Novan Intelligence Dispatch: 07/04/2175 2307 Nova Standard Time

Border Security-Novan Intelligence Command: DMZ monitoring station detects massive Terran redistribution of warships. 23 ships in sensor range redeployed to Earth system. Intentions unknown. End dispatch.

Personal Journal: William Aucaman

07/05/2175

I believe that Cynthia Mattingly looks down on me to a certain extent. I gather this impression from her tone of voice and facial expressions when we met to study in study period today. When she sat down at the table I had taken in the library, she instantly sighed and got down to business. For most people, I would take this as more or less normal, but I've seen Cynthia before with her friends, and at those times she was much more animated. I've rarely seen her in their company insist seriously that they get to work, as it were, and so I rather suspect that her studiousness was more the result of my presence than any interest in the subject. She seemed quite bored with the topic, as well. Andrea said that I should be prepared to write the whole paper myself, and I'm afraid that she might be right.

It's amazing to me that these engineered kids like Cynthia never seem to have the same work ethic as some of the ordinary kids I've known. I don't know for sure if Cynthia was engineered, of course, since I haven't exactly asked her if she was or not. But the weird thing about engineered kids is that they go through styles. My mom says that the same thing happens with names; a certain name or kind of name will be really popular one year and inexplicably fade out of favor the next. Cynthia looks a lot like the gene-mods or engineered kids in my generation. It's something about the eyes I think; all of them my age have the same weird blue color, and by their shape they look almost Asian. Brent is a gene-mod, and he has the same thing. I guess if you were designed to make your parents look good, then that's already kind of a full-time job and they don't have time for much else.

A grizzly bear wandered into our wildlife reserve late in the afternoon, a little before we went in for dinner. I think it may have been a lone male in search of food or a mate. I was very surprised to see it, not simply because it wandered this far east of its species' usual range. Ever since they were listed as critically endangered species in the early 2100's, they've rarely been seen out of the refuges set up in old national parks or zoos. But more than that, they don't generally leave wooded areas; our wetlands won't make a suitable habitat for it. I don't know why he came, or where he'll go from here. I hope he finds what he's looking for.

Novan Intelligence Dispatch: 07/05/2175 0147 NST

Grushan Coordination Unit-Novan Intelligence Command: Grushan intelligence confirms. All Terran border vessels withdrawn and redeployed to the Earth system. FGSF moving AY01 and AH02 task force to monitor DMZ. End Dispatch.

Official Transcript: HNN News Update: 07/05/2175 2105 EST

[Begin Playback]

LERMAN: Now, breaking news from orbit above Earth. A large Hegemony fleet has just jumped into the Earth star system with several entering into orbit around Earth upon arrival. The remainder have split into a number of groups and spread throughout the system. We reached out to the Terran Interstellar Authority for any indication of the purpose of this massive Hegemony show of force, but spokespeople have declined to comment. We are being told to advise everybody that there is currently no threat to them and to go about your daily business as you otherwise would. More updates are likely to emerge throughout the night; we'll be covering them as they come. For Hegemony News Network, I'm Carrie Lerman.

[End Playback]

Official Diplomatic Dispatch: From Grushan Senate: To Terran Global Hegemony President's Office: 07/06/2175 0230 EST

To Yan An-Sing, President of the Terran Hegemony, from Almarith, Praetor of the Grushan Federation, Chairman of the Grushan Senate, Commander of the Federal Grushan Star Fleet

Greetings. I contact you because the Terran Hegemony has recently withdrawn what appears to be the entire Terran Star Fleet to the Terran home world. We can surmise only one possible explanation; aggression against the Novan Alliance. While the Grushan Senate understands the delicate nature of your relationship with your former colony, we have become close trade partners with Nova and will not allow Terran aggression towards them. If this is indeed your intention, I would advise you to rethink it.

Personal Journal: William Aucaman

07/06/2175

Yesterday evening, HNN reported that a large number of Hegemony Star Fleet ships had been recalled to the Earth system. The private news networks corroborated the story, so my family and I are confident that the report is accurate. Then, my brother hacked into a Hegemony sensor satellite and looked for himself; we counted 73 ships in the system, including two carriers, six battle cruisers and two battleships. We didn't tell Mom and Dad that he'd done it, of course, but Adrian's been hacking into their systems for months. Sometimes, it pays to have a genius in the family. No troop ships had been mobilized, and neither has the military on Earth. None of us know the exact size of Earth's fleet, but I would guess that with ten shipyards, five systems and a hundred years, this might be all of it. If I were on Nova right now, I would look to my guns.

I believe I may have figured out why Cynthia dislikes me. We met again to plan and study today; I wanted to make sure her half was going all right. A lull in the conversation had hit as I was reading about the federal separation of powers in the Grushan Federation, and she stopped and stared at me. She must have been staring for some time, although I hadn't noticed, before she broke the silence.

"Why, on Earth, don't you have an Interlink?" she asked.

I asked her why I would want one.

"Because the Hegemony gives Sesame points for owning the latest model. Because you can access the internet from your head and do anything. Because you can drive and run your home with just thinking. And, I mean, you're a guy. The porn is supposed to be amazing."

These were her words. I told her that I wasn't interested in any of those things.

"Sesame points are just a way for the government make you happy to obey them. I have a handheld device that does the same thing just as well. Because I don't have a smart home and we do everything manually. And I don't do porn."

She was surprised. "I don't know where to begin. First, a handheld? What is this, the 2040's?"

I explained to her that my device was made by a private company in Michigan, and that it has top of the line wireless access and security.

"But it's a handheld!" she said.

"Yes it is, but it doesn't record everything I see and think and send it to the government or Ambience Corp." I explained.

"What's that got to do with anything?" she asked me. She seemed surprised. Do people not actually think these days?

I told her. "Imagine if someone was watching you all day every day with everything you do, from sleeping to school to thinking." She didn't seem convinced, so I pressed on. "Doesn't it bother you that there could be people could be watching you fantasize over a hot guy or showering or something through your own eyes? Because they can do that with neural Interlinks."

She kind of laughed at me then. "The Hegemony issued a promise that they wouldn't do that years ago. So did Ambience Corp."

"So what, just because the government and the corporations said they wouldn't means they don't? That's bullshit. Don't you get advertisements based on your fantasies? You know, you dream about chicken dinners one night, and the next evening, you see pop-ups for hot wings? Or you see a dress that you like and suddenly coupons show up?" I asked this a little irritably; I don't understand how people just don't think.

"Of course I do! It's really helpful, too. How else would I know what to buy?" She said this phrase exactly; I may not remember the whole conversation exactly, but this stands out in my memory.

"But it means that they're using your thoughts and your memories, right? It can't be that hard for them to just move on to your intimate thoughts and sights, the ones you don't want people seeing."

"And what about your thing against Sesame points? What's that supposed to mean? It's almost as good as money for your accounts; people with high points get so many benefits. I'm a 538, and I get discounts on everything I buy."

I swear that she really made this subject shift. I wonder how much training they fit into that neural broadcast.

"Sesame points are just a way of making you feel good about agreeing with the government. Like, when you donate or buy things, you get points. Or when you tell people how much you support the government, and how much you like President Yan and stuff like that. It also makes sure that you have friends who agree with the state and ostracize people who don't. It rewards you in points and tax breaks for doing what the Hegemony tells you to."

This seemed to be the last straw for Cynthia, as she quickly gathered her things and stood to leave. As she was leaving, she sent a last parting shot.

"Well I don't see the problem in any of that. I do like our government, I love President Yan, and I like my friends., thank you very much. It's too bad you don't have any."

I wonder though, if she really likes them or if she's incentivized to like all those things so much that she's forgotten the difference.

"And what do you mean, you don't do porn? Every guy does porn. My dad does porn. My boyfriend does porn."

She said this as she was leaving. I'm afraid that I had to get the last word, so I shouted after her, "And you've never felt used or inadequate for him?"

She didn't reply, but I think I saw a bit of doubt in her eyes as she walked out.

I don't understand what sort of person she is; she not only willingly accepts the government and the corporations controlling her life, and she gets mad when people tell her she's been duped, all for some stupid credit system. It's remarkable when you think about it, but still, it is hard being the last sane family in the world, as Adrian would say.

07/07/2175 0431 EST: Transmission Series Sent TSS Graf Spee BBM-0201: O Earth (Uranus Base): 07/07/2175: Transmission Received Terran Interstellar Authority

Begin Transmission

TSS Graf Spee to TIA. Object matching signature of the black ship has entered Kuiper security ring. Admiral Hans Gottred ordering Task Force 3 to intercept. Admiral Miranda Winters ordering Task Force 1 and 2 to support at Neptune shipyards. Admiral Gottred authorizes use of tactical nuclear warheads. Admiral Nobuyuki Ito orders Task Force 4 and special Task Force 5 to Jupiter base.

End Transmission

0445 EST

Begin Transmission

Task Force 3 engaged. No damage to enemy vessel. Tactical warheads intercepted and detonated. TSS Afghanistan and TSS Samurai taking heavy damage. Task Force 3 withdrawing to regroup with Task Force 1 and 2. Admiral Ito orders fast intercept. Task Force 4 and 5 preparing flanking action from Jupiter.

End Transmission

0501 EST

Begin Transmission

Black ship has disappeared from sensors. No positive nuclear impact. Admiral Winters and Admiral Gottred order Task Forces 1, 2, and 3 to return to Mars orbit. Admiral Ito authorizes in system jump to bring Task Force 4 and 5 into Earth orbit. TSS Afghanistan, Samurai, Navajo, Sarajevo, Ha Long, Chandragupta, and Sun Tzu adrift.

End Transmission

0510

Begin Transmission

Vessel reacquired on sensors maneuvering through Mars belt. Admiral Gottred orders Task Force 1, 2, and 3 to engage. Admiral Ito orders Task Force 4 and 5 into Mars defense ring. Mars orbital defense grid responding.

End Transmission

0520

Begin Transmission

Black ship has disappeared from sensors. Admiral Ito orders Task Force 4 and 5 to return to Earth. TSS George Patton, Arthur Pendragon, Shokaku, and Hiroshima adrift. Admiral Winters does not respond to hails. Admiral Gottred orders Task Force 1 and 2 to follow on black ship's last known heading. Time to enter Earth orbit 12 min 20 sec.

End Transmission

The Thoughts of Yong An-Hong: Translated by Alexandra Yuan: Copyright 2205, Centauri University Press, Hanson Harbor, Nova

07/07/2175

I write in action. It is not my custom, I know. But the day of judgement may have come to Earth, for an alien vessel from RN-06 has come to Sol. My record helps me to focus my mind, and if important decisions are made, I must be able to look back upon them and learn from my thoughts.

The black ship appeared in orbit at 0524. Our Admirals tried everything possible to stop it, but no missiles could penetrate its hull. It was like our fears themselves in the form of a starship, which no weapon could pierce. It's arrival on Earth heralds I know not what; perhaps a reckoning for us all.

But now, it stops! The ship that has traveled lightyears to confront Earth now stops and maintains a geosynchronous orbit over the American continent! Perhaps they cannot attack? I don't believe this of a ship that single-handedly disables 17 Terran vessels with no damage. Perhaps this was never their purpose?

At 0526, President Yan An-Sing and I authorize use of planetary warheads. Admiral Ito signals to launch. We fire 23 nuclear warheads. The ship does not maneuver.

23 missiles hit. We await news from orbit. Perhaps this will all be over shortly.

Orbital sensors confirm. No damage to the black ship. What in the name of all that mankind has ever held holy is this thing? What sort of wraith have we uncovered in the ruins of that dead world? And what does it want with us now?

For now, as the eagle, it hovers above a lake, waiting to pounce upon a fish under its placid surface. Which of us shall it snatch from above? Only time, perhaps, can say.

Personal Journal: William Aucaman

07/08/2175

Something odd happened last night and this morning. At around 8:30, I was outside working on studying on the front porch. I suddenly saw a flash in the sky like lightning, but it was a clear sky, so it couldn't have been lightning. It lingered for several seconds before fading away. I saw the light just a little south of Ursa Minor. It was bright enough to reveal the entire landscape outside. Then it was gone. Adrian and my mom saw it from inside and came out to investigate. Adrian dug out his telescope and looked at the spot. Something was up there, as clear as day. I'm not sure what it was; maybe a ship, but it's not like any ship I've ever seen or heard of; it has no habitat ring, no thrusters, no deck guns or anything; the hull is smooth and black, and doesn't reflect; when the sun rose the next morning, it was still there, just a black silhouette against the sky. It's still there; it doesn't seem to be interfering with satellites or the Terran fleet, though Adrian tells me that there are about ten fewer ships on sensors than there were. He also tells me that whatever it is has almost no signature. Perhaps that means it's a stealth warship or something, but I've never heard of anything like that.

Text Conversation: From Elaina Kasnyeva: To Gennady Semyonov: Translated by Mikhail Dragovic: 07/09/2175

Sun 9:14 AM

Elaina: Gennady, you must come to Tver as soon as you can.

Gennady: Why, Elaina? Is something the matter?

Elaina: I cannot explain. You must simply come.

Elaina: Somebody is here to see you.

 Gennady: Who is it?

Elaina: I don't know what it is. I have never seen anything like it.

Elaina: Please hurry. It frightens me.

Gennady: I'll come as fast as I can.

[End Text Transaction]