2175 C.E.

XII: The Awakening

The Thoughts of Yong An-Hong: Translated by Alexandra Yuan: Copyright 2205, Centauri University Press: Hanson Harbor, Nova

08/28/2175

I have not yet become used to the level of secrecy that is kept around me. When I was working for the Hegemony, not so long ago, I was briefed regularly on nearly all matters concerning the Hegemony, especially national security issues. However, mere weeks after that, I am now told very little. I have been sequestered to a government bomb shelter to prepare for the inevitable Hegemony invasion, and here I sit, many days doing little else besides feeding myself, browsing the impressive library, and consulting with African and Novan security and intelligence operatives on Hegemony tactics and operations. Occasionally, I speak with Mrs. Mwangi or Ambassador Dumarith, who I knew before the outbreak of the war.

From them, I have learned that the war has not gone well for the African Union. The Hegemony's armies, though divided between Earth and Nova, have several advantages in combat. They are, for example, more durable, and less susceptible to fatigue. They do not require extensive supply chains because of their self renewing energy sources. And a machine does not require as much protection as a person; if it has enough system redundancies, it can survive significant damage. And I have gathered that the Hegemony armies are making significant gains against the African defensive armies.

I have noted, on my own, that Africa has struggled to control the information war as well. There seems no way to limit the constant stream of Hegemony propaganda pouring in, and the news censored by HNN pundits has begun to take a toll on public opinion. Many know that the information transmitted by the Hegemony is skewed if not utterly false. However, Ambience engineers have successfully repressed any sort of alternative narratives. If I wanted to, I could go on Congolese television today and tell the world that the President has been replaced by a Zaha-Katchem puppet and the results would be the same as if I had stayed silent.

I have a small hope however. I have considered the possibility presented by the host that was captured in Ghana. Although he has been disconnected from the Mainframe, some Ambience hardware remains in his system. I have never been well educated in the technology of the Interlink, and Ambience's systems, but there are some here who have been. More than that, Congo houses several very impressive engineers, the likes of which I have rarely seen. They were educated abroad within the Grushan Federation; some of them are in fact Grushan. While I was a politician, I met many brilliant people, but the engineers I have encountered in Congo are, though perhaps less brilliant than some Hegemony and Ambience scientists, exceedingly well spoken and creative. These Congolese scientists are innovators, and I have rarely met their like. Perhaps it is something that can be said against the Hegemony.

I have addressed the problem with some of these scientists, and they agree that the prospect of a host, with fully integrated Ambience technology, is an enticing one. I have even shared my hope in the small chance that they may be able to reverse engineer the devices and allow us a chance to infiltrate the Mainframe, or perhaps work around the information blockade that has crippled the war effort. Perhaps with the freedom to communicate, we may even be able to end this war without excess bloodshed. As I once told Alexandra Troy, I have no desire to see the Hegemony brought to its knees. I only wish to right the wrongs committed by the Zaha-Katchem and our own worst impulses.

Personal Journal: William Aucaman

08/28/2175

Olivia Mattingly finally regained consciousness earlier today. Doctors have been working on her physical condition for almost a week by now; they had her stabilized for a number of days, but she was only showing the vaguest signs of recovery the whole time. We moved her down to a bomb shelter yesterday, which proved a good idea, because the old building was targeted by Hegemony artillery not too long after. In any case, Cynthia hasn't really left her side since Rorith came a week ago, and I've been with her for the past couple of days since my hunting party got back to Kinshasa. It was actually an unusually large artillery shell that woke her finally. She woke with something of a shock, and it rather startled me and Cynthia right next to her. She was very scared, understandably, by the artillery fire and the new location, but having Cynthia around seemed to help her a bit, and she eventually calmed down a bit. I felt a bit awkward, since I've never actually met her, but I was glad to be there anyway.