The Cairo Dossier: How the Nomads Conquered Omicron Zeta

[HussarCorsair]

Part Two

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Agh, damn this arm!

I was relieved to be out of Minor. Nothing there but green smog and dark thoughts, but the dark thoughts persisted. Passing by that orange pearl, Nebet, my mind was drawn to the Nekhbet. Though I didn't see it, my mind never strays far from the solemn halls of that Osiris replica- the memorial plaques. The memory of my initiation into the Order's Fleet is tinged with the same colors my mind raced through when I passed by in my Sekhmet. The same colors race now.

Just... how many have died for this cause?

Somehow, I didn't think about it in the moment. Perhaps because it was on the other side of Nebet. But now I can't help but think I would have felt better if I saw Akabat in that moment.

Regardless, my squad and I were among the first to report in at Fort Carthage. Our ships were in about as pristine condition as they could get for floating around in the Edge Worlds, so we were also among the first to be reassigned and redeployed. Our orders were clear...

"Maintain a defensive perimeter. You are not expected to deter a Core offensive. You only need to buy time for reinforcements to be directed to Cairo from Mu. If that means launching a counterattack, then I leave that at your CO's discretion. Until then, be vigilant"

So that was it. Wait and "be vigilant". Wait to be killed. It occurred to me in that moment that I had never really been ordered to attack. Only to "investigate", to "secure", and to "report back".

Yet I am a veteran, I have fought in battles that have been won. A salvo from the Sekhmet that shares my callsign has burst the hull of a Core Train before. In Delta. It was a hit and run that cost the Core 5000 tons of Ship Hull Panels and 25 contracted crewmen. My squads' cannons tore a Nomad warform to shreds. Also in Delta. Our sudden appearance has deterred many a careless explorer from restricted space.

So, how does the Order win? Do we claim anything more than pyrrhic victories? Do we only delay the inevitable?

//To be continued