sespledgeofstarlight

[sespledgeofstarlight]

SES Pledge of Starlight: Tides of Treachery

We've been hard at work. On Gaellivare, on Pandion, on Turing, on Shelt. Wherever the war has needed us, we've been. Our documentation of every passing day has suffered under the stress of numerous "incidents" on the surface. Incidents that turned out to be acts of deliberate malice.

I'll do more than most of us are willing to, and assume these traitors are being genuine when they say they're doing the right thing by betraying all they've ever known. I'll take them at their word from the screams they let out the moment they were uncovered. It's hard to believe such visceral emotions could be invoked by soulless machines or tyrannical Terminids. If you're planning sedition, treason, anything of the sort, listen carefully now.

You're making things worse.

The fronts have been unkind to us. We and our beloved citizens have endured the desolation of entire planets as this conflict has swept over the galaxy. You're stressed. We all are in our own way, from the zealous to the withdrawn. But you're not going to help matters by supplicating yourself to the whims of the enemy.

The Automatons have Cyberstan. They didn't stop there. They swept over the west and now they chase the inner reaches of the northern sectors. Talus, Marspira, Tanis- they won't rest until they reach Super Earth. The 'borgs sure didn't hesitate. They won't end their crusade until everything human has been expunged from the galaxy, and their undemocratic Final Collective has assumed total control. You won't have freedom then.

You have it now.

Report to your nearest Democracy Officer. Admit your sins. Suffer now so all may suffer less in the future. Every innocent patriot you condemn to death is your responsibility. And if you can't bring yourself to accept that treason is wrong...

Maybe you were never really human to begin with.

...that's all. Our current operational plans are classified, but our immediate priority is defending the barrens of Pandion-XIV once again. Morale will be higher next report, almost certainly. Until then, SES Pledge of Starlight, signing out.

[sespledgeofstarlight]

SES Pledge of Starlight: Hold The Line

SES Pledge of Starlight reporting.

We've been behind on our updates, as the past few days have been absolutely full of fighting. We briefly deployed to Vog-Sojoth to assist the defence there, but swiftly made the strategic decision to depart for more essential worlds. We then attempted to reclaim Gaellivare, but that effort seemed in vain. Finally, we redeployed to Imber.

The fireproof armouring has made those hellhole worlds far more tolerable. We even participated in high-priority assignments. It was quite a change to be facing factory striders on the field after getting used to the dregs and scraps the bots had to throw at us. Nonetheless, we did our part.

Imber held, but the bots have launched a two-pronged assault from Mastia. We hope to cut it off at the source, but we lack the numbers to do so at present. Hopefully other Super Destroyers will cast their vote towards our victory in time. It's been a brutal campaign, and we've heard a lot of dissident talk- all reported to the nearest Democracy Officer, of course. We of the Pledge of Starlight remain steadfast in our commitment to Super Earth's defence. Our enemies are a major threat to our way of life, but we will not withdraw in cowardice.

That's all we have time for this transmission. Mastia isn't going to liberate itself. If the situation there doesn't improve, we will redeploy to the defences proper and slog it out the long way. SES Pledge of Starlight out.

[sespledgeofstarlight]

SES Pledge of Starlight: A Titanic Feat

Since when are the bots in the Talus Sector?

We've had an epidemic of automaton assaults as late, deeper and deeper into Super Earth territory. Our bot-stompers were eagerly awaiting the righteous reclamation of Tarsh and Mastia. Instead, we're back on the defensive because this menace doesn't learn when to quit.

They're supposedly after our titanium reserves on Imber. Never visited myself, but considering those freaks having any more assets than they already do makes my stomach churn. We've spent the day spilling oil on Shelt. Reminds me of Trandor, really. Or Martale. Nice, autumnal world. Better climate that those wretched deserts or frozen wastelands.

I worry about Gaellivare, but I believe in my duty to democracy. With any luck, we'll stab them right in heart once the defences are done. Until then, we'll have to get used to volcanic rocks coming in. Not a long report this time, the situation demands too much scrap metal to waste any time.

SES Pledge of Starlight out.

[sespledgeofstarlight]

SES Pledge of Starlight: Freedom Fortified

We've been fighting on Phact Bay all day today. Let me tell you, it's not easy handling chargers in the middle of a sandstorm. Regardless, we've near set the whole world on fire with the number of napalm barrages we've called in. Some of our divers are downright giddy at the prospect.

The planet's secure for now, and the major order appears on schedule barring any sudden surprises. We've gathered more intelligence on those supposed Illuminate sightings, and as expected they are simply the work of treasonous dissidents seeking to confound Super Earth's righteous defenders. Scare tactics don't work against the likes of us. We're the ones to be afraid of.

There's not much else to report, save an observation. Why is everyone scurrying back to Pandion-XXIV? I know the barrens are picturesque, but it is literally the most defended bug world we could pursue. It's not even a good strategic choice- occupying it won't shield against anything! We'll be determining our next deployment with care.

That's all for this broadcast. Liberty's light guide you. SES Pledge of Starlight, over and out.

[sespledgeofstarlight]

SES Pledge of Starlight: Do Not Engage (Again)

This is SES Pledge of Starlight, reporting in for a standard update.

The bugs continue their incessant campaign against Gatria and Phact Bay with a ferocity and fervour not seen since their insistent attacks on Estanu. Fortunately, as we all know, the brainless bugs are incapable of learning or adapting, and are yet to realise their inability to break through Super Earth's unyielding defence.

Our emphasis has been on Gatria. The bloodstained world's ion storms have been increasingly irritating, but we've destroyed several bug's nests and spread democracy across several regions of the war-ridden world. There's little to note beyond our increasing familiarity with the local flora.

The Orbital Napalm Barrage is now available on a temporary basis. We intend to make use of it as we transition to Phact Bay. From our limited observations, it's an effective rain of fire for holding back hordes and immolating enemy emplacements.

Admittedly, we've taken brief detours in our defences. Once to Trandor, once to Partion. We didn't deploy with any expectation of victory. Just to...taste the air, so to speak. To revel in the experience of being in the Sten Sector. Knowing even the bug home worlds aren't safe from our advance any longer. I can smell the freedom soon to come...

However, my day was ruined after a recent revelation. For some inexplicable reason, some super destroyers seem to be reporting Illuminate activity, as if the squids somehow returned from their venture to another galaxy. In case it wasn't obvious, this was clearly a technical error caused by Automaton disinformation. Do NOT engage with any personnel who believe these BLATANT conspiracies. They simply intend to distract us from the real war effort ahead of us. Super Earth space is entirely safe. NOTHING can sneak up on us, and anyone who believes otherwise needs a nice long conversation with their local Democracy Officer. We have enough REAL enemies as it is without bringing ghosts of the last century into the mix.

That's all for this send-off. Remember your loyalties, Helldivers. Remember what we fight for. SES Pledge of Starlight out.

[sespledgeofstarlight]

SES Pledge of Starlight: Holding Out

Today's ventures have seen relative success. Despite the apparent lack of a formal briefing- far be it from me to question high command's devotion to the brevity of their wit- our orders could not be more straightforward. The wretched bugs continue to defy all reason, refusing the comforts of the free-range E-710 farms in favour of assailing democracy's colonial outposts. We were to put a stop to the assaults on our innocent colonists in the Jin Xi Sector.

Gatria reminded some of us of our brief stint on Ubanea, eons ago. We were all so fresh back then. Fortunately, we were able to paint the planet a more familiar shade of green with Terminid blood. The ion storms sure tried to ruin it for us, though.

Phact Bay was an easier assignment. We deployed to one of the very final operations there, enduring the constant sandstorms to make liberty proud. These restless insects need to- P3 informs me that the Terminids aren't technically insects, whatever. They're bugs crushed beneath our boots either way.

Things are going well. But then, that's when some of us start to worry. Complacency breeds stagnation, and stagnation breeds weakness. We'll continue to adapt to whatever the bugs and bots try on us.

Until next time. SES Pledge of Starlight out.

[sespledgeofstarlight]

SES Pledge of Starlight: Do Not Engage

This is SES Pledge of Starlight, reporting from the latest Major Order. Our efforts were predominantly focused on Aesir Pass and Vernen Wells, as could be expected given our situation.

Few notable events took place on Aesir Pass for us. The Wells gave us a difficult time. Even supposedly low-risk assignments turned out to have dangerously coordinated mortar emplacements. We have experimented with several weapons uncommon to the Helldivers in modernity, though further testing is required before submitting analysis.

Like many, we temporarily diverted to Fenrir III to assist in the closure of the Terminid attacks. This was a mistake. The planet was lost regardless, and we seem unlikely to scrap the required number of bots to obtain our Orbital Napalm Barrages. Squad member C3, "Cinders", is the most disappointed with this arrangement. We hope fervently that this stratagem is not a months-long effort to obtain, and that other means can be found to acquire the scrap metal needed for the implementation of these shells. Trust me, there are some worlds we'd all like to see burnt to a crisp.

We have also noted an increase in propaganda of feeble Automaton sympathisers, seeking to take advantage of the disarray created by certain treacherous elements. Do not engage with them. Do not accept their claims at face value. The bot cannot think. The bot does not desire peace. Do not forget the Bio-Processing Plants we have encountered in the field. That liquid slush comes from our dead, and it's just another means by which they grease their hatred of Super Earth and our way of life.

I miss the day Durgen capitulated. But I'll celebrate the liberation of Cyberstan alongside you all soon enough. We've obliterated the toasters from half the galaxy, slapped their greedy and expansionist iron fist away from the outer reaches they've long terrorised. It's only a matter of time.

SES Pledge of Starlight, signing off.

[sespledgeofstarlight]

SES Pledge of Starlight: The Gloom Looms

Our efforts for the past few days have concentrated on the Major Order's designated defences. A brief detour to Tarsh saw us engaging Automatons to keep ourselves sharp. The misty fog of that swampland made any long-range precision impossible, so our snipers demanded a chance to prove themselves on Matar Bay. Though we never doubt the courage of our fellow soldiers, that we secured both that world and the recently-assaulted Mastia was a small miracle.

Today's operations involved a late sweep-up on Fori Prime. These new betentacled bugs tried to make our lives difficult, and an abundance of shriekers filled the skies almost immediately. Despite resistance, setbacks were minimal and we achieved our objectives. However, Gloom concentration was so high that an evacuation was ordered, and we seem unable to even check Fori Prime's status as yet.

If it were up to me I'd ram the entire super destroyer into that ridiculous miasma and set the bugs alight. Alas, the scientists keep telling me physics doesn't support that possibility. Surely we could deploy a few hellbombs to clear the clouds? We've destroyed one planet, what's a dozen more?

[sespledgeofstarlight]

SES Pledge of Starlight: Defending Freedom

We have been out of contact since the early days of the Automaton Reclamation. Nonetheless, we return to active communications amidst new discussions and developments on the front.

Our work today has not been a revelation. We have straightforwardly deployed to Pandion XXIV in order to stem the tyrannical incursions taking place there. Experiments with our new catalogue of incendiary weapons have seen overall success, with some caveats. Small fry are easy enough to incinerate, but even sustained fire will not guarantee the scorching of a more resilient carapace. Nonetheless, the weapons service adequately in their intended role. The simultaneous implementation of fireproof armour has significantly reduced friendly fire casualties during this period of essential field research.

The distant Gloom lingers over us all, and must be addressed before it spreads throughout the entire galaxy. Unfortunately, we have yet to be deployed to a higher-level assignment sufficient enough to eliminate any bile titans. Their corrosive sacs will only serve to erode the bonds of tyranny that shackle all Terminids to the capricious whims of enigmatic monstrosities, instead of to the caring and nurturing free-range E-710 ranches where they clearly belong.

Of deeper concern still are recent reports of treacherous activities. We are concerned that the Terminid larvae we have begun encountering have the ability to either deploy mind-affecting pheromones or psychically influence vulnerable targets in proximity. The dedication we have seen towards safeguarding these assets borders on treasonous, and while progress comes before any individual Helldiver, I can only hope they receive their necessary comeuppance once dissected in the laboratory.

We will hope to deliver further updates as the situation across the galaxy develops. Until then, Pledge of Starlight out.

[sespledgeofstarlight]

SES Pledge of Starlight: Stemming the Tide

As you are doubtlessly already aware, the efforts to defend Chort Bay and Lesath failed yesterday. Menkent held out, but only by a narrow margin, and the bots have not relented in their assault. We are now reporting in from Matar Bay. The world is fairly temperate, a welcome reprieve in this regard. Rainstorms of water are comforting compared to Chort Bay's acid.

Morale remains steadfast in spite of the relentless Automaton assault. We have been assigned to higher-intensity operations, though only mildly so. Truthfully, many Helldivers aboard have experienced severe injuries in the field, and some have even clamoured to be allowed to return to the eastern front to ensure their bug-hunting skills remain honed. We cannot allow the Automaton advance to deprive us of our ability to kill other adversaries, but we are needed here and now to secure the future of Super Earth. With good tidings we may yet hold the gateway to the Andromeda Sector.

[sespledgeofstarlight]

SES Pledge of Starlight: Bitter Frontier

The SES Pledge of Starlight has been deployed several times over the course of the day, from Menkent to Lesath. Though the conditions on these worlds are somewhat familiar after fighting Terminids in similar terrain, there remains a colossal difference in approach between these enemies of freedom.

Menkent appears to have been the priority of most Super Destroyers. The infernal world is the furthest foothold the machines could grasp for with their iron fists. Lesath has proven no less brutal despite the colder climate, much more suitable for energy weaponry but equally palatable for the Automatons.

Current projections are unfortunately grim for the worlds under assault in the Lacaille Sector. Chort Bay especially is increasingly overrun, its acid storms apparently far more inviting for the bots than for humanity. May the greater storm be weathered.

[sespledgeofstarlight]

SES Pledge of Starlight: The Reclamation

After successful completion of the prior major order, we stationed the SES Pledge of Starlight at Nivel 43. The parasitic barrens were almost a welcome reprieve from Hellmire.

There was a considerable uproar when a new communication arrived from Super Earth, and within seconds our maps were updated to show this:

A massive Automaton fleet has arrived in the Valdis Sector, sweeping through countless worlds and cutting communications as it went. The Lacaille Sector and even the frontier of the Hydra Sector are at risk. The mechanical menace has reached its territorial peak within hours of the invasion, and scarcely a day after their supposed eradication.

The crew are deeply unsettled by this travesty. Many had theories as to who the Automatons were broadcasting to from Troost, and some even brought up ghost stories from a century past. It seems the real spectre at work is the reincarnation of an enemy we were far too swift to declare annihilated.

It is unknown if this fleet has any advanced capabilities beyond what the Automatons have previously demonstrated. The SES Pledge of Starlight is redeploying with haste to Chort Bay. Menkent and Lesath are also high-priority targets for immediate defence.

The bots always did seem to call out for Cyberstan in their deranged, indecipherable chants. We must rescue that world, and the others assailed by this unprecedented affront to freedom, before these wretched machines can ravage any more of liberty's resources or distort any more of our victories.

Brothers, sisters, others. To arms. We have broken them before, and we will break them again. And this time, when they are shattered, we will ensure that their frames rest in too many pieces to ever return.

[sespledgeofstarlight]

SES Pledge of Starlight: Hellmire

As per the major order, our final target is the scorched world of Hellmire. The planet is prone to frequent fire tornados and infested with a swarm of merciless bugs. We have deployed to several low-intensity salvage operations, many of which have also involved the elimination of illegal broadcast towers.

Some onboard Helldivers have begun to question how and why the Terminids are able to distribute such broadcasts, and why the efforts to quell them frequently involve maximising signal strength rather than cutting it. Democracy officers remain on standby to ensure such questions do not enter potentially undemocratic territory.

There is a sordid beauty to Hellmire, though it is difficult to appreciate when the sweltering heat is trying to take you with it. Hopefully the unique properties of the planet assist in the farming efforts. We do not envy the settlers who will stay there on a permanent basis.

[sespledgeofstarlight]

SES Pledge of Starlight reporting for duty

How fitting we should announce ourselves at the beginning of a new dawn for Super Earth and Managed Democracy. With the end of the Automatons, we must no longer fear their interception of our broadcasts, and thus we have gained permission to partake in this experimental communication event.

Periodic updates will be submitted for public review regarding our participation in the war effort and our experiences in previous and ongoing campaigns. Please note that we specialised in lower-intensity operations and our forces are not yet authorised to assist in the more daring operations.

Should you have any questions, statements or observations to share with us, please access our comms relay. We accept all incoming transmissions.

Now then, to business.

Today has marked the extermination of the Automaton Legion that has wrought devastation across countless liberated worlds. Our earliest assignment against the bots was during Operation Swift Disassembly, on the assault on Troost. We were not there at the beginning, but we were there at the end. On Maia, Tibit and Durgen we did our best to ensure victory for Super Earth.

While all of our crew exult in the eradication of this menace, some are sullen at the prospect of a newfound inability to spill oil. Others are appreciative that days may yet go by when the relentless, freedom-hating chants of the Automatons do not echo in their ears.

We are committed now to the eastern front and the reclamation of the worlds infested by the bugs in our absence. Our current position is Estanu, though we expect a rapid victory here. Soon we will advance to the other worlds as commanded by the present major order.

Pledge of Starlight, over and out.