Sharpe explaining the first time they went to Earth at that American history museum explaining that the incoming Americans took the lands from natives and built their civilization on top of those lands.
But he has always been honest about that and she can see that they have changed. With power, people almost always use it against weaker people but as Sharpe likes to say, if you do not learn from history you are doom to repeat it.
"You are right Tuka," He said. "We want to expand into space because one day it will solve many of the resource problems we have. More lands for food, an infinite number of ore and energy, and things we yet to imagine. But the key is learning from our past, both the good and the bad so we can do it right. There is nothing wrong with expanding. Expanding does not always mean stealing territory from someone but in this case, the question is can we do that without hurting native people."
Sharpe then looks at them all. "That is why our mission here is so important. We have to do it right because what we do now will lay the stones to tomorrow. Will we become an Empire based on robbing others or be an Empire that spreads the beacon of liberty and self-rule? I choose late. And I believe this because that is our salvation. Having colonies on Mars and maybe a world outside of our and your system means our people will continue."
"I get it," Rory said. "I been around for a long time and I have seen people fight over for what little there is. The Empire expands because if it cannot it dies. That was a flaw Taylin and I didn't see when we built it. It is all about more resources otherwise you die."
"Interesting," She said. "It is like my old tribe. We are nomads. I find it interesting how similar what you say to what they said."
"If you sit on what you did yesterday then you never know what you missed out tomorrow," Sharpe said and then places his hand on Selina's shoulder, making a point that none of them would have ever met if it was not for the American exploration spirit.
"I believe you people have already chosen what path," Rory said. "And that is why everyone keeps rallying behind you. The Empire expands to subjugate people while you expand for love."
She looks up as she hears Tim speak.
"To all base personal," Tim said over the base microphone. "We are beginning the launch sequence. Starting final countdown."
She stands there as she hears this lady counting down on the base microphone. Once the numbers on the main screen hit zero, she sees this explosion and clouds coming from the bottom of the rocket.
At first, she thought something went wrong. Tim said that this is a test launch, and she thought the rocket was exploding. But she notices Sharpe, the other Rangers and everyone else who is working in the control room are not freaking out.
Then she leans against the window as she watches the clouds around the rocket grows. The rocket detaches from the launch pad and then she watches as the rocket starts to go up.
"By the gods," Rory says in pure shock as she lets close to the window.
Slowly the rocket goes up and continues, picking up speed quickly. She has seen aircraft take off at the Alnus airfield. It looks simply like the plane is gliding in the air like a bird. This site is quite different, a massive stick looking machine going directly into the sky with brute force.
As the rocket goes up and out of sight, she looks up at the screen which is still showing the rocket going higher into the sky.
All this time she has been impressed by the Other Worlder's power and technology, but she never questioned that they are more powerful than the gods. Seeing this massive rocket go into space she sees that new reality Sharpe trying to explain. From what she understands the gods are stuck on this world while the Americans can surpass them and now which is stronger.
"As the machines of Man travels up into the Realm of the Gods and then surpass, they become masters of their destiny," She spoke as she watches the screen.
--- Roldom Valley ---
Giselle is standing there. "There, their girl," She says as she pets the mother Flame Dragons.
She looks at the giant legendary Flame Dragon. Her Goddess Hardy told her to awaken her from her deep slumber for this grand plan she has.
While she does not always understand her Goddess will, she always does what she orders.
She hears some sounds behind her and looks, seeing the other two baby Flame Dragons. While they are babies, they are still massive compare to a humanoid. "You two are so cute. I love all of you."
She then hears this loud explosion sound, freaking out her dragons. "Stay here."
She jumps up and flies up the volcano until she gets up top. She lands on the edge and looks west.
What she sees confuses and terrifies her at the same time. She sees this light in the distance and it just keeps going up. It looks like the breath of a Dragon however it never stops.
"By the Gods, what is that?" She asks herself as she tries to figure out that strange light that ascends past the clouds.
--- Bellnahgo, Bellnahgo Shrine ---
Hardy is in the bathing chamber alone. Steam is coming from the water around her, showing that this is hot spring water.
She lowers herself into the water and glances up. "I wonder if this steam feels good."
She then sees this pink flower falls down form the manmade hole in the roof. She watches it as it slowly descends.
The flower reminds her of her love Rory Mercury. As a Goddess, she is emotionally disconnected from the world, just like all the other gods. But there is time a God or Goddess can have strange cravings.
She has always found Rory Mercury fascinating. Being small and beautiful. Everything she does is full of love and passion but still able to slaughter everyone in her God's name. While it is common for Apostles to work together at times, what Rory did with Taylin and tried to create a new world order impressed her.
It showed her that Rory was not just this blind zealot like most Apostles is, but she wanted to do more than that job of an Apostle.
While she is emotionless, deep down inside she does this desire to want Rory. While Rory has protested her attempts, that has only made her want her more.
The pink flower lands in the spring water pool and she look at it, baffled by its beauty. She moves her hand and the water around it spins lightly, making the flower move. She keeps doing it as she finds little amusement from it.
"Rory," Hardy said. "In know, you fled to these Other Worlders for protection from me, but you don't know I was the one who opened the Gate. The plan will commence, and you will be my reward. My beautiful reward."
She then sits up surprised but still with a cold expression. She then looks to the right and up a little as she feels a disturbance. "Impressive. I knew they were powerful, but I couldn't imagine they could leave the boundaries of their or our world without a Gate. I hope the gamble isn't for nothing."
--- Schwarz Forest ---
Yao Ro Dushi is sitting by a campfire as she prepares her bow. Around her are four male Dark Elves, all preparing their weapons to.
She glances up as one of her comrades complains about how hungry he is. She can't blame him as her belly feels empty.
When the Flame Dragon killed half of her people and most of their farmlands, they became helpless. The only way to survive is to steal food.
However, they can't go far because of the stories of this powerful army father up north. They hear the sounds of their dragons and wagons, and they sound terrifying. The Elders decided that they already have problems with the Flame Dragon, they can't afford to trigger another crisis with these strange strangers.
This has forced them to stay local, raiding nearby towns and passing travelers on the Schwarz Goat Path and the Hagessen Rover.
She looks up. "Don't worry brother. Hardy is looking out for us. We will get food this time."
"We better," An Elf said. "Another season like this and we will lose the children and elders."
She takes a deep breath, knowing the reality of the situation. While she wanted to risk an encounter with these strange power people, most of her people are too afraid. Besides, who can help, nothing is more powerful than the Flame Dragon.
But her heart has been telling her that maybe the risk withy the strangers might be worth it. It is either death by the Flame Dragon or death by these new strangers.
Then they all hear this loud explosion sound coming from the west.
They all stand up and then rush to an opening in the forest.
Standing on a cliff edge, she sees this strange object coming from the ground in the distance pass Naiktai, where the old Bregrath Fortress once was.
She stands there's speechless as the object goes straight up, heading past the clouds. At first, her brain said it had to be the new stranger's dragon because of the fire it is breathing but that didn't make sense. No dragon can go that high into the sky.
--- The Trinity Moutain Range, Eskea Clans, Temple of Zufmuut ---
Mabel Forn looks up at this bright object in the sky, coming from the Other Worlders territory. The object is extremely far in the distance, across the large sea.
She has heard of these Other Worlders from passing trading ships, especially about the Americans who lead them. She has been preparing for them since her Zufmuut the Goddess of Light and Order told her to. They have been destroying the Empire and their allies with ease.
While she does not care about the Empire and would prefer, they fall into dust. They have been pushing on her islands, spreading like incests. Hardy new minions are an offensive threat.
As she stands there and watches the strange objects flies up into the heavens, she looks to her left to where Zufmuut is standing. "You were correct."
"I know," Zufmuut said. "We must continue our work. I believe we are running out of time."
She takes her Blood Sword Diva and kneels. "Yes, my Goddess of Light and Order. We shall begin soon."
She then looks back and sees the small light from the object going into the night sky. "Rory. We will finish this."
--- Camp Galileo ---
Rory looks at the screen as the rocket goes up into the darkness of space. At first, she wondered how they were able to see that high up, but Sharpe explained there are small cameras all around the rocket.
Her eyes have been wide since the launch and she hasn't been able to close them. She has seen many things during her nine hundred and sixty-two years, but this is something she has never seen before. It was different seeing it in their history channels and see pictures of it, seeing it live is a completely different experience.
She sees the bottom part of the rocket detach and starts falling back to her world.
"Look," Lelei said. "It is true. Our is a sphere. Do you see the curves.”?
She looks at the image and notice what Lelei is saying. Being an Apostle, she always thought she had a lot of knowledge, being smarter than the average mortal. While she is not embarrassed that she isn't, a lot of other Apostles will be offended but they become a second-rate power.
She watches as the top part of the rocket opens and lets out what Sharpe called a satellite.
What Lelei was just saying is correct, these people have done what the Gods cannot. Leave their world to another, under their own means.
She hears Tim speak over the base microphone.
"To all base personal," Tim said. "Uros-1 mission complete. Mission complete."