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<Message Start> <Press ENTER to continue> Report # 378-J18, Section 7-32 Invicta Office of Naval Affairs, Intelligence Division 7 Security Clearance: RED Unlock Hex Key: CRIMSON TOY Date Sent: June 23 rd , 2567 From: Lance Major Tylen Liberius Yelsen, Head of Division 7 Intelligence Inquiries, Planet Invicta ICD To: Jonathan James Ralter, Professor of History of New Victoria University, New Victoria <Message Begins> In response to your query of military records on the famous fleet Commander Mark Myushin, I have completed my investigation into his recently declassified files. There is a lot to fill in the back story of his promotions, interviews, and battles. As for your request for his personal information files, I’m afraid I cannot divulge the fact from fiction. As such, I’ve created a formal report that will answer your questions. I have no interest in debunking myths on what commander Myushin did. I only wish to tell you a complete and accurate story. Included here is the final draft of the report I’ve prepared to close the matter. Inside is the basic info you’ve asked for, laced with some narrative. I hope I will not bore you by restating general information. Report #378-J18: “Re-investigation of Mark Myushin” Mark Myushin was born on adjusted date March 23 rd , 2248 (I will stick to the old ICD standard) on Planet Tiberia to James and Sarah Invicta in the city of Tyles, near the Tyles Strait on the Alten Sea. Records indicate that he was an only child, and did ex tremely well in school. He passed through with an average of 990/1000 score index for Tiberia educational standards. He is still the current holder for the 5 th highest score. He was rated at an index of Intelligence Quota 132, Emotional Quota 117 at age fifteen. His opening steps to fame cultivated early: Tyles Municipal High School Evaluation/Progress Report May 22 nd , 2265 Teacher: Tim O’ Hale, Advanced Honors History 1
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<Message Start>

<Press ENTER to continue>

Report # 378-J18, Section 7-32Invicta Office of Naval Affairs, Intelligence Division 7

Security Clearance: REDUnlock Hex Key: CRIMSON TOY Date Sent: June 23rd, 2567

From: Lance Major Tylen Liberius Yelsen, Head of Division 7Intelligence Inquiries, Planet Invicta ICD

To: Jonathan James Ralter, Professor of History of New VictoriaUniversity, New Victoria

<Message Begins>

In response to your query of military records on the famous fleet Commander Mark 

Myushin, I have completed my investigation into his recently declassified files. There is a

lot to fill in the back story of his promotions, interviews, and battles. As for your requestfor his personal information files, I’m afraid I cannot divulge the fact from fiction.

As such, I’ve created a formal report that will answer your questions. I have no interest indebunking myths on what commander Myushin did. I only wish to tell you a complete

and accurate story. Included here is the final draft of the report I’ve prepared to close the

matter. Inside is the basic info you’ve asked for, laced with some narrative. I hope I will

not bore you by restating general information.

Report #378-J18: “Re-investigation of Mark Myushin”

Mark Myushin was born on adjusted date March 23 rd, 2248 (I will stick to the old ICD

standard) on Planet Tiberia to James and Sarah Invicta in the city of Tyles, near the Tyles

Strait on the Alten Sea.

Records indicate that he was an only child, and did extremely well in school. He passed

through with an average of 990/1000 score index for Tiberia educational standards. He isstill the current holder for the 5th highest score. He was rated at an index of Intelligence

Quota 132, Emotional Quota 117 at age fifteen.

His opening steps to fame cultivated early:

Tyles Municipal High School Evaluation/Progress Report

May 22nd, 2265

Teacher: Tim O’ Hale, Advanced Honors History

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To: James/Sarah Myushin

As you know, Mark is a quiet, hardworking student. I have

tried repeatedly to have him work with others in the

classroom, but he is adamant on staying alone. He barely

speaks in class, and never raises his hand to answer a

question. To reflect, I don’t think I’ve heard him say a

single word in my class.

He seems to have entered my course with much knowledge on

the history of the Invicta Federation. I can sense his

boredom, but this does not mar his diligence or his

impressive work ethic.

I have never seen him slack off. He is without a doubt the

ace student, and has held a perfect grade since the start

of the course. He has never went past a deadline or

forgotten to turn in an assignment. I have absolutely nosuggestions on what he could do better course-wise. I’d

hate to admit it, but I think he works harder than I do,

and I’m the teacher.

I worry about his quiet and introverted self, which might

prove detrimental to his adult career. I will endorse him

for any university.

I also respectfully ask that he be visited by the local

consoler to keep tabs on his mental health.

Final Grade: 100/100

Recommendations: Support network to monitor mental

stability.

We cannot see where his motivation came from, but we can infer by 23rd century strife

that he was suffering from a block of depression and loneliness. This was not uncommon

 back in the 2200’s, before the use of the mental emulation we have today.

We may never conclusively know why he was a recluse. We can speculate that he might

have been suffering from a metal complex as an only child. This was a rare occurrence inhis time, and is generally unheard of today. We may never know the challenges he faced,

and we cannot even begin to imagine living in that time period.

However, we cannot deny that this attitude was an important factor to help him achievethe hero status we associate with him today.

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In 2270, Mark finished his prerequisite schooling and left his family to study at the

infamous Invicta War Academy on Halcyon. This is the prestigious school of military

warfare that continues to produce battle ready cadets for the Invictan fleet.

Based on what little information historians have, there seems to be little compromise on

why Mark wanted to join the military. This shy recluse from Tyles does not seem to fitthe accurate description of the adventure seeking youth.

This is the lost gap that many have been trying to figure out for years. There areunconfirmed hints of an event that might have triggered his military patriotism, but like

many other aspects of his life, we may simply never know. Our descriptions of him are

most likely inaccurate. The declassified dossier mentions nothing of his childhood.

 Nevertheless, Mark excelled in his studies, graduating the academy in 2275 as senior 

valedictorian, with a degree in the close ship combat (CSC) discipline. He was assigned a

 position aboard the IFPC Amatile, a patrol corvette that ran rounds between the planets

Retra Tal and Aura. He was second ensign for combat operations as a bridge officer.

With the invention of the faster than light engines drive decades earlier, colonization of  planets beyond the local Terra Solar System became a possibility. However, the

increasing borders became a strain on the Invicta Federation. The new colonies slowly

 became dissenting powers that protested the influence of their home planet, rife with

 political instability and a crumbling taxation bureau.

This saw the emergence of a galactic insurgency. Over several decades, every outer 

colony became a safe haven for pirates and black market economies that grew stronger day by day. As a result, the Federation restructured their fleet to patrol these outer 

fringes, including the planets Retra Tal and Aura.

This was where Mark’s prestigious military career began, if not for a massive streak of 

luck on his part.

Retra Tal-Aura Keltsin Asteroid Belt, Pegasus System

Command Bridge, IFPC  Amatile 

January 18th, 2276, 23:18PM

Mark cleanly wiped off the dust that had stained his synthetic battle shirt. He

cursed himself for forgetting to clean his uniform before the shift.“Status?” The captain asked.

The console lieutenants each sounded off, stating reports that had been the same

fifteen minutes ago.

Mark couldn’t complain. This is what he had signed up for.The status diagnostics Mark had run earlier were coming back as green blips on

his console. The pointless task occupied the time of the five-hour shift. They wouldn’t

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run into enemies, but you could never be too careful. As expected, the results came back 

normal, all stations running at 100%. Mark shifted in his unpadded seat.

They were riding the infamous Retra-Aura line, as nicknamed by the senior officers. The patrol was a waste of time and resources. The distance between the planets

was dense with the heavy rocks of the Keltsin asteroid field, stretching thousands of 

kilometers long in all directions. The asteroids were constantly shifting and moving atrandom due to the gravity distortions in the area. Any ship, friend or pirate, would need a

very lucky pilot and several feet of hull armor to make it out of the field alive.

Mark looked around to the other sixty people on bridge. To his left was theconsole for main combat ops, controlled by Lieutenant Jagan. He didn’t know the man at

all, and they’d been serving together for months. The lieutenant was a ragged shell, more

than forty years old and laced with a scar running between his left eye and cheek. It was

apparent why this veteran wasn’t commanding the Amatile.The man’s facial hair was gray and loose, trimmed barely to requirement. He

slouched at the station, uninterested and distant. The man’s eyes displayed a personality

of constant apathy. Mark had always believed in souls, only because Lieutenant Jagan

didn’t have one.Perhaps that was the biggest fear Mark held in his heart: turning into the tired

lieutenant that sat next to him. He would shine in one battle, flow through a dozencaptains and ships, and then be old enough to retire. That wasn’t what he wanted. He was

here to make a difference.

Behind them was the command chair, seating the admirable Captain James

Hannon. He was the most experienced officer when it came to fending off pirates. Theman rivaled Lieutenant Jagan in age, and had a service record ten times longer. Mark 

sensed that the two were embarrassed to see each other on the same bridge.

“Subspace rupture, 6000 kilometers, port side. Heading 87, Mark 75!” LieutenantJagan said. “Definitely a ship!”

Mark straightened immediately to attention. The radar spike was on his console as

well, a white blip labeled ‘BOGEY’. It was just inside the asteroid belt, acceleratingtoward them at an astounding 6000 meters a second.

Captain Hannon stood up from his chair and strolled to the large tactical screen in

front of him. The white dot was magnified and pulsing. “Red alert! Seal bulkheads andevacuate all unnecessary personal.” He turned toward Lieutenant Jagan. “Arm all

weapons. One Kronos Missile.”

Mark started to fell adrenaline. A Kronos missile was a tactical nuclear weapon.

How did the captain know this was a hostile? Did this bogey even have weapons?The communications lieutenant panicked as well. “Sir, I’m not reading an IFF.

Should we hail them?”

Through the clear bridge window, the crew watched as the incoming ship divedtoward them, sides flaring with red. They were firing.

“There’s your answer lieutenant.” Captain Hannon growled. “Counter measures,

now! Wait for them to close the distance.”Hundreds of red tipped missiles crossed the expanse, all diverted by counters the

 Amatile was firing. Explosions bloomed into large fireballs between the two ships.

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Mark could feel himself sweating. He typed furiously at his console, trying to

track the incoming ship, now traveling at missile speed. The distance between them was

closing fast. Mark turned to his left.Lieutenant Jagan was also typing, passive as ever. His fingers were laced with

determination and caution, amazing clam and deliberate. It was clear that he had done

this before.Jagan turned toward the captain. “They’re blitzing. 8000 meters per second and

closing. Collision in 15 seconds.”

“Fire the Kronos! Now!” The captain yelled.The single missile from the Amatile flew toward the charging enemy. The nuke

flew half the distance, and then detonated prematurely, a bright light blossoming in the

view screen.

The Captain ran toward the operations console. “What happened?”“Enemy is jamming! Targeting scrambled!” a lieutenant yelled.

The Captain yelled into the ship broadcast channel. “All hands, brace!”

Mark felt a sharp pain as his right arm slammed into the equipment in front of 

him. His head hit the console, and he blacked out.

Get up.

Get up.

Get up. It’s not over yet.

Mark opened his eyes, seeing only blood splattered in front of him. His head

continued to bleed as a weary hand came up to touch the wound.That’s going to leave a scar.

The console in front of him was cracked glass, the distorted image flickering

underneath. The two ships were now next to each other. The pirate ship had charged aglancing blow, and was now attempting to board the Amatile.

Mark got up, only to realize that the artificial gravity had failed. He carelessly

flew upward, and slammed into the dead body of Lieutenant Jagan. The man’s head hadcaved in, suffering from a direct impact to the bulkhead above.

All the main lights had blown out, and the dark red hue of the emergency neon

settled over everything. The bridge crew floated in grotesque positions, thrown free fromthe collision. They drifted softly in the air, unconscious. Most were still bleeding, filling

the air with floating blobs of blood. It looked like an artist’s scene from a museum. Don’t look. Don’t look.

The first officer and Captain Hannon were dead, bodies smashed into the tacticalscreen. The cracked glass was still operating, illuminating the blood with eerie flickers of 

green light. He stared at the screen for a full minute until he spotted the blip on the port

side of the triangular icon representing the Amatile. Don’t panic. Don’t panic. You’re still alive. Remember the training.

The weightlessness carried Mark to the coms console, where the screen displayed

a communications transfer. He clicked and read, wiping blood from his eyes.

Bogey1 > SURRENDER AND WE WILL SPARE SURVIORS

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Mark transferred the ship’s command functions to his station. He opened the files

and started typing in the basic hex code to bypass the command password. His cold

fingers were slow and clumsy. He also typed in a short message on the ship’s log:

> Second Corporal Mark Myushin takes control of IFPS

Amatile

. Command crew incapacitated. Will assumeresponsibility for actions. Directive Alpha-Romero Six One.

Initiating Protocol 9, Section 7.

Mark looked around. Nobody’s alive enough to protest.

 The console in front of him turned free of its firewall, and accepted his code. Directive AR61: “In the event of command crew incapacitation…”

He was in the control databanks now. The lower sections of the ship were still

active with crewmembers, all pinging the bridge for orders. He struggled to think.The enemy was already pumping out the airlocks to board. The pirate ship’s close

cannon was aimed at the Amatile’s bridge.

IFPC Amatile > I WILL KILL US BOTH.

Bogey1 > YOU HAVE NOTHING.

IFPC Amatile > I HAVE ENOUGH.

Mark’s hands danced across the keyboard, directing the crewmen to evacuate the

 boarding area to a safe distance. Next to the status manifest was a red beacon, beckoning

to him: WARNING: RADIATION LEAK .The CSC training kicked in, so now he had a plan. He hoped it would work. If it

didn’t, they’d be dead anyway. The stories they told at the academy made it clear that

 pirates didn’t take prisoners. He made the calculations in his head and made sure that the Amatile would not be blown in half by the explosion. He over pressurized all respondingsections.

Bogey1 > SURRENDER - I WILL NOT ASK AGAIN.

IFPC Amatile > BRING IT.

He made sure the boarding area was evacuated, and then shut down all available

 plasma conduits. Only three responded. It would have to be enough. If the explosionwouldn’t kill them, the massive radiation dose would. The Geiger counter next to the

warning alert was already starting to rise, and there was no power available for radiation

shielding.Mark activated the spare Kronos nuclear missile that had been dislodged a deck 

above the boarding airlock. The collision had thrown the missile from the launch bay,

lodging itself into a nearby bulkhead. The casing on the warhead had cracked open.It was pure luck that the weapon had not prematurely detonated. It was fate that

the enemy had picked that exact spot to board the Amalite.They haven’t picked up the radiation. Yet.

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Mark made sure the area was completely evacuated, and then hit the activation

 button. The display went blank for a moment, and then showed a command screen. The

nuke was armed.

> DETONATE: Y/N?

Mark gripped his chair, and then pressed the “Y” button.

Both ships shuddered as metal fused and melted to hyper condense the atomiccore. Mark hung on. The bulkheads below began to buckle.

Both ships blew away from each other as the explosion severed the docking

connection. The pirate ship imploded from the inside as the heat from the weapon meltedthe hull, digging into the decks, fusing men and metal together.

Both ships were now disabled.

The Amatile sheared in half, thrown toward the asteroid field as Mark struggled togain control. The floating crew on the bridge smashed into each other.

The front piece of the ship slowed, colliding into an asteroid three times its size.

Mark was dizzy again, almost delirious from vertigo. The console in front of himwas sticky with blood. He typed in one more message:

IFPC Amatile > BANG.

Mark’s immediate superiors were aghast after the incident. Although the enemy ship had been destroyed, multiple sanctions against Mark were filed for the complete disregard for 

standard operating procedures. Close detonation of a nuclear weapon was not regulation.

For one, he had not properly checked the status of the entire command crew of the ship.

Below decks, in the engineering section of the Amatile, Chief Engineer Oscar Mendezhad been the designated commander in the event, leading to an improper use of DirectiveAR-61.

More complex was the question of why a pirate ship had suddenly appeared from inside

an asteroid field between systems. A follow-up investigation found a weaponsorganization in the field, quickly dispersing after the incident. The Amatile’s flight path

had accidentally veered into a pirate cruiser.

In order to keep the matter classified and the public calm, the Invicta Office of Naval

Affairs dismissed the case against Myushin entirely, giving him a promotion and

reassigning him to permanent duty station on Yelchunka ODS (Telton System), as a planetary defense armaments officer.

 Never before had a confrontation with a pirate ship ended in an actual battle. Simple

exchanges of fire gave way to single salvos, and then one side would simply retreat out of the system. No ships had ever been seriously damaged or destroyed.

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The IFPC Amatile was listed as missing in action. A cleanup team was sent to scuttle all

remains of the ship, and the area was sealed off from all travel. The official report listed it

as: “Primary Systems loss due to asteroid collision.”

Relations were already tense between Federation Command and the public. They needed

to maintain the illusion of government control. They were barely holding on.

With all the surviving crew reassigned, and threats of information divulgence at court-

marshal, few were to dispute the command and authority of the Invicta Armed forces.

That is, until civil war broke out.

Planet Yelchunka, Telton System

Central Command Center, Orbital Defense Station

June 14th, 2277, 12:39PM - 06:13 (Orbital Shift)

The dust outside the nearby window would not settle, continuing to swirl in

random arcs, pulled by invisible strings into beautiful vectors. Such was the nature of ion

storms in the upper atmosphere of Yelchunka.This was due to the planet’s surface anomalies, ranging from gravitational warps

to time dilation. Mark, once again, had to plug in the appropriate station coordinates so

that they wouldn’t fall out of sync with the time horizon. They were a full six minutes behind.

The station shuddered as it responded to the new commands, turning counter 

clockwise toward the local twin suns, Remus and Romulus.They were two large egg shaped balls of fire, the gravitational pull of either star 

 pulling against each other. Both shined a bright hue, coating the system in an aura of bluelight.The junior officers around him were in a relaxed state of laziness. None of them

were seriously on task to worry, so the majority was half asleep. Most of them had been

transferred straight out of Luna academy on Terra, and had not adjusted properly to

Yelchunka’s 67 hour day. They were here to fulfill the experience prerequisite beforeleaping onto their first deep space mission.

“In system jump detected.”

Mark went to the younger ensign’s ops console. He felt like he was on the Amatile again. Bogeys still scared the hell out of him.

He pulled up the day schedule next to him. “Not on the schedule.”

A bright light appeared in-system, a flash that warped space around it. From itemerged a large cruiser.

The 1000-meter ship accelerated toward the station with cannons charged,

lightening flowing from its cannons.

Mark looked at the radar screen. The friend or foe indicator read blank. Thecomputer classified it as an Minshara-Class battle cruiser .

The younger crew were alert now. The junior com officer turned to Mark.

“Should we hail them?”

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Mark nodded, and stared at the clear glass screen in front of them. The ship

wasn’t leaking, showed no signs of battle damage, and wasn’t scheduled. Why would a

Minshara class battle cruiser come to Yelchunka? Hijacked by pirates?But again, Mark’s sharp mind betrayed him.

 Awww Shit.

The ship fired its cannons, lance blots of plasma that impacted the station withfull force. Everyone was knocked off their feet as the lights went out.

The familiar red hue of the emergency lights brought back bad memories.Shit Shit Shit Shit. This is not happening to me.

The younger officers sat stunned, not knowing what to do. Mark jumped over his

console to the weapons station. “Open up fire, and polarize the station armor plates!”

The man failed to respond. Mark shook him.

“Any day now ensign! They don’t kill us in ten minutes, I’ll make sure you die inthe next ten seconds. Now, OPEN FIRE!”

The ensign nodded, sluggishly typing in the controls.

He turned toward the station crew. They were all staring at the main view screen,

waiting for death like mannequins.“Get a message out to FleetCOM before they destroy our transceiver array.” Mark 

talked louder now, adrenaline pumping through his veins. “Bring us into low orbit. Weneed to make ourselves the smallest target possible.”

The crew snapped into action, furiously typing on their keyboards. They were just

coming out of the daze. “Sir, that’s one of our ships!”

“I know.”Mark sat in the observer’s console, feeling like a captain now. He keyed in the

station mike as the firing ship pulsed on the holographic screen. “All hands, battle ready.

We are under attack! This is not a drill. Ready the Mass Accelerator.”The station’s main defense was the Mass Accelerator Cannon, or MAC. He

understood now why the ship was attacking, why it was charging straight at them. They

had to take out their cannon before it was warmed up, which also meant that this was a pre-emptive strike. A main force was right behind this cruiser.

“Distress sent!” The ensign turned towards Mark. “Estimated help in thirty

minutes.”We’ll be dead in three.

The weapons ensign’s voice was filled with fear. “Coming in fast! MAC’s not

going to warm up in time!”

Mark looked at the screen. He tried to do the math in his head. “Intercept?”“Point blank in twenty-two seconds. MAC charge at thirty one p’s.”

“Get us out of here. Follow Yelchunka’s orbit, and do not stop station movement

no matter what.”The cannon’s power was based entirely on how much charge it had. Even at one

hundred percent charge, Mark wasn’t sure whether it would be enough to take out the

cruiser. He had to buy as much time as possible. They might not win, but they could slowthem down enough to prevent another pass.

The cruiser was tracking them, continuing its sustained fire. Hundreds of missiles

now streaked toward the station.

“Point-D online. Transferring to Manual.”

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The defense crew on the manual point blank cannons started firing at the missiles.

Streaks of light met the smoke trails, causing some of them to explode. The station

shuddered as the guns recoiled.The station was in the planet’s orbit now, traveling at nearly one-third the speed

of the cruiser. Several missiles smacked against the station.

“Jesus!”A single cannon shot barely missed the bridge, impacting right above them. An

ensign screamed as they were thrown into the floor. The front view glass cracked.

Mark was bleeding now, stumbling to get onto a weapons console.“Charge at seventy three percent!” 

It would have to do. They wouldn’t survive another pass. Mark aimed the MAC at

the cruiser’s engines, and slammed down on the fire button.

The station flew back several hundred meters as it shuddered from the recoil. Hegot up in time to see the shot impact the rear, a bright explosion tearing through the

cruiser’s engine. It went straight through, coming out the other side and continuing to

travel. The ship stalled as its lights flickered out.

“Status?”“Scanning…” The man’s voice was shaken. “That shot took out their weapons

and engines.”The barrage of fire stopped, and the station stabilized. The crew breathed a

collective sigh of relief.

After what seemed like an eternity of silence, the operations ensign turned. “Nice

shot, sir.”Mark nodded. “Stay sharp. We’re not out of this yet.”

Something was terribly wrong. Beside the fact that an unidentified vessel had

opened fire on the defense station, Mark had a sinking feeling this battle was part of something bigger.

He was right.

It is estimated that more than twenty eight-thousand died on the very first day of the war.

More than forty-eight divisions of the Invictan Fleet had defected, attacking various

strategic targets in systems throughout the Federation. With internal FleetCOM in chaos,the defense of these targets was left to the local militia, many of whom were unprepared

for the sudden strike.

This first day is referred to as the “Traitor’s Blitz.” This is the origin behind the modern

Armed Services Remembrance Day, in honor of the many that died within the first

twenty-four hours.

After the initial stages of the defection, the remaining government forces reformed the

loyal fleets, reorganizing the command structure from scratch. The defecting forces did

the same, comprised mostly of military personnel and the populations of rebelling planets. With forces scattered within systems, many died as allegiances came into

question. Planets unfortunate enough to have split populations delved into pure anarchy.

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Defecting forces became known as the People’s Coalition, and the loyalist government

reorganized into the Invicta Federation of Planets.

With the opening stages of the war passing, Mark Myushin suddenly found himself at the

crux of the danger. With most of the experienced military leadership on the Coalition

side, Mark’s defense of Yelchunka distinguished him as an asset. He was immediatelygiven a promotion to First Commander, where he earned his first commission of service

as captain of the IBC Atlas, a seven-hundred ton battle cruiser. It was the same class of 

ship as the one that had attacked the Yelchunka Orbital Station.

>To: Captain Ronald Myers>From: First Commander Mark Myushin>Sent: November 1, 2278>Hack.Gru.opa.189

I never stopped thinking you of as my teacher. You taught meeverything I know about combat. About being a good soldier. If anything, you taught me too well.

I am a soldier. Nothing more, nothing less. I will never support atraitorous organization. It goes against everything you ever taught me.

Nobody wants this war. I’m just picking the side I started with to endthis as quickly as possible. They gave me command of the IBC  Atlas. Ican’t leave now.

 That doesn’t mean I don’t understand why you’re doing this. I urge youto reconsider.

I will always be your student. Pray we never meet on the fields of battle.

-Mark

This tumultuous period was also when the Federation launched their first propaganda program, created under the special intelligence branch called Section Delta. Their main

mission being to minimize rebellious mindsets, millions of credits were poured intokeeping the remaining population loyal.

Being one of the early “Heroes” of the war, Mark was an early focal point for Section

Delta, appearing in more than several dozen interviews. His name became popularized,

 part of a specialized legion of soldiers who had stayed loyal to the Federation. Almostovernight, Mark was thrown into the galactic spotlight.

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It is through Section Delta’s interviews that we come to know who Mark was as a soldier 

and as a person. However, the declassified attaches suggest he may have been reading off 

a script:

Section Delta: Interview 097-CSubject: Mark Myushin

Interviewer: CLASSIFIED

Date: December 1, 2279 (ICD Standard)

Please state general CSR for the record.

Lance Commander Mark Myushin, One hundred eighty-seventh

fleet, ninety-eighth battalion, second division, forty-

eighth section. Current Captain of IBC Atlas. (MID: 187-98-

2A5-48)

Black Katanas?

That’s it. Everybody claims their fleet is the best, but

nobody’s seen what we have. They don’t hand out Legion of

Honor Citations for free.

You earned one for the 2nd  defense of Tiberia didn’t you?

I did. Only three hundred and fifty two survived that

battle, and only that many ever received this ribbon. As of

two months ago, only sixty-one of those survivors were

still alive.

Tell me about that defense.

What’s there to tell? You know the story. The rest is just

spilled blood. Images of people dying, ships torn apart.

Everything you already know about the war is in the news.

Then are the rumors about the ICS Lexington  true?

 

Yes. I saw it happen. Was engaged in combat at the time.

Goddamn heroes. Admiral Buckwell ran a kamikaze to save therest of the fleet. Self-destructed at point blank. He even

turned his ship horizontally so that the explosion debris

would shield us from enemy fire. It’s the bravest thing I

ever saw anyone do.

And how about you? What did you do in that battle?

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My job. My duty. What else can you call it? I provided

flanking fire for the Federation Fleet.

You know what I’m referring to.

Yes, I personally took control of Dark Moon and Sword of 

Heaven.

Simultaneously.

There were no other options. Both Captains were dead from

direct bridge shots, and both cruisers were still

operational. It would’ve been a tactical waste not to use

them. The crews were still alive. After the battle, they

took my advice not to build any command decks on a hull

exterior.

 And you used them to rout the enemy.

They contained the newest Mark 7 fusion energy reactors.

The shielding for the cores had fried from a nearby nuke,

and the reactor was about to go critical. All I did was

drive the ships into the enemy.

They died heroes.

Yes, they did.

Some claim you’re always in the right place in the righttime. A guardian angel that brings victory. What’s your

response to that?

I’d be a fool not to realize how extremely lucky I’ve been

in engaging the enemy. As for guardian angel, I’d never

want to claim that victory is assured. Yes, I have won

every battle I’ve been in, but never without tremendous

cost.

 What do you continue to fight for? What drives you?

I want to bring peace to this shattered union. Most

importantly, I want to stop the endless waste of lives. If

I could kill myself right now to stop this war, I would.

Strong words from a strong man.

What more is a soldier?

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It appears that Section Delta kept close tabs on Mark, making sure he was not seen by the public in a bad light. As a hero and morale booster, his battle records were required study

for all graduating recruits at Luna Academy’s ship tactics class. Mark’s former schools

were all marked as historical places of interest by the Federation Council of Affairs.

There is little dispute that many people looked up to him for inspiration and hope in that

tumultuous period. No war of this magnitude had been fought before, and it seemed as if 

Armageddon was truly at hand. People continued to die by the hundreds on a daily basis,and there seemed to be no other option but continuous warfare to determine the victor.

The war was starting to take its toll on Mark, who began to exhibit signs of mentalinstability. His new rank of First Admiral forced upon unimaginable stress. His

declassified files show multiple visits to psychiatric help, of increasing frequency as he

continued to rank up. Afraid of exposure and dissention in their most valued prize,

Section Delta scaled back their interviews and press appearances. Federation FleetCOMcould not afford to self-destruct one of their most valuable assets.

>To: First Admiral Mark Myushin>From: Field Marshal Thomas Deryal>Encrypt.ISC.186>UNLOCK CODE: FLASHTIME

We both know there’s a reason for this. I refuse to believe they wouldsend the thirteenth fleet on a suicide mission to defend Ricaris System.

Did you see the casualty reports for that campaign? Cannon fodder. Ican’t even count that high.

 You can’t join them in Valhalla. You know that. The people need you inthis war.

Don’t do this. There’s too much at stake. Don’t you remember why yousigned up?

There was little time for Mark to rest. The war grew larger every day, and his presencewas requested on the battlefront everywhere. He traveled light years, jumping from

system to system where his leadership was needed the most. Those under his rank were

turning to him for tactical advice, pinging him while he was asleep. And when he woke,there would be another battle waiting for him.

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It is unfathomable to most people what Mark had to endure in those tough times. Trapped

 by his obligation of service and bound by his now wavering conviction to bring peace, it

is a wonder how he did not just quit and run, fleeing at the first opportunity.

But as time wore on, he found another reason to stay.

Tauran Orbital, Vega Nu System

Officer’s Club, Taurus Station

March 10th, 2283, 05:34AM

Mark was tired. Like most of the free time they gave him these days, it was spent

mostly sleeping or drinking. This time, he had chosen the alcohol.The club was mostly empty, filled only by the one or two officers who had just

come off from the graveyard shift. They grabbed a quick beer from the bartender, and

then slinked away at a seat near the clear window, staring as a thousand ships moved

within the crisscross maze of docking platforms and resupply stations. It was a chaoticflurry of movement, never stopping for a minute in the never ending cycle of activity that

was Taurus Station.

Mark had chosen to stay at the bar, keeping his head down to avoid beingrecognized by anybody. He was tired of putting up the cheery façade everybody had

known him for on the videos. He didn’t know if they truly believed the nationalist

 bullshit he was spewing, and for the moment, he really didn’t care.At least Mark was glad they given him a glorious fifty hours to rest. He doubted it

was intentional. It was just another stopping point to wait for the flagship running late.

He had given them the usual speech, the one about being faithful to theFederation, to continue fighting for the glorious victory at hand. They had, of course,

clapped and cheered him all the way down from the podium. Some even tried to break the circle of body guards to get his autograph. He had given a few, and then shut himself in the command suite, normally reserved for the station chief.

Mark had finally decided to emerge from his room, after a nice fifteen hour 

slumber. He had taken a quick shower, read through the newest battle reports, drew up

some fleet instructions for the incompetent officers below him. He had picked the rightmoment to stop and walk out, threatening the bodyguards at the door to leave him alone

for twenty minutes to grab a drink. He cursed the station chief for being a non-alcoholic,

or otherwise he would’ve never left the suite.And so the First Admiral wasted away at the bar, finishing his third glass of 

 bourbon and starting on the forth. He was thankful that the bartender had left him alone

with his drinks. The young twenty-five year old behind the bar had sensed the wearinessin Mark’s eyes, and decided that he would help the admiral forget the war for a few

minutes.

Mark scrolled through the confirmed reports from his last battle at Oneke. It was a

minor skirmish, but they had lost three ships to a single carrier. Mark’s old ship, Atlas,had suffered heavy damage, but was seeing repairs on the other side of Taurus station.

He was glad that the Atlas had not been destroyed under the hands of the newly

 promoted Captain Thoran. The old ship had survived sixty-two engagements, scattered

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across fifteen systems. Captain Thoran had promised the newly promoted admiral he

would take care of the old girl, and he had kept his word.

Despite protests, Mark had been transferred to command the one eighty-seventhflagship, Nobunaga. They had told him that a First Admiral needed a ship worthy of his

rank, one that could represent his prowess and skill. It wasn’t that he didn’t like the

 Nobunaga, a ridiculously overpowered behemoth; it was that he had gotten close to the Atlas. He had memorized every deck, every bulkhead, and every last bolt that held that

cruiser together. He could walk through that ship from bow to stern blindfolded.

But now, waiting for the Nobunaga to arrive meant he had to scroll through itsschematics and systems, beginning the familiarization process all over again. He hoped

that this ship would save more lives than the Atlas could. The numbers were burned into

his mind: 67,843 dead under his command, 134,892 wounded, 832 missing.

Mark’s silent contemplation was interrupted by another newcomer to the bar, awoman about his age, wearing eight chevrons on her shoulder. Senior Commander Sarah

Tunkara. They had met once before from Section Delta’s dealings in public propaganda.

She was part of the “Legion of Heroes” that had been subjugated to endless interviews

and public appearances.“Long time no see.”

Mark remembered her cheery voice, ghastly echoing his memories. If he didn’tknow any better, she could’ve had a career in music.

He nodded politely, pretending to be busy with the datapad in his hand. “Sarah.”

“Two years and all I get is a ‘Sarah’?” She motioned to the bartender. “I thought

we were closer than that.”“It was one night.”

“One damn fun night.” She prowled. “Antres, grade five.”

The bartender nodded, beginning the mixing process for the amazingly difficultdrink. It was illegal anywhere but Taurus Station.

Mark finally looked up. “Make that two.”

“I thought you only drank bourbon. Clear and simple for you.”Mark was too tired to be annoyed. “What are you doing here?”

She swiveled in her chair, crossing her legs, right over left. Her pant leg quickly

 brushed against his.“Rest and refit.” She looked at his datapad. “I heard you just got command of the

 Nobunaga.”

He clicked the pad off, watching the bartender make the drinks. “I heard you just

got command of the Carentan.”“So you are keeping tabs on me.”

Mark put on his sarcastic voice. “How could I resist your beauty?”

She smiled as their drinks arrived. They clinked glasses together and downedthem in one smooth motion.

“You’ve had practice.”

Mark wiped his mouth. “It’s been a long two years.”“I know.” She leaned in close, whispering softy into his ear. “How about you and

I catch up?”

Sarah suddenly pulled away, leaving her door card on the bar.

“God damnit Sarah.”

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She smiled a devilish grin, and then walked out of the club.

Mark sat stunned for a moment, his fatigued mind trying to process all that had

 just happened. He picked up the keycard on the bar.And then he ran after her.

Almost nine months after they met again at Taurus Station, Sarah Tunkara and Mark 

Myushin were married. In the eyes of Section Delta and FleetCOM, it was a perfect

match for their propaganda purposes, two heroes holding hands, walking off into the

sunset. Their marriage was highly publicized, televised live.

>To: Sarah Myushin>From: Mark Myushin>Sent: November 26, 2283

Guess it’s finally happened huh? You always told me that whoevermarried me was a lucky person. Or as Dad would put it, a ‘lucky bitch’.And he thought I couldn’t do it.

Honeymoon pictures attached. Wish you were here.

-Mark

For Mark, it was a new chapter in his life. The visits to psych help became less frequent,

and his attitude stabilized. Almost immediately, his demeanor changed, and he was more

than happy to play his role as a puppet for Section Delta. 

As the war continued, both sides inched closer to a breaking point. After being at conflictfor nearly six years, both sides were beginning to feel the effects. The People’s Coalition

faced severe command and supply problems, stemming from the defecting planets’

unsupported supply chain. For the Invicta Federation, it was severe economical and

morale problems. As planets were slowly drained of resources at ten times their intendedrate, FleetCOM knew they could not fight this war forever.

Desperate for a finishing blow, the People’s Coalition launched a last ditch offensive towin the war, risking everything they had. They reformed their fleet to meet the enemy in

one last offensive.

The Invicta Federation poured trillions of credits into a new and promising technology;

one they hoped would cause the Coalition to surrender. This tech was the focal point for 

FleetCOM’s Operation Daedalus. With time running out, they picked one person to testout their new weapon.

 Naturally, Mark came to save the day once again.

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Jescayu, Tau Centaur System

Command Bridge, ICS  Nobunaga

January 15th, 2284, 18:15PM

“Here they come!”

Mark took his seat in the Captain’s chair. “Show me.”

The holographic viewscreen morphed into a tactical display of the entire system,

showing two fleets facing one another.The bridge of the Nobunaga was a hive of activity, nearly fifty crew running back 

and forth between consoles to carry out orders. Even though they spoke with hushed

whispers, Mark could barely hear himself speak.“Give me firing solutions for our fleet ships. I want them staggered to induce

reloading. Thirty second delay.”

“Yes sir.”

Outside, a hundred Coalition ships lined up against them, an odd mixture of frigates, cruisers, battleships, corvettes, and flagships. They were all clustered into a tight

formation, a formidable wall of death and destruction. Some had half their hull plating

 blown away, exposing the dull grey steel underneath. Others were leaking plasma, barelyheld in place as thrusters tried to compensate.

On the other side stood only ten Federation ships: nine cruisers and, of course, the Nobunaga. Even the Atlas was there, still commanded by Captain Thoran, now a senior chief officer.

Mark was nervous. They were taking a large chance with the Daedalus weapon. If 

it didn’t work, they would all die.Commander Thoran came on the viewscreen. “Admiral. We’re ready.”

Mark shifted in his seat. “You know I can’t order you to do this.”“Then don’t. We volunteered. I want to end this war today. We all do.”“It’s pure suicide. At least abandon ship!”

Commander Thoran laughed. “Save some heroism for us, will ya?” His smile

faded. “We know what we’re doing. No regrets.”

“Then god speed. It’s been an honor.”They both saluted, and then the video clicked off.

Mark turned to the weapons officer, the same one that had charged the MAC at

Yelchunka Orbital all those years ago.“Is the weapon ready?”

“Loaded and ready to fire on your command.”

Mark stood up and clicked on the ship PA. “All hands, we are about to engage.Battle stations and combat readiness. Stand ready.” He was about to shut off the channel,

 but decided against it. If this didn’t work, he owed them one last speech.

You all know why we’re here. Today, of all days, we are given the opportunityto end this war once and for all. We’re all tired. We’ve been fighting for a long

time.

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You’ve been with me since I commanded the Atlas. We’ve been through alot together since then. I’ve come to trust and depend on you all. I can only hope

that you think the same of me. This means trust me now when I say that wemay not live to see tomorrow.

 If we don’t, I want you all to know what an honor it’s been to serve withyou. I’m humbled to have witnessed your courage under fire, your strength indark hours, and your skill in battle. I would die for any one of you.

 So if we are to die, let us go as a single family, one that does not regret our action. A family that does not waver in the face of death.

Good luck.

He clicked the channel off, watching as the bridge crew had frozen to listen to his

speech. They stared intently at him. Mark could only nod back as they returned to their tasks.

The bridge plummeted into a red glow as the emergency procedures came into

 place. The bulkheads were sealed, every section pressurized, crew ready.“Charge MAC full, heavy shell. Warm up two Kronos nukes and all missile

launchers. I want us battle ready in thirty seconds.”

The bridge lights temporarily dimmed as the reactor power was diverted to MAC

charge. The cannon that ran through the body of the ship hummed with energy. The Nobunaga vibrated as a sixteen-ton heavy shell was loaded.

“They’re firing!”

Mark watched on the viewscreen as a hundred separate bolts launched from theline of Coalition ships, followed by a barrage of a thousand missiles.

“Here we go.”

The Atlas on the right edge broke formation, turning toward the front of the fleet.It started accelerating across.

“God in Heaven.”

The shells and missiles blazed through the empty space between the ships, the blank expanse suddenly turning into a sea of fire. The shots were intercepted by the  Atlas,

slowly being torn apart by the impacts. The lone cruiser did not fire back.

The Atlas pushed toward the front of the Federation fleet, punched back by the

fire of a hundred enemy ships. By the time the cruiser reached the other end, there wasnothing left. The Atlas was consumed in a ball of fire as it exploded into oblivion.

Mark watched as the ship faded from the view screen. He stood up to salute.

“Fire all weapons!”

The Nobunaga shuddered in response, firing its MAC and all its missiles. TheMAC shell impacted first, tearing through the lead carrier. The Federation side fired into

the fray, all accelerating forward to meet the enemy in a fatal charge.Mark took manual control of the Daedalus weapon, aiming the missile toward the

local red sun Jescayu. He hoped it would work. It had to.

“Get us closer. Break pursuit.” Mark stopped to stare at the charred remains of the Atlas. “Get us ready to jump out of here.”

They moved closer toward the sun, going up toward the northern axis.

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“Coming in close. Outer hull is starting to melt!”

The remaining Federation ships were fully engaged, outnumbered one to ten.

They lagged slightly behind the Nobunaga.Mark remembered everything that had brought him here. He could see it now, the

ceremony celebrating the return of peace. Honoring the deaths of millions.

“ New Vega, Ursa Major , and Destiny Unkind are gone! Red Dawn disabled.They’re going to kamikaze.”

The bridge crew stared at their Captain.

“Sir?”Mark’s hand shook as his finger hovered over the button.

FIRE?: Y/N

He jammed the Y button. “Get us out of here!”A single missile disappeared into the fusion surface of the sun as the Nobunaga

 jumped into light-speed, leaving behind an immense trail of light.

The remaining Federation fleet warped out. They reappeared three seconds later,the journey taking them to the outer edge of the system. From this distance, they couldstill see the red sun as it blossomed to ten times its size. A second later, the sun exploded.

The crew held on as the supernova turned into a nuclear fury, shockwaves going

out in all directions. All the planets in the solar system were immediately crushed intodust as they were hit by the wave. The surviving Federation fleet held on as their ships

shook violently.

By the time it had passed, the center of the explosion was already cooling todarkness, a black hole forming where the sun had once been. Nothing remained.

The crew of the Nobunaga stared into darkness.

With the success of the Daedalus weapon, the war reached a critical point. Half of the

Coalition’s main fleet was completely wiped out from the supernova, rendering them

offensively crippled. From then on, the rebels could only fight on the defensive.

 Never before had a manmade weapon caused so much damage, and the public opinion on

Mark Myushin began to split. One side praised him as a hero, one who had destroyed theenemy, bringing victory on a silver platter. The other side accused Mark of being a cold-

 blooded murderer, one who had massacred the Coalition fleet without proper warning.

Section Delta dared not risk brewing another civil war among the already discontent

civilian population. Mark was slowly pulled completely from the spotlight, becomingnothing more than another news article to appease fans.

>To: Mark Myushin>From: James Myushin

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I’ve always taught you the best I could. We both know what I meanwhen I say you never had a concrete chance to prove your morality toothers.

I can’t pretend to be proud of you for murdering all those people. But

you’re still my son. And you’re a goddamn human being.

I would be one bad father if I didn’t respect your decisions as a person.

 To be quite honest, I don’t know what to think of you anymore. On onehand, they say I raised a murderer. Others say you’ve ended this war,stopped the killing.

If that’s what it takes to end this war, would I do it?

 Yes, I would.

-Dad

The war was far from over, and Mark was continuously pulled into combat. However,many senior generals now doubted his abilities as a commander. The destruction at

Jescayu had irreversibly scarred him, compounded with the criticism at home.

When the last person he relied on left, it was too much:

 TO: Mark MyushinFROM: [CLASSIFIED]SENT: [CLASSIFIED]SUBJECT: [CLASSIFED]

Mark, if you’re reading this, it means that Sarah’s already left.I’m sorry I found out too late.

She’s high in their corps. I didn’t believe it until I saw the reportsmyself. She has a hard line link to top Coalition command. If thereports are accurate, she’s top rank, joint chiefs.

We don’t know her real name, but we know she worked black ops forSection 7 before defection day. For the past eight years, she’s workedher way up until she was People’s Coalition Grand Admiral, and FirstCommander in the Federation fleet.

However, she didn’t know about Daedalus before it happened. That’swhy she left. She knew FleetCOM was getting close to tracking her,

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and her failure with outing Operation Daedalus means she lost herposition in the Coalition.

Do you understand what I’m saying? She left to protect you.If it were up to FleetCOM, they would never tell you any of this. They

can’t afford to be embarrassed if this ever went public.

I thought that after what you did, you deserve to know. It’s the least Icould do.

I don’t know if you knew her motivations, but I’d never believe youwould be stupid enough to get involved in this deliberately.

She’s played you, Mark. All this time. Why do you think this war haslasted so long?

Attached to this document is everything FleetCOM has on her in thedump file.

Once you’re finished, destroy this document with the encoded worm.We will both die if this ever gets out.

Find her. Save her.

For what it’s worth, I’m sorry.

>SCRAMBLER ENABLED

>!ERROR!CANNOT DELETE/Ref.87.09/ito>END PROCESS

The message was never completely erased. Having served his purpose as a puppet of death regarding the Daedalus program, Mark must have feared his impending death by

FleetCOM when they found the existence of the letter.

With no other option of escape from FleetCOM agents, Mark immediately ordered the

 Nobunaga and its crew to the nearest developing battle. He knew that the crew would

defend him against any accusations, and therefore put themselves in jeopardy. In order to

save himself and his crew, they had to go through one last fight.

With Coalition forces beginning to surrender in droves, the war was coming to a close.

Peace was starting to settle through most systems, and subsequent conflicts were smallscale and decisively won by the Invicta Federation. However, the war only truly ended at

the Last Battle of Tiberia.

Mark Myushin was going to visit his home planet one last time.

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Tiberia, Tiberian System

Command Bridge, ICS  Nobunaga

May 8th, 2285, 01:19AM

Mark had the numbers in his head. Burned into his memory eternally for the rest

of his life, which was about to end soon.

79,157 dead under his command, 158,922 wounded, 1,779 missing. He was about

to add the crew of the Nobunaga to the list, 842 more. That wasn’t counting the shipsgathered under his command in orbit.

He touched the smooth, hard, stainless steel of the armchair on his command

chair. He was going to miss the contours of the Nobunaga.“Sir? They’ve arrived.”

“Show me.”

The remaining pieces of the Coalition fleet appeared before him, a ragtag group of 

fifty ships. With most of their flagships gone, there were only carriers and battleshipshere. Still, it wasn’t going to be an easy fight.

“You all know the drill. Warm us up.”

The Nobunaga shook for the last time, humming as its capacitors charged theMAC. Missiles were loaded into their tubes, nukes armed, and the familiar red glow

came on over the bridge.

Mark was calm. Unreasonably calm. If this worked, they would be saved. But itwas still a long shot. He chimed the chief engineer.

“Chief, are those armor shield plates ready? We don’t have a lot of time left.”

“Almost done. I need ten minutes.”“You’ve got three.”

Mark clicked on the PA. “All hands, self-det active. Three minutes.”He looked at the enemy line, weapons ready to fire. They were out of time. Helooked at his bridge crew.

“Activating self-destruct sequence. Get a move on.”

They silently piled out, stepping out into the elevators to go to engineering. They

would join the rest of the crew.The timer on the main screen started to tick down from three minutes, slowly

going down. Mark moved down into the weapons console. He was taken back to his time

on the Amatile, touching the scar on his forehead.He kept an eye on the enemy fleet, still moving toward the planet in formation. It

was about to start.

The bridge was eerily silent, and Mark found himself alone.

Thirteen years. Thirteen years since Amatile. You’ve devoted your adult life to fighting this war. You’ve killed a million people. You’ve single handedly won this war.

 But it’s not good enough.

The Coalition fleet was in position now, cannons beginning to fire. Mark 

responded in kind, feeling the ship vibrate under his feet.

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He barely felt a thump as the Nobunaga took direct hits from the enemy. Damage

klaxons blared.

All around them, other Federation ships started to fire, supporting their hero shipin arms. Many began to flank, leaving the Nobunaga all by itself in the middle.

Mark didn’t mind. He had given them orders. He pushed the throttle on full,

accelerating into the barrage of cannons and missiles. The front armor started to buckle asthe ship began to take heavy damage.

Mark sat back down in his Captain’s chair, staring at the countdown on the

screen. There were two minutes left, and the Nobunaga was only three thousand metersfrom the Coalition line.

He took out the picture of Sarah, along with a flask of Antres. He had been saving

it for victory day, which he would spend with Sarah. He had promised her that much.

He sipped it slowly, savoring the flavor. He lied at that bar. He hated bourbon. Hewas such a sentimentalist.

He laughed at himself now, glad that it was finally over.

Mark looked at his bridge one last time.

The official record for Mark Myushin states that he died May 8 th, 2285, at 01:25AM

when the ICS Nobunaga self destructed in orbit over Tiberia. The resulting explosionwiped out the Coalition line center, incapacitating any survivors.

With the complete loss of their forces, Supreme Coalition commanders officiallysurrendered to Federation forces on May 9th, 2285, at 12:01PM, thus ending the Invictan

Civil War.

More than 103 million people had died in the eight year war spanning 167 systems and

113 planets. More energy was expended in this war than all previous conflicts combinedand multiplied by six.

The official ‘cleanup crew’ for this last battle was led by the cruiser IFS Venture two

days after the battle on May 10 th, where a preliminary search for survivors proved

inconclusive. However, there was a curious discovery logged on the ship’s official report:

>IFS Venture>Cleanup Battle After Report (log)>May 10th, 2285

>logged 15:41PM

> Found debris at approx 18.89 X, 1376.9 Y, 182.2 Z, with residualheat signature suggesting human life passed approx 48 hours ago.Analysis proves it is triple reinforced hull plating stern section 1015from ICS Nobunaga. Traces of wake trail present. Curious deflectionproperties noted. See attached files.

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>logged 23:14PM

> Trace wake trail inconclusive. Leads out of system at trajectory167.25 X, Mark 78.6. Recommend pursuit when possible.

>END LOG

The pursuit never happened, as all available ships in the sector were pulled to patrol and

chase down any Coalition stragglers who might have refused to accept surrender.

As such, there are many assumptions that can be drawn about the supposed death of Mark 

Myushin. There is enough evidence to support the hypothesis that he might have survivedthe Last Battle of Tiberia.

How might he have survived? There are a multitude of theories that I can formulate for his survival, even if the odds are low.

The more pressing question to ask is what he might have done had he survived and for what reason. I’d like to think that he survived to find Sarah, and that they grew old and

died together.

In the long run, it doesn’t matter what you and I think happened to him. There’s a lot westill don’t know about the legend. Most of the stories you and I know of him are

fragmented accounts pieced together by what remained of Section Delta after the war.

The stories of his heroism and his personal sacrifices are just a few things that we canimagine about him in our minds. What we think happened is probably more truthful than

the propaganda reports dare to claim.

It’s easy for me to admit that I am a giddy schoolboy when it comes to reading about

Mark Myushin. When I first came across him in my youth, he was a dashing hero, the

man who had single-handedly ended the Invictan Civil War and preserved the Federationas we know it today.

That’s what compelled me to install a document scrambler. Nobody else but you and Iwill ever read this.

Why do I do this? I want to preserve the image he is perceived as in the school textbooks,no matter how false it may be.

We are talking about the man who redefined spatial ship combat, preserved theFederation, and created the most important aspect needed in war: Hope.

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As I stand at the Federation Civil War Memorial, staring at his statue in the Legion of 

Heroes exhibit, I am reminded by the simple fact that some things are better left alone. As

this all happened more than 250 years ago, I shall do nothing to change the image herepresents.

I believe he’s earned that much.

<Message Ends>

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<Attached Document 387-1>

>Subject: “Gravestone”

>I’ve been able to piece together what seems to be his

digital gravestone. It was a miracle that I was able to

salvage anything at all.

-----------------------------------------------------------

Mark Myushin

Born: 3-23-2248Died: Unkown

For I am the soldier who dares not stand,On the precipice of truth and light,

Who would not appease anybody but one, The reaper of death at first delight.

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I fought for many, for one, for none,Soaring into battle without fear,

I understand what I hope others will never,And see not what I saw or hear.

I gave so much of myself,Asking for little or nothing in return, This was the path I chose in ultimate destiny,

 This is what fate from me earned.

I lend my hand to the gods that cry for me,As a blessed creation that knows no more,

Of infinite pain and heroic sorrow, That shakes and upends the human core.

For they do not follow my stride,

Know not what I speak to mean,Of punctuated riddles and tales,

I tell only to those I deem.

I stare to you and my peers above,My idols who did not want this from me,Who did not believe in my true cause,

And could not understand what I had achieved.

For little words can describe what I tell to you,Of a cautionary tale for ages to come,

For those younger who will not heed peace,Who did not from violence run.

 You may tell them my deeds of horror and death,Disguised as tools to achieve peace,

Making black from white, To make war forever cease.

So I know as a soldier I have earned my heaven,Birthed in modesty and repentance for sin,

And you may tell the gods my story,Of how I gave my life to win.

I lay before you to rest forever,For my time is now done,

 To be reborn a beautiful creation,

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 To never harm forever none.


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