2175 C.E.

I: The Town of Jimeso is Burning

Official Transcript: HNN News Update: 08/09/2175

LERMAN: Good afternoon, I'm Carrie Lerman from HNN News. Recent terrorist attacks in Jimeso, Ghana have left fifteen Ambience Corp. operators dead and destroyed several thousand credit's worth of Ambience equipment and assets. The terrorists have not identified themselves as a part of any known terrorist group, but they are suspected to be affiliated with the so-called dissident movement of Africa. Many regions host their own version of the dissidence often associated with Gennady Semyonov; it has been thought in the past that the Russian movement has been the most pronounced and in many ways the most violent movement; however, in response to the attacks in Jimeso, Hegemony officials say that they are beginning to take a second glance at the other dissident movements around the globe, most notably in Africa, India, South America and the Middle East. An American dissident movement has struggled to gain relevance in the frequently shifting American socio-political environment. We will bring you more updates on the attacks in Jimeso and beyond as they become available. For HNN News, I'm Carrie Lerman.

[End Transcript]

Letter: From Chinwe Opeyemi, 440 E Ormarith Rd, Jimeso, Ghana: To Eglantine Kayode, 1001 Sherman St, Imladris, Nova: Translated by Ibrahim Wassume

My dearest,

Something has happened beyond my expectation. When we attacked the Ambience facility in Jimeso, we killed many in battle. But there was one person there whom we did not kill; a young man, someone that we did not recognize; a Chinese man who was chained to a chair in the facility, his eyes listless and staring. He was sustained only by tubes in his arms and stomach, and fed by the Ambience engineers. We could not find it in our hearts to kill him. So we freed him of his restraints that he might escape whatever nightmare Ambience Corp. had put him through. We thought that would be the end of it.

But today, we woke up to find that the man had followed us to our hideout. He sits outside the caves now, upon his feet in the style of the Chinese and Japanese. We have tried to speak to him, and even provided him with translators, but we can no more communicate with him than we can with the earth upon which he sits. His eyes remain blank and milky white, as if they see nothing. Maybe the man is blind and deaf because of what the Ambience people have done to him. In any case we cannot communicate with him.

What are we to do? The man almost certainly possesses an Interlink of his own. We can't take him with us, for the Hegemony will track us, but we certainly can't leave him to die either. And who knows how far away relief is for him?

I must communicate with the dissident leaders. Maybe they can help me in my trials.

Please say prayers to God for me, Eglantine. I fear I may need them more than ever in this moment.

Your love,

Chinwe.

[Letter not sent, dated 08/09/2175]

Congolese Intelligence Dispatch: 08/09/2175: Translated by Ibrahim Wassume

Ghana Freedom Patrol-Congolese Intelligence: Freedom fighters near the coast of Ghana have picked up an unidentified hostage. He has no identification; probably Chinese or Japanese. He is in an extreme state of malnourishment and is unresponsive to external stimuli. Description possibly matches the profile of an Ambience host. Request further information. End dispatch.