**Corporal Kira Emberwhisk's Log, Supplemental**
**Shire Base, 1st Company Office recording**
**37 days after Rothgard's Fall**
Orders from the stars set mortal feet upon new paths.
Kira Emberwhisk and her squad jogged back from morning PT on the training fields of Shire Base, sweat glistening under the morning sun of Shire Valley. The rhythmic thud of boots on the packed earth and the steady breathing of her team filled the air as they cooled down. Kira's fox-like ears twitched at the familiar sounds of the base around them, her tail flicking with leftover energy from the run.
A young Lieutenant was waiting at the edge of the training field, crisp in his uniform. He stepped forward as they approached. "Corporal Emberwhisk," he said briskly. "Company Commander wants you in his office immediately." Kira wiped sweat from her brow, exchanging a quick glance with her squad. "Yes, sir. I'll be there in fifteen."
Fifteen minutes later, freshly changed into clean fatigues, Kira entered the waiting area outside the company commander's office in the 1st Company headquarters building at Shire Base. Garrick Thorne, the broad-shouldered ex-Rothgard knight, was leaning against the wall with his arms crossed. Beside him stood Sylvania, her graceful posture and sharp eyes giving her the usual air of quiet vigilance. Corporal Torin Shadowear, the cat-kin squad leader from Albion and Kira's longtime partner in espionage, sat on the bench, his posture straight and disciplined even in casual rest, his single tail curled neatly beside him and his cat-like ears alert.
"Kira," Torin greeted her with a nod, his voice steady and pragmatic. "Looks like we're all being called in. Any idea what this is about?" Sylvania offered a small smile, her voice soft but laced with curiosity. "I hope it is not another round of medical scans. I have had quite enough of those." Kira grinned, wiping a stray strand of hair behind her ear. "If it were medical, they wouldn't call all four of us. My guess is something operational. The brass has been quiet since the strikes on the fleet."
Garrick Thorne's deep voice rumbled with restrained excitement. "Whatever it is, I'm ready. Been waiting for a chance to strike back at the Imperia properly." They continued speculating in low voices until the secretary called them in. The four corporals entered the office with crisp salutes. Torin, as senior among them, announced clearly, "Corporals Emberwhisk, Thorne, Sylvania, and Shadowear reporting as ordered, sir."
Captain Marcus "Forge" Harlan, a veteran Marine officer with a weathered face and sharp gray eyes, sat behind his desk. He had served in several campaigns before Discovery's displacement and carried the calm authority of a man who had seen combat up close. He returned their salute and said, "At ease." The four relaxed into parade rest. Captain Harlan tapped his comm device. Each of their personal comms gave a soft beep as a data packet arrived.
"At ease," he repeated. "I've just sent you a data packet with background details and a written briefing. What I'm about to tell you is the heart of it." He leaned forward, voice serious. "You four have been selected for an infiltration mission to facilitate strikes from Discovery. Your objectives are to get close to key Imperial naval infrastructure and coastal strongholds on the Atlantian Islands and the eastern continent. You will identify targets, relay precise coordinates for stand-off strikes, and coordinate with Delta operators. Ground teams will also identify Persons of Interest to destabilize Imperial command. Read the packet thoroughly—it contains critical information on Discovery's capabilities and the current situation. Get up to speed quickly. Questions?"
The four corporals exchanged glances. Torin spoke first, pragmatic as always. "Insertion method, sir?"
"VS-44 shuttles at night, a few miles from the major cities closest to the targets," Captain Harlan replied. "Stealth profile. You'll move in on foot after the drop." Sylvania's voice was calm and thoughtful. "And extraction?"
"Same method. Once the coordinates are confirmed, you call for pickup. Read the packet. It has all the details."
Garrick Thorne's eyes gleamed with knightly resolve. "This is real, sir. We're actually going in." Captain Harlan gave a small, approving nod. "Dismissed. Good luck, Corporals." The four filed out. They moved to a nearby open area near the barracks and quickly pulled up the data packet on their comms, reading together in a tight circle.
Kira's eyes widened as she scrolled through the first pages, her voice hushed with disbelief. "This… this says Discovery is a starship. From another world entirely. It came through some kind of rift after a sabotage on its drive system. They call it a parallel universe. I don't even know what half these words mean—orbital, satellite, railgun, hypersonic. It's like they're describing magic, but it's all machines and numbers."
Torin Shadowear leaned closer, his cat-like ears flicking with surprise, his single tail lashing once before he forced it still. "A ship that sails between stars? Not across oceans, but the void itself? I thought the Americans had powerful airships and thunder weapons, but this… this is beyond anything in the old tales. How do they even steer something that flies above the sky?"
Sylvania's graceful features tightened with quiet awe, her voice soft yet laced with unease. "They speak of striking from orbit as if it were nothing. I have no frame for these terms—hypersonic, gravimetric. It feels like trying to grasp the wind with bare hands. Yet the packet says they have done it. They crossed from another world and chose this valley as their home."
Garrick Thorne stared at the screen, his broad shoulders tense, a mix of wonder and fierce determination in his eyes. "By the ancestors… a vessel forged in the fires of another star. No wonder they turned the tide at Blackthorn Harbor with a handful of soldiers. If this is true, we are not merely allying with strangers. We stand beside gods who walk in steel."
The weight of the revelation settled over them in stunned silence for a long moment, each processing the impossible truth in their own way—Kira's sharp mind racing with questions, Torin's pragmatic caution warring with reluctant respect, Sylvania's reflective nature seeking balance in the unknown, and Garrick's knightly resolve hardening into purpose.
Torin finally broke the hush, his voice steady once more. "The mission itself is clear enough. Infiltration, target marking, stand-off strikes. We go in quietly with the Delta operators, relay coordinates, and let the sky do the rest. No heroics—just results." Kira nodded, her expression shifting from shock to focused resolve. "It will be the most dangerous work we have ever done. But if Discovery can strike from beyond the clouds, our part is to make sure every blow counts."
Sylvania's voice carried quiet steel. "We must be ghosts. The Imperia's mages will sense nothing if we move as the packet instructs." Garrick Thorne's deep voice rumbled with grim satisfaction. "This is what we trained for. We get to hit them where it hurts—their ships, their supply lines, their command. Let's make them regret ever coming to this valley." The four continued discussing the mission in low, intense voices, personalities shining through as they prepared for the dangerous path ahead.