The Stormclaw Journal

[thisDerius]

Log Entry – 2/16/835 A.S.

I told myself I’d leave. That I’d finally push past whatever was holding me back and head to the Kusari-Liberty border. But I’m still here. Still lingering in Omicron Delta, still wandering the decks of Freeport 11 like a ghost that refuses to move on.

This system hasn’t changed in six years. The same war-torn battleground, the same factions clawing at each other’s throats. The Order and The Core remain locked in their endless struggle, fighting over ruins and scraps of control, while the Zoners sit in the middle, caught between two forces that see them as nothing more than obstacles or assets.

And then there are the Nomads. You don’t always see them, but you feel them. Watching. Waiting. The cold, creeping sensation of being hunted never truly fades. It clings to you like the station’s stale air, like the distant hum of dying machinery.

Speaking of the station—it’s still standing. Freeport 11. A battered survivor, holding together despite the countless battles it’s endured. Even after everything, it still smells the same. That familiar mix of oil, rust, and ozone, like a promise that no matter how many times it gets torn apart, it will always be rebuilt. Strange to say, but in its own way, it feels like home.

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I’ve been hearing things. The Core has set up a blockade around Planet Gammu, trying to lock the Gammu AI down permanently—keep them contained on their frozen rock and under control. Typical Core tactics. They like to play the masters of the Edge Worlds, dictating who moves where, who thrives, and who burns. But the AI aren’t easily caged. If there’s one thing I know, it’s that intelligence—organic or synthetic—always finds a way to break free.

Then there was Auxesia. I spotted a few of their ships, a reminder of a past life I’ve been trying to leave behind. It’s been a long time since I’ve seen them, but their goals remain the same. Keep the Nomads at bay. Cut down the threats before they take root. And now? They’re trying to free the AI from The Core’s grasp. A noble cause, or maybe just another play for power—but at least it’s a fight worth having.

And then there’s Nauru. The Core’s prized planet, a monument to their greed and arrogance. I’ve watched it grow, watched them strip it bare, dig their fingers into its surface like it was theirs to claim. And I’ve wished, more times than I can count, to see it all burn.

Seems I’m not the only one.