[[ Computer, login LeoHall, security clearence code ************* ]]
Declassify personal log entry on stardate 21115 to clearence level 3.
Append following addendum to beginning of log entry.
Let it be known to my fellow Naval officers that due to the constraints of my role as an intelligence officer, I normally am required to keep my personal logs very hush-hush, along the same security regulations as most of my non-bridge duty work entails. That said, given the situation with the recent end of hostilities in the system, I felt it prudent to secure the permissions necessary to declassify this log that I had recorded after the last duty cycle and share it with you.
[[ Log entry content follows after this point. ]]
Stardate: 21115-2237
Today was one of the most testing days I have had thus far in my service, testing to the ideals I stand for and testing in the clashing of blood and iron. The first segment of our duty cycle was one of sorrow and shame. Why do I say shame in the face of imminent triumph over the enemy? To put it short, we had to provide the honors to those who had fallen in the line of battle throughout the hard eleven or twelve — the shock of this all makes me somewhat forgetful — days of the quasi-war that cost us much. So there I was, piloting the Hawk in formation with the rest of the Division, running alongside a coffin holding one of the fleet’s more unfortunate as the Auxiliary Forces vessels assigned to us looked on in what I am sure was similar sorrow. One by one our vessels lined up, prepared the customary fireworks for an impromptu funeral, and let those fallen find solace upon the stars. With this all out of the way, we returned to base to check our armaments one more time before heading out to handle our mission for the day. Well, the rest of the Fleet, at any rate. My place, and Ensign Roshin’s, was at the switchboard in Cerberus Command’s CIC.
With operations commencing, the fleet synced up with the TSN Jinn, acting as supply tender and the TSN Hammer, assigned destroyer escort for the Jinn. Alongside them was additionally the ACL Adams, assigned diplomatic vessel backed by the full faith of the USFP government to broker the ceasefire we stood to gain with the N’tani. Seems their trust in the Grand Alliance was wavering badly enough for them to come to us. The agreed upon rendezvous was a point in Cerberus Sector II. While the fleet handled various raids being conducted by Penwrath and some Skarran contractors, the Jinn and Adams moved up to the rendezvous while the Hammer moved to cover Shanari Station from incursion. Once the talks had gone under way, our instruments both in the fleet and across the SIGINT board picked up a jump distortion in a sector near the diplomats. Out of this jump distortion came a fleet of Kraliens, intent on coming after the “special weapon” that we had in transit, positioned along with the diplomatic party for its protection. I suppose no one can doubt its existence now so I may as well point it out that its tractoring to its final destination was under the charge of the TSN Phoenix, who disengaged their tractor midway through negotiations to help cover against enemy forces with fleet assets at the time. Once those threats were neutralized Phoenix resecured the special weapon and carried on with their duty. It wasn’t much longer after this that the negotiations concluded and a peace deal had been reached with the N’tani. In exchange for ceasing hostile actions against the USFP they requested we take their fleets under asylum and find them a new homeworld. I suppose this proves even the most turbulent battlefields have some semblance of decency underneath the ideology and politicking for power. All said and done this mission of diplomacy was a win for the USFP, but our finest hour did lie ahead.
At this point in the operation, the fleet stood down once more for a momentary respite and rearmament phase (and getting Ensign Das his crash course in CIC. He will need formal training when we can get it to him). Special weapon and fleet in tow, we marched onward to Sector I, where it all began and where it ended. Our task was simple — the destruction of the General Montaurg and his aide’s command ships, dismantling of the enemy command post, and securing the special weapon aboard the TSN Atlantia, due to jump in sector. The fighting was very hectic — I don’t remember too much of specific details. Initially the enemy used a spoof jammer to try and crash our sensors with false enemy targets, but once we corrected for this we started focusing on their hulls, cutting through their forces and making ground. After our initial push dealt damage to the defenses and weakened the enemy command, the fleet folded back to the enemy held TSN stations, specifically DS-48 where the Atlantia would be bound to jump in. I hear the marine assault was a hard but well fought one in there. Once the station was secured… I will never forget the moment when the inbound Atlantia lit up the entire system with a literal hole in space as it jumped in, received the special weapon from the Phoenix, and then launched its waves of fighters, tearing through inbound enemy forces. From there on out, it was only a matter of time as we made way to recapture the remaining enemy held stations,raze the enemy star bases and destroy the Grand Alliance’s command ships. Anything left of those, we made sure to collect. I don’t think I can really say much more on the end of this war. Now, before I get rambling on about the losses, I know I’m going to have to tally every last man…
[[ Computer, end log. ]]