2175 C.E.

XXIV: The Battle of Nova

News Article: The Hanson Harbor Inquirer: 08/06/2175

By Samantha Rodriguez

I've been bringing you live updates of the battle currently unfolding over the skies of Nova. A few minutes ago, a Grushan fleet left warp near the edge of the Novan star system. It's a smaller battle group than the Terran fleet; according to sources at the Novan Stellar Navy High Command, Earth seems to have marshalled its entire fleet to launch this invasion.

The Novan Stellar Navy fleet retreated about six hours ago to friendly Grushan space; we don't have a clear idea of why as of now. According to analysts and contributors here at the Inquirer, and at NBS, the Novan fleet was only about half the size of the Terran fleet, and would have been unlikely to survive an encounter with the Terrans until Grushan reinforcements arrived. In addition, many speculate that the NSNHC was unsure whether to expect the appearance of the black ship of the Zaha-Katchem arriving with the Terran fleet, as Zaha-Katchem politics, though apparently aligned with Terran politics, are at this stage difficult for analysts to predict.

For the past several hours, the Terran fleet has bombarded Novan orbital defenses and planet-to-space missile defenses while avoiding Novan missile fire. At 6:15 AM, the last of these defenses was neutralized and since then they Terran fleet has bombarded civilian and navy facilities on the surface.

With the arrival of the Grushan fleet, the Terran fleet has left orbit of Nova and according to satellite imagery and radar data collected by military and civilian traffic sources. The Terran fleet has launched missiles at the Grushan as well as kinetic canon fire and shells. The Grushan fleet appears to be taking evasive action, and appears to have launched manned fighters, which are staying near the main body of the fleet.

I'll be bringing you further updates of the battle as they occur. We have been advised to instruct everyone to stay in submarine settlement areas and secure airlocks in the event of Terran orbital bombardment, especially in major cities like Imladris and Hanson Harbor. Authorities are planning evacuations of several key areas.

Speech Delivered by Zahal of the Zaha-Katchem: 08/06/2175: Tiananmen Square, Beijing China

Greetings once again people of Earth.

I speak to you today in response to acts of violence and terrorism enacted upon Earth by the Grushan Federation and its puppets on the former Terran colony on Proxima B Centauri. I have spoken directly with the President of Earth; he knows that the force gathered against the people of Earth by the Grushan Federation is immense. Therefore he has requested that I summon the last scions of the Zaha-Katchem Empire, which once stretched across the stars from Zakal-Faah to the far reaches of the galaxy, to assist the mighty fleets of Earth in the war provoked by the hostile Grushan Federation. I have spoken to the remaining elders of my people, and our decision is unanimous. The Zaha-Katchem will come to the aid of the Terran Hegemony, which once came to the aid of the Zaha-Katchem when we were cast into eternal sleep.

My people have studied the Grushan as we have studied the Humans. They are a barbaric and brutal people. They live and die by tooth and claw. They squabble and fight amongst themselves and call themselves "honorable" and "courageous." These are lies. They are lies that they tell themselves to justify a history of war, violence, oppression, fascist tyranny, and authoritarianism. It is a lie that is driven into the core of the Grushan Federation to justify centuries of classism, racism, cultural domination of lesser cultures, and cultural superstition. This is a lesser race, an unworthy culture. In the interests of a just and verdant galaxy, we choose to throw our lot in with the Terran Hegemony.