12 February, AD 2849, 1213 hours
The bad news: New Berlin had been destroyed. Slagged completely. The good news: its civilians had been evacuated.
"Univa Beta Station, this is Remus Scanning Outpost. Reports of a holospace rupture in-system."
"What! That's impossible! Where did you get the information?"
"Reports confirmed. It's them. Oh goodness! It's the Vengeance Fleet! All 424 ships of the Vengeance Fleet!"
The Vengeance Fleet was one of the largest fleets in the Agedai Empire and one of the most powerful. Now, they had only one mission: destroy Univa.
Back at the UWSA headquarters on Earth, General Ross learned of this bad news.
"We have no choice," he sighed,"Issue Erectus Transmission-145689SA! All UWSA ships are to head to the rendezvous point in the Soteros System! Univa must not be allowed to fall!"
The Battle Above Univa was one of the biggest spaceship confrontations between the UWSA and the Agedai. Although the UWSA won the first few skirmishes, the Agedai ultimately relied on their sheer firepower and numbers to overwhelm the UWSA defences. The UWSA fleet lost many ships and was forced to retreat.
Within a few days, the orbital defense grid was destroyed. The Agedai fleet was now free to attack Univa directly.
Univa, Soteros System, Milky Way Galaxy
16 February, AD 2849, 2339 hours
Squad Bravo Three was sent to a secret OPAS Base for their next mission briefing.
Stepping through the thick doors of the command center, Conrad saw the person who started his career as a supersoldier. The person who was a mother figure to the Sentinel-IIIs. The person who considered him her favorite Sentinel. Doctor Anne Holloway.
"Hey there, Conrad. It's been a long time," Holloway smiled, her greying hair sparkled in the light.
"Yes indeed, mam," Conrad saluted.
"There's no need for that, Conrad. You know, your formality has always amused me. We've known each other for a very long time. Why don't we skip that next time? Anyway, do you know why you are here?"
"A mission, mam?" Conrad asked.
"Yes. You've got that right, Conrad. However, I'm not the one assigning the mission. Admiral Dochenko here will be the one doing it."
Saluting the men of Squad Bravo Three, Dochenko stepped forward. Conrad and his men returned with salutes of their own.
"Thank you, Doctor Holloway. Yes, men. You are going to be given a mission. That mission: find and eliminate a traitor," Dochenko stated.
"A traitor?" Shaun-129 raised his eyebrows.
"Yes. Do you know how the secret location of this planet was compromised?"
The Sentinels glanced at each other.
"Okay," Dochenko walked over to a computer monitor. "Look here."
Squad Bravo Three followed Dochenko and walked over to look at the screen.
"We intercepted a coded transmission from this planet to the Agedai ship, Reign of Justice. That transmission provided almost all the details needed for the Agedai to successfully invade this planet. We traced the transmission to a SENTINEL base approximately 200 kilometers from here. We want you, Squad Bravo Three, to go and investigate. If the traitor is there, I want you to bring him back alive. I don't want any more information to be leaked to the Agedai." Dochenko turned from the screen and faced the men.
"Yes sir!'
2 kilometers from SENTINEL base, Univa, Soteros System
12 February, AD 2849, 0012 hours
Ten ATSVs (All-Terrain Scout Vehicles) ground to a halt. Stepping out, Conrad briefed the men of the plan.
"Team Helos, guard the ATSVs. Team Ioda, I want you to surround the base. Make sure no one leaves. Team Radon, follow me. We're going in. Act casual. I will take care of all questions."
When Team Radon had reached the entrance of the base, a group of guards stopped them.
"This is a classified base. No one without authorization is allowed in."
"I am Conrad-S2224, Sentinel-III and Master Specialist Warrant Commanding Officer. As Sentinels, we have the right to access any SENTINEL base." Conrad took off his helmet and saluted, trying to get the guards to recognize him.
"I'm sorry sir, we didn't recognize you. Of course, please proceed." The head guard apologized and saluted back.
Entering the base, Team Radon proceeded to the transmissions center. Leaving Dave-A2355 and Vince-G892 outside to guard the door, Conrad, Hector-345, Johan-293 and Leon-W1289 started searching for any data that might give a clue.
"Sir! I have found the transmission! Somehow that idiot forgot to delete it from the records!" Johan-293, a SENTINEL-IV, shouted out in triumph.
"Great! Run it now." Conrad grinned. This was a great clue. If the voice of the traitor could be identified, the mission would be much easier.
Initiating the voice-recognition function on the computer, Conrad ran the transmission.
"Recognition process successful. Voice identified as that of Isaac-Z667." The words flashed across the screen.
Conrad was taken aback. Isaac-Z667 was a major one of the legendary soldiers of the UWSA. A SENTINEL-II soldier, he was one of the most experienced soldiers and was renowned for his combat prowess. He had killed thousands of Agedai throughout his 48-year military career and was more feared than Conrad himself. Most of all, he was Conrad's closest mentor and teacher.
"Isaac? It can't be!" Conrad gasped.
Suddenly, an event came to his mind. An event that had haunted him for ages. An event that had occurred ten years earlier...
...
Conrad had been doing his routine exercises at the SENTINEL barracks located near the city of Augolis, Univa. Suddenly, Isaac burst into the barracks.
"Where have you been, Isaac?" Conrad asked, noticing blood on Isaac's armor.
"Killing Agedai, as usual, Conrad." Isaac smiled as he hurriedly rushed in the direction of the bathrooms.
"Haha! You must have enjoyed it." Conrad yelled as Isaac disappeared round the corner.
The next day, Conrad received news that Sentinel Squad Unity had been mercilessly massacred near the barracks itself. Camera footage had captured an unknown figure slaughtering each of the Sentinels with deadly efficiency. It didn't look like an Agedai. It looked strangely human.
Upon hearing the news, Conrad was devastated. The men of Squad Unity had been his close friends since the start of the SENTINEL-III program.
Investigations ensued, but the mysterious killer left little behind. The only thing they could find was an unknown badge. In the end, the investigations were stopped due to the more dangerous threat of the Agedai. However, similar killings of Sentinel-III squads continued, with no one bothering to find the killer. This greatly frustrated Conrad as he saw many of his close friends getting killed by an unknown foe.
...
As he replayed those fateful events, realization hit Conrad. The blood on Isaac's armor was not blue Agedai blood. It was red. Red human blood. Blood that came from the men of Squad Unity. Then the badge... it looked familiar...
Rushing over to the computer, Conrad ran a search on that particular badge. When the image came up, Conrad's eyes widened. That badge was Isaac's!
Conrad turned from the computer cursing and swearing. Why had he not noticed this earlier? But how could Isaac betray humanity? Isaac was the man who always focused on teaching loyalty. Conrad would get to the bottom of this.
Univa, Soteros System
12 February, AD2849, 1332 hours
Back at the OPAS base, Conrad related the news of the traitor to Dochenko.
"Isaac?! Are you sure, Master Specialist?" Dochenko's puzzled look said it all.
"Affirmative, sir. We ran a voice-recognition check and searched records. Apparently, he somehow forgot to delete that file. I suspect that this is more complicated than I thought. Isaac was not the careless sort." Conrad furrowed his eyebrows.
"Hmmm... Yes. I sense more behind-the-scenes workings. Nevertheless, you must find Isaac and piece the whole thing together. We will work on the defenses of Univa. The Battle of Auslon is now underway."
"Yes sir. We will get to the bottom of this." Conrad saluted and left the room.
Turning away to walk back to his office, Dochenko was still thinking through the whole thing. Isaac should not have made it this easy for Squad Bravo Three to track him. Something was amiss somewhere. They had to be on the lookout. But Isaac? How?
Throughout the rest of the day, one question repeatedly rang in Dochenko's head.
How...?
The Battle Above Univa was one of the biggest spaceship confrontations between the UWSA and the Agedai. Although the UWSA won the first few skirmishes, the Agedai ultimately relied on their sheer firepower and numbers to overwhelm the UWSA defences. The UWSA fleet lost many ships and was forced to retreat.
Within a few days, the orbital defense grid was destroyed. The Agedai fleet was now free to attack Univa directly.
Univa, Soteros System, Milky Way Galaxy
16 February, AD 2849, 2339 hours
Squad Bravo Three was sent to a secret OPAS Base for their next mission briefing.
Stepping through the thick doors of the command center, Conrad saw the person who started his career as a supersoldier. The person who was a mother figure to the Sentinel-IIIs. The person who considered him her favorite Sentinel. Doctor Anne Holloway.
"Hey there, Conrad. It's been a long time," Holloway smiled, her greying hair sparkled in the light.
"Yes indeed, mam," Conrad saluted.
"There's no need for that, Conrad. You know, your formality has always amused me. We've known each other for a very long time. Why don't we skip that next time? Anyway, do you know why you are here?"
"A mission, mam?" Conrad asked.
"Yes. You've got that right, Conrad. However, I'm not the one assigning the mission. Admiral Dochenko here will be the one doing it."
Saluting the men of Squad Bravo Three, Dochenko stepped forward. Conrad and his men returned with salutes of their own.
"Thank you, Doctor Holloway. Yes, men. You are going to be given a mission. That mission: find and eliminate a traitor," Dochenko stated.
"A traitor?" Shaun-129 raised his eyebrows.
"Yes. Do you know how the secret location of this planet was compromised?"
The Sentinels glanced at each other.
"Okay," Dochenko walked over to a computer monitor. "Look here."
Squad Bravo Three followed Dochenko and walked over to look at the screen.
"We intercepted a coded transmission from this planet to the Agedai ship, Reign of Justice. That transmission provided almost all the details needed for the Agedai to successfully invade this planet. We traced the transmission to a SENTINEL base approximately 200 kilometers from here. We want you, Squad Bravo Three, to go and investigate. If the traitor is there, I want you to bring him back alive. I don't want any more information to be leaked to the Agedai." Dochenko turned from the screen and faced the men.
"Yes sir!'
2 kilometers from SENTINEL base, Univa, Soteros System
12 February, AD 2849, 0012 hours
Ten ATSVs (All-Terrain Scout Vehicles) ground to a halt. Stepping out, Conrad briefed the men of the plan.
"Team Helos, guard the ATSVs. Team Ioda, I want you to surround the base. Make sure no one leaves. Team Radon, follow me. We're going in. Act casual. I will take care of all questions."
When Team Radon had reached the entrance of the base, a group of guards stopped them.
"This is a classified base. No one without authorization is allowed in."
"I am Conrad-S2224, Sentinel-III and Master Specialist Warrant Commanding Officer. As Sentinels, we have the right to access any SENTINEL base." Conrad took off his helmet and saluted, trying to get the guards to recognize him.
"I'm sorry sir, we didn't recognize you. Of course, please proceed." The head guard apologized and saluted back.
Entering the base, Team Radon proceeded to the transmissions center. Leaving Dave-A2355 and Vince-G892 outside to guard the door, Conrad, Hector-345, Johan-293 and Leon-W1289 started searching for any data that might give a clue.
"Sir! I have found the transmission! Somehow that idiot forgot to delete it from the records!" Johan-293, a SENTINEL-IV, shouted out in triumph.
"Great! Run it now." Conrad grinned. This was a great clue. If the voice of the traitor could be identified, the mission would be much easier.
Initiating the voice-recognition function on the computer, Conrad ran the transmission.
"Recognition process successful. Voice identified as that of Isaac-Z667." The words flashed across the screen.
Conrad was taken aback. Isaac-Z667 was a major one of the legendary soldiers of the UWSA. A SENTINEL-II soldier, he was one of the most experienced soldiers and was renowned for his combat prowess. He had killed thousands of Agedai throughout his 48-year military career and was more feared than Conrad himself. Most of all, he was Conrad's closest mentor and teacher.
"Isaac? It can't be!" Conrad gasped.
Suddenly, an event came to his mind. An event that had haunted him for ages. An event that had occurred ten years earlier...
...
Conrad had been doing his routine exercises at the SENTINEL barracks located near the city of Augolis, Univa. Suddenly, Isaac burst into the barracks.
"Where have you been, Isaac?" Conrad asked, noticing blood on Isaac's armor.
"Killing Agedai, as usual, Conrad." Isaac smiled as he hurriedly rushed in the direction of the bathrooms.
"Haha! You must have enjoyed it." Conrad yelled as Isaac disappeared round the corner.
The next day, Conrad received news that Sentinel Squad Unity had been mercilessly massacred near the barracks itself. Camera footage had captured an unknown figure slaughtering each of the Sentinels with deadly efficiency. It didn't look like an Agedai. It looked strangely human.
Upon hearing the news, Conrad was devastated. The men of Squad Unity had been his close friends since the start of the SENTINEL-III program.
Investigations ensued, but the mysterious killer left little behind. The only thing they could find was an unknown badge. In the end, the investigations were stopped due to the more dangerous threat of the Agedai. However, similar killings of Sentinel-III squads continued, with no one bothering to find the killer. This greatly frustrated Conrad as he saw many of his close friends getting killed by an unknown foe.
...
As he replayed those fateful events, realization hit Conrad. The blood on Isaac's armor was not blue Agedai blood. It was red. Red human blood. Blood that came from the men of Squad Unity. Then the badge... it looked familiar...
Rushing over to the computer, Conrad ran a search on that particular badge. When the image came up, Conrad's eyes widened. That badge was Isaac's!
Conrad turned from the computer cursing and swearing. Why had he not noticed this earlier? But how could Isaac betray humanity? Isaac was the man who always focused on teaching loyalty. Conrad would get to the bottom of this.
Univa, Soteros System
12 February, AD2849, 1332 hours
Back at the OPAS base, Conrad related the news of the traitor to Dochenko.
"Isaac?! Are you sure, Master Specialist?" Dochenko's puzzled look said it all.
"Affirmative, sir. We ran a voice-recognition check and searched records. Apparently, he somehow forgot to delete that file. I suspect that this is more complicated than I thought. Isaac was not the careless sort." Conrad furrowed his eyebrows.
"Hmmm... Yes. I sense more behind-the-scenes workings. Nevertheless, you must find Isaac and piece the whole thing together. We will work on the defenses of Univa. The Battle of Auslon is now underway."
"Yes sir. We will get to the bottom of this." Conrad saluted and left the room.
Turning away to walk back to his office, Dochenko was still thinking through the whole thing. Isaac should not have made it this easy for Squad Bravo Three to track him. Something was amiss somewhere. They had to be on the lookout. But Isaac? How?
Throughout the rest of the day, one question repeatedly rang in Dochenko's head.
How...?
