[These quick formulae were hastily scribbled out on a scrap of paper still stamped with the seal of the XAS and then tossed aside. There is only one way to test the accuracy of these calculations.]
Quick Facts
Faction: Exile
Type: Journal
Radiant Legionnaires, this is the battle we’ve been destined to fight since, well, maybe since Emperor Dominus called the people of Cassus to be leaders of a glorious Dominion. We’ve fought too hard to let it all slip away now, and by the gods whose world we fight for, I swear we will not allow foul corruption to devour the empire.
That doesn’t mean I don’t see what we’re up against. I see this Strain, in all its diseased infamy.
My belief in our ultimate victory simply means I’ve faced down the nastiest, meanest, vilest, and all-around rottenest the galaxy’s got to offer with you men, women, and Chua at my side. Through hell and worse we made it through then, and as your commander I tell you the Radiant Legion will be victorious today!
The enemy we face has been testing our limits. They look like beasts, but believe me when I say the smart ones are damned good tacticians.
And there’s a lot of smart ones, people. Just remember the training, and don’t underestimate them, ever. So we stick to the plan and engage where necessary, but remember the goal – the Phagelabs.
Near as we can tell, that’s where the Strain has been confined this entire time, but now they’ve broken free. We’re going to shut it down.
But along the way, any threats to the Dominion, the emperor, or this planet will be dealt with as the Radiant Legion always deals with the enemies of the empire – with order and justice for all.
This includes the bloody Exiles! Make no mistake. They may not be corrupted by the Bio-Phage, but they’re corrupted by treason, treachery, and heresy. They’re worse than the Strain.
They chose to fight against a just and righteous galaxy, and we shall not now indulge in alliances of convenience with their kind.
The Strain must be contained and ultimately destroyed. The same can be said for the Exiles. They cannot be allowed to take control of the Grimvault. But for the gods and the emperor, the Radiant Legion will.
– Commander Antevian
Quick Facts
Faction: Dominion
Type: Journal
Maintenance Log #12011029
STATUS
Fix tanks, Wazzo. Make tougher, Wazzo. No more budget, Wazzo. Bah! Wazzo fed up to HERE with cheap Cassian armor plating! With cheap Cassian weapon cores. With cheap Cassian OFFICIALS who don’t understand warbreaker tanks take maintenance or warbreakers get broken! GYAAARGH!
Deep breath, Wazzo. Cassians have no-bid contracts. Wazzo can respect that. But that not fix Wazzo’s tanks.
Wazzo need good parts. Probably have to get from third party. Again.
Maintenance Log #12011030
STATUS
Razza frazza with a side of zazza! These parts are even worse! Guaranteed Protostar Multipurpose Parts, eh? More like guaranteed FAILURE parts! Can’t blame clones though. Protostar just trying to make a few primes. No, Wazzo can only blame self for getting suckered.
And blame stupid cheap bureaucrats who make Wazzo go to stupid Protostar in first place!
Maintenance Log #12011031
STATUS
All right! That’s it! Wazzo is done. Wazzo may not be best mechanic in fleet. But Wazzo has self-respect! Wazzo will NOT certify these warbreaker tanks up to regulations. And if anybody ends up dead because of shoddy armor plating or sputtering force shielding, it not on Wazzo’s head. Nope!
Wazzo washing hands of this lousy detail. Wazzo going into business for himself. Will fix tanks the right way. For money. Yes, Wazzo going rogue! Wazzo will become the Chua to go to for tank repair on –
[The voice-to-text software records a sound of rending metal and several heavy thuds at this point. The next piece of text was recorded several minutes after this event.
Maintenance Log #12011032
STATUS
Yeah, that gonna leave a mark.
Or seven. Yeah… Wazzo probably needed that torso. Should never have stood next to stupid tanks while recording status report… ow that hurts. Okay. If you hear this… make sure somebody knows. They aren’t safe. Misfire. Shoddy brakes. Weapon locks… faulty. Wazzo… signing… off.
Quick Facts
Faction: Dominion
Type: Journal
The lady has chosen her course, and I have chosen mine. She’s got to fail before she can see it’s possible to fail, and I can’t save her from herself. She has her Draken master-at-arms to look after her, for all the good he’ll do against the kind of things she’s looking for.
But then we all seek death in our own way, don’t we. My brother sought enlightenment, and was willing to die for it. He’s worse than dead now.
In fact, Calidor’s heresy will force me to destroy him someday.
I know this. I’m convinced he does too. I wish there was another way.
But then you always do, don’t you Toric? Someday they’re going to figure it out. I’m not special. The bravery they think I show – the tactical genius?
It’s fear. Fear of failing… fear of death. I’ve heard it said that bravery is being afraid and forging ahead anyway, and maybe that’s true. But I don’t believe it.
If it’s anything, it’s luck.
It should have been Calidor who joined the Legions. The priesthood called to me, more than it did to him. But I admit, I was always physically stronger than him. A better fighter. If not for me, the whole family would have starved. I was afraid Calidor would point out how scared I was of losing them all.
He never had that problem. Calidor was willing to do whatever was needed. I was afraid of that too.
I did what was needed, but only if it fit into my code.
Well, maybe my brother was right all along. Maybe we need some kind of secret power to defeat the enemy that awaits us in the Grimvault. And that scares me more than anything else. That defeating this foe will cost me what’s left of myself, and she will never return to me.
You’re a selfish coward, Toric Antevian, but you can never let them know.
Datachron, erase recording.
***COMMAND FAILURE***
ENERGY FLUCTUATIONS DETECTED. PLEASE RESTATE COMMAND.
Quick Facts
Faction: Dominion
Type: Journal
“Nurse!” the war medic shouted over the smoldering, noise-wracked, muddy, and noisy battlefield on the planet where the battle was taking place. “I need a war nurse! We have injuries not quite severe enough for a war doctor. So I’m looking, as I said, for a war nurse! Please, can someone find me a – “
“A war nurse?” interrupted Royal Imperial Nurse Thylia Caduceus, RIN, as she punched an Exile mercenary in the face with a rubber-gloved hand to prevent accidental infection. “Why didn’t you ask?” With that, she grabbed hold of a conveniently placed cable hanging from an even more conveniently placed rocky outcrop and swung into action by swinging over to land next to the war medic, who saluted. Nurse Caduceus saluted back.
The war medic, confused, saluted again. This went on for a few moments until the war nurse lashed out with a rubber-encased backhand.
“SNAP OUT OF IT, man!” she declared lustily. “This is war! And you’re a war medic. And I’m a war nurse. We belong here, saving lives!”
“And you belong with me, Action War Nurse!” called a sneering voice from through the roiling smoke on the battlefield.
Without warning, a bolt of fiery orange plasma lanced from within the black cloud and caught the war medic full in the face, melted it, then went on to cook his brains into a sort of gray-blue soup before causing the war medic’s skull to explode in a shower of gore and blood and gore.
“War medic!” Nurse Caduceus called, “Blast it, I didn’t even know your name!”
“His name?
You should be more worried about my name, Action War Nurse,” came the sneering voice again, and this time it was attached to a leering face. The leering face was attached to the vile Exile mercenary who strode forward from the smoke. The Action War Nurse recognized him immediately.
“I recognize you immediately,” she snarled defiantly. “Commander Heratix the Heretical, the most wanted Exile war criminal in the galaxy.
Well I’m an action war nurse, Commander Heratix, and I’m here to administer your shots!”
With that, Nurse Caduceus drew her twin resonators and set them to full charge, aiming them directly at the ugly Granok’s stony face.
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Quick Facts
Faction: Dominion
Type: Journal
STATUS LOG – Grimvault Expedition Operation Genesis Day 01
Chief Medic Darnassian recording
What started as a bad supply situation is only getting worse. Anesthetic stores are at less than 20%, with the parts we need to keep the med stations functioning are at less than 10%. Command is not going to like this, but they must provide more medical supplies if the Radiant Legion is to take this Phagelab about which I’ve been hearing.
Why, I’d say we’re going to need more supplies if we’re to last the week, assault or no assault.
I have complete faith in Commander Antevian’s courage, but even he can’t win a war if he and all of his troops are bleeding out on the battlefield.
Something must be done!
Quick Facts
Faction: Dominion
Type: Journal