Content authored by: Alison (Character: SO2 H.Kay Clementine)
While the maelstrom threatened to swallow the planet of Etheriet whole, not everyone chose to flee in terror. A scratch group of what was left of Etheriet’s planetary defense forces and civil services stayed behind to manage the last off world evacuation sites. Their fate was sealed, and their morale began to plummet as their destruction grew nearer and more certain.
They were rallied, however by stories that began to spread of something pushing back against the Maelstrom. Some told tales of a military officer on one of the many planets the Maelstrom already destroyed, leading a group of elite drop pod infantry from the last of the her planet’s defense forces against the Maelstrom in a literal battle against the destructive anomaly, spread quickly through their ranks. According to the stories, she didn’t view the Maelstrom as a force of nature; it was a physical enemy that could be broken through fire, maneuver, and strength of arms.
In the chaos of the fall of numerous planets to the Maelstrom, details of her name, her identity, and even which planet she was from were lost to the swarm of corrupted data and misinformation. One icon of her existence that survived, however, was the insignia of her unit, the Helljumpers. She goes by many names; but many simply chose to call her Commander, Queen of Battle.
Images of a winged woman in robes and power armor began springing up; painted on the bows of shuttle craft and the husks of abandoned buildings. People began wearing Helljumper symbols to honor her sacrifice. Shrines were built in her honor.
Her message and rallying cries were enough to keep the last evacuation crews working ‘til the planet fell. As the Maelstrom consumed the planet, a transmission, claiming to be from her, split through the static and spurred a following that took the surviving warriors of Etheriet by storm.
“Have hope, the enemy can be driven back. Trust in your superiors, keep your blades sharp and your weapons loaded. I will return when the Maelstrom’s time comes.”
Tenets
- The chain of command remains unbroken. Look to your superiors for guidance always, and carry their intent with you in all your actions.
- Hold no artillery in reserve. Overwhelm your enemy when possible, bleed them dry when you cannot. Maneuver without fire is fatal.
- Study the doctrines of the past, they are where the seeds of your future are sewn.
- Forage on your enemy; seize their technology and assets. Turn their advantages against them.
- A single instance of failure is the fault of the superior, a repeat instance of failure is the fault of the subordinate. Malfunctions shall be swiftly corrected.
- Those who surrender and change their ways shall be forgiven, those who do not will be left to their fate. None who raise a weapon against us shall prosper.
Return to: Faith