Incoming video transmission...
Verifying encryption status...
Status verified.
Uplink synchronised.
*The Hellfire Legion logo appears on the screen. A figure is standing before it, his face hidden by shadows. He raises his head slowly, and begins to speak - his voice echoing in the background.*
"Men and women of the Hellfire Legion, I stand before you tonight to bring you a message, and I do so with great sorrow.
I know that several of you have recieved a message recently. An automated message sent from a Search and Rescue buoy originating from the Blue Dove.
We all played it off as an error at first, some malfunction, however..."
*The man, his voice clearly identified him as no other than Lord Commander Aethelu, took a deep breath and stepped forward into the light.*
"However we have been unable to contact Star Colonel Callahan since we recieved the message. Our investigations have shown that she was last seen refueling at Alcatraz, from where she supposedly headed to the New York system - the origin of the SAR-buoy signal.
This, and other results of the investigation, lead us to believe that the signal is completely authentic and was not caused by a malfunction."
*He clenched his fists, and the calm expression on his face turned into one of pure anger.* "The message tells us that Callahan is dead. Whether or not this is true does not matter now.
What matters is that we all are part of the Hellfire Legion like her. We all stand together, in good times, or in bad ones. And we have never,..."
*Aethelu's face slowly became red, and his voice had grown louder. He was shouting already.* "...never ever left anyone behind. I will NOT make this the first time. I will NOT sit here and mourn the loss of one of us, and a personal friend of mine at that. I will NOT rest until we retrieve her pod and bring her... or what is left of her back home."
*He paused and collected himself, then began to speak calmly once again.*
"We will launch a Search and Rescue operation in the next days.
Until then you are all to report back to Leniex at once where you will remain in alert status until you recieve further orders. That is all."
*Aethelu began to walk off the screen. Shortly before the transmission ended, he said some final words.* "We will get her back, no matter the cost. She would have done the same for any of us."