“Jason would think nothing of giving his life to save some technician, or a Visser child. He thinks their lives are as valuable as his. Fine. I suppose that is why I follow him. But their lives are not as valuable as his, and he must never make that sacrifice.”

• Niki

“On the Seven Worlds, deep down I knew we could never defeat the empire. We fought to postpone an inevitable loss. But things are different now. I'm fighting for the first time knowing we can win.”

• Trent

“The emotions of that first day were hard to describe. There was joy in the reunion of old comrades, mixed with the pain of what we all lost. But most of all, there was hope for a brighter future.”

• Jason

“On the Seven Worlds my work was just as vital, just as critical, but I was part of a team. Now I am alone. the responsibilities of maintaining this hardware are enormous. I don't know how long I can take the pressure.”

• Diary excerpt, Sandy Jordan (Senior Technician, Gold Legion Targa), 2349

“These stations are our life line. Remember, there is no long term military way of securing our power link. Trust and cooperation will be the key.”

• Jason

“The lessons of our first encounters with Spectrals were costly….paid for in lives. For one, the Spectrals had a battery of senses that allowed them to see through walls.”

• Jason

“The Trank are a subject race brought by the Spectrals as builders and technicians. They are incapable of creative thought, and thus crave all knowledge. A library is the greatest treasure trove to a Trank.”

• Jason

“Though once subjugated by the Starcaste, the Northern Larden now cling jealously to their freedom, and are more than willing to lay down their lives for it.”

• Jason

“Clear for Spinward. Lighten your load and give all your frills to the home-bound.”

• Niki

Going Spinward happens when a Team stays in the field after the 4th and last pass of the ORCA. They are stuck in the field with no ORCA coverage, no retreat, no supply, and no reinforcement for 14 days.
“You are cleared for Spinward. Good luck. Catch you in 14.”

• Lieutenant Andy Brennan

“Suit up boys, we're point on the Dragonstar.”

• Lance

A Dragonstar is a fighting formation which uses the ORCA to transport the combat team into an enemy position. Each person is responsible for a given field of fire. The Pointstar is the first team in. They are responsible for taking accurate coordinate readings for subsequent assault teams.
“This will be a hot drop. Hold your positions and blast anything in your field of fire.”

• Marcel

“Sending my encoder home with the wounded. I've got a live beacon here and will stay with the field team.”

• Justine Matheson, Field Medic

Each team member's combat suit has a homing beacon which is activated if he becomes incapacitated. The medic's field kit has a tracking function for monitoring these beacons.
“Negative Lieutenant. You will hold. Rebar's in the pipe and you'd better be there when they beam in.”

• Lieutenant Andy Brennan

“Rebar” is slang for an assault team. “In the Pipe” means the team is already in the ORCA and on its way. They cannot be recalled.
“The deployable climbing gear and crampons made the DRGN combat suits ideal for fighting the Spectrals in the ice caverns they made their lairs. Almost as if they were designed for that mission.”

• Niki

“Ignore the sniper, we've got to make the summit before the next pass.”

• Niki

Leapfrogging ORCA style. Often a scouting team will move out and secure a landing zone ahead of ORCA coverage. The main body is then teleported in. A fast team can cover miles between each ORCA pass.
“I'm coming in with wounded. Can't account for all my thralls….have a security team standing by.”

• Justin Matheson, Field Medic

Other than the mission leaders, only medics carry their own encoders. Medics have thralls set to their encoders which they use to return wounded to base on the earliest ORCA pass. An enemy could capture these thralls and attempt to penetrate Base Camp with the medic evac, hence the necessity for a security team.
“Even the limited Spectral bombardment left most communities heavily damaged.”

• Jason

“Lieutenant, hold reinforcements. We've lost it down here. Will salvage what we can and catch you on the rebound.”

• Trent

The Lieutenant is an Operations Officer. The mission commander feels he can't even hold with reinforcements. He is going to evacuate on the next ORCA pass and call in reinforcements from another position.
“Good morning Lieutenant. Come on down, the weather's fine.”

• Trent

“You might have saved the day today. But who's holding the bag tomorrow?”

• Niki

Power armor's limited duration limits its use in the field. Ideal for point defense and attack under ORCA coverage, it cannot be supported in the field. Power armor leads the charge, but holding the field falls to the non-powered infantry.
“I'd love to stay, but power's low and I'm late for a hot shower.”

• Lance

“We made them pay for every room, and for every foot of corridor. We were ordered to hold. So that's what we did.”

• Tess, Blue Sword Targa

“We finally unleashed the Black Legion. I heard some of them actually made it all the way to the Imperial Landing Zone.”

• Rodrigo, Gold Sword Dragon

“What good is my life if I do not use it to defend what I believe in.”

• Palin Soddack, Silver Sword Targa

“Yes, they were unruly, undisciplined, and nearly impossible to deal with. But, when I had a rough job that needed doing, there were none more eager.”

• Flynn, Gold Sword Targa

“I had always been taught that the ideals of the Seven Worlds were like a virus. I feel now that they were actually an antibody.”

• Jesse Bocker, Paramedic

“We learn more every day about the value of freedom and its cost.”

• Esteban Teller, Communications Repair.

“At first I could not imagine how someone could be so willing to sacrifice his life for a stranger. It has taken some time, but now I am beginning to truly understand.”

• Esteban Teller, Comm. Repair

“To survive because of my station, when so many are dying, is a painful burden. But it is not the worst thing I must face. Far worse is the knowledge that this will not be resolved until long after I am dead; that I will go to my grave not knowing if I made the right decision.”

• Petra Riesen, Director, Trident/RMBK, Day 7

“We must, and we will mobilize to secure our vital interests throughout Rhand. that is your priority, ladies and gentlemen. That is your only duty.”

• Simon DeBoer, Speech to gathering of executive officers, Day 3

“Confirmation that Flynn has been captured. That puts Narjack in command at RA1, and he's a Targa; we can't have that. I want a Dragon in there now.”

• Vladimir, OSS HG, 02.03.2349

“Your 'cargo' is safe and sound, and the Imperium never touched their scaly little heads. Now it's your turn; keep our people safe from the Imperium, and from the Spectrals when they finally make it out here.”

• Cirrus Tomlins, Head of Skyhawk, 26.08.2348

“I preach to you of the coming of the Blessed Day, of the Great Day of Liberation and Blood, when the heretics and the unclean shall be brought down! Hear my words, faithful Children of the Apocalypse.”

• Shlodi, Ruler of Antex, Day 14

“This is a one-way trip, barring a miracle. There won't be anyone taken prisoner, and there won't be any RQ to pick up the pieces. One way only. Any questions?… I didn't think so.”

• Balian, Silver Sword Targa, Cyclops Gambit Strike Team

“The cancer eats at me, and I don't know how to react. I am going to die, and very soon, but death will free me from the pain, and it seems I will live on in spite of everything. But how much of me is truly living on in that device? I talk to it, and it is as if I talk to myself; it thinks like I do, or seems to. My death is still inevitable. At the same time, I have already survived it.”

• Valerie Stone, Tranh Electronics: Subcon 13, 02.03.2349

“I have found proof that the spill was not an accident. It was Shawika's fault, and on top of that, I'm sure he is with the ISS. I will find him, and I will find them. And they will pay.”

• Xelxer Marcon, Naturlife: Subcon 51, Day 3

“We are now Vissers, so we can't be trusted. But we still have our skills and our weapons, and we can put them to use without endangering normal people. there are killers and madmen. There are wild animals and militant Visser bands. there are Slozek. Even Spectrals. Yes, we can still make a contribution.”

• Jocasta Pontos, Founder, The Visser Foreign Legion, Martial Technologies: Subcon 60, Day 28

“Still don't know how I survived. The rest of them fell within seconds of leaving the bunker, while I fought there alone for several minutes. But, I was the last, and the wounded could only receive aid when the fighting stopped. So, since I couldn't surrender, I left, dodging fire as best I could, somehow making it into the woods. My mother believed in angels; I wonder if one was watching over me.”

• Colonel Cambronne, Commander, 7th Imperial Guard Strike Battalion

Personal Log regarding the destruction of the Guard, Day 42