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Incoming Transmission

To: Commander Taro Katsuo
From: Ensign Jin'ko Hayate
Subject: Omicron Beta - Outcast Entrenchment
Priority: High

Message reads:

Konban-wa Commander Taro-san,

I am lucky to be alive to give you this but it an unfortunate message to give. Shantar-Maru and it's escort ships were taken down in Omicron Beta by Outcasts. Work is being done to replace the lost ships. I'll give you the debriefing:

I took out our exploration unit, Shantar, out with a full escort into Beta two days ago. Escort was fairly heavy with Corporal Satoru Kanegi and Ensign Kasugai Hatsumi in bombers and one of our new recruit; Mang Taku in a Very Heavy Fighter. Since the journey was long I made sure the Shantar brought along extra supplies to keep it's escort sustained. I hope the Ayakashi is fully complete soon.

As our squadron was continuing our slow scan of the system we came across more evidence of the destructiveness of the Outcasts found within. An exploration team was destroyed to man. The scans of the hulls matched with Namura's that was scanned by Shantar before. We didn't realize it at the time, but their fate was about to be repeated.

Sure enough, shortly after our discovery our scanners detected two Outcast signatures but we believe they were smugglers not battle ready ships. It was only fitting that they were appalled at our claim to the Beta system and that our intentions of securing the Alien Organisms required the permission of the Dons. This smuggler had a silver tongue characteristic of any dealer of narcotics that looks to prey on the weakness of society. The Outcast even had the gull to say that our claim to develop Beta is no different than if it were between Kusari and GMG. The nerve! I had thought. No, I knew that hidden behind the honeyed words of that dealer lurked a barbarian and they could not be compared to the civility that is Kusari. I told him just that.

We paid dearly for our daliance and those smooth talking cardimine smugglers bought the incoming wave the time they needed to organize. When the first wave came we weren't worried and considered ourselves faced with nuisance but that first wave was the tip of the iceberg. It didn't take long before the entire squadron was enveloped. Our own members of the Paramilitary Division fought bravely and made sure that their ship made a sting before being disabled themselves.

If may pardon my speaking freely, Cmdr Taro-san, but I feel that if we have any chance against Outcasts we mustn't underestimate them. We need to use decisive force or otherwise giveup any semblance of a toe-hold in Omicron Beta. We have always looked down with contempt against many of our enemies we've had in the past right up into the present. Rheinland, Corsairs, Hogosha all of which had underestimated the skill of our paramilitary forces and faced defeat. All throughout Sirius there are rumours of them being terrors of space and yet we showed no fear, indeed we showed a determination to drive them out to the last ship. In our arrogance, however, I fear that we may duplicate the same mistake with the Outcasts as our previous enemies have made with us.

Out of all the pilots of the enemies we face I respect the Outcast pilot the most. They say that their cardimine boosts them somehow. Well as one who has fought them many time I am hard-pressed not to believe the rumours. We need stronger numbers and sending an Explorer into Beta with the ability to only supply a small amount of strike ships won't be enough. We need Ayakashi's armour completed soon. I have seen it moored to Niigata and have heard that it already had a succesful first trip so it must be ready soon. With Ayakashi fully operational we can place a large enough force in it's bays to hold the fron in Beta.

I am deeply sorry for our failure Commander and some more time in the training simulators has been already scheduled. I still have high hopes for our success and I pray that you'll see fit to keep me in the front lines.

Arigato and sayonara
Ensign Jin'ko Hayate

End Transmission

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